World Digital Manga Tide Part One

　As a part of Tokyo International Comic Festival, we held a symposium called “World Digital Manga Tide.” I went on stage along with the big star of American comics Mr. Jim Lee, and Mr. Chris Butcher from Toronto Comic Arts Festival. Following are my answers to the questions.

●What is the charm of manga?

　Manga is an expression in which a single artist creates the world with story, pictures, and text. It is not a movie, a novel, nor a picture book, and there is something that can only be expressed in manga. When manga is turned into anime or a real-life film, it cannot be the same as the original work. It is a unique form of expression.

　Manga can overcome the language barrier easier than a novel. It is also distinctive in the friendliness to both children and adults who can enjoy it. Also, different from movies, the reading method and speed can be decided by the reader. It is an expression that is very friendly to readers.

　North America has its own manga culture. Europe has theirs, and we have our own in Japan. They are all wonderful. That is expanding to other countries. I expect manga to help build a pluralistic world.

●What is the change by digitization?

　Both business and expression aspects will change.

　People around the world will read it on smartphones. This may be a threat to paper manga, but it means manga will become popular around the world, and business will suddenly change to global scale. It is a threat as well as an opportunity for publishers.

　The very expression of manga will change. In South Korea, manga that will turn the page by tapping instead of swiping or scrolling is being developed. A genre that is anime, a novel, or none of those will appear.

　The way it is read will change as well. Manga that are expressed on social media started appearing. The community gets energized with manga as the single topic. Social manga that is like the movie that you see with everyone, or sports that are enjoyed in public viewing will start appearing.

　The replacement of paper by digitization is a small story. I think the point is the new expression that will be born and the expansion of magna world because of digitization.