
Kazuhiko Torishima spent more than 47 years as an editor at “Shonen Jump,” the most popular manga magazine in Japan. (Its current weekly print run is about 1.3 million copies.) Before becoming editor in chief, he worked closely with three celebrated manga-ka (artists), helping them develop their graphic tales: Masakazu Katsura (“Video Girl Ai”), Koji […]

EDITOR’S NOTE: This week the Annecy International Animation Festival commences – and in support of their spotlight on Animation, Pride and Diversity, we asked our anime expert Charles Solomon to suggest some recent gay manga (and anime) we should be more aware of. As the recent summit in Hiroshima spotlighted, Japan is the only G7 […]

As a quick glance at any bookstore or Amazon will confirm, the popularity of manga in the US has produced a flood of how-to books aimed at adolescent/teen-age artists. In addition to the general books, there are specialized volumes focusing on everything from accessories to hair styles to furry characters and mecha. An unscientific sampling […]

Although many graphic novels and manga focus on LGBTQ kids, the complex characters and exceptional draftsmanship set Kaito’s “Blue Flag” above the tepid Western fantasies and run-of-the-mill BL (“Boy’s Love”) manga. (It was a finalist for the LA Times Book Prize for Graphic Novel.) Sadly, the publication of Volume #8 marks the end of Blue […]

One of the big hits of the last decade, Kohei Horikoshi’s “My Hero Academia” (2014) has sold more than 30 million books worldwide. The TV series is in its fifth season, and the eagerly awaited third feature will debut this summer. Horikoshi set “Academia” in an alternate world where many children are born with “Quirks:” […]