Historical Origins of Magna


Manga - maNga - noun
Japanese word for comics; outside of Japan, it usually refers specifically to Japanese comics. Mangaka is the corresponding Japanese word for a manga artist. Literally translated, manga means "random pictures." The word first came into common usage after the publication of the 19th century Hokusai Manga, containing assorted drawings from the sketchbook of the famous ukiyo-e artist Hokusai. Click here for more information.

Manga and Anime are very closely related because the artists and their characters cross into both areas. Would you believe that picture scrolls created by Buddist monks in the 6th and 7th centuries were the first illustrations of “magna”? It’s true. Scrolls ran continually using specific symbols to demonstrate the passage of time. Check out some of the very first examples here. Click on the images to enlarge them.

Resources . . .

Manga.com - 10th Anniversary Summer 2004

How to Draw Manga - Manga University

EX - The Online World of Anime & Manga