Why is Japanese Manga drawn in black and white?

The Japanese manga world is bigger and better than ever, and it’s now in direct competition with American comics and graphic novels on shelves everywhere. Manga can be compared directly with the best titles from Marvel, DC and Dark Horse, and comic fans can compare and contrast the two in many ways, including on a technical level. .

Comics and comics are slightly different in terms of storytelling and tone, but the most obvious difference, aside from the fact that comics are read from right to left, is the fact that they are all in black and white, like a newspaper. This might disappoint longtime manga fans who want to read something new at first, but for various production reasons, Japanese manga had to be drawn in black and white according to the default — although there are some exceptions.

Why Japanese Manga is Black and White

Many sources on the Internet explain in great detail why manga is almost always in black and white. First, manga artists are under severe pressure to release chapters of about 20 pages per week, as opposed to Western comics releasing new issues every two weeks or once a month. In that tight time frame, a cartoonist has to make sacrifices to make their finished product for publication, and that includes dropping color. Furthermore, many cartoonists have only a handful of assistants or even none at all, so there may not be anyone willing to serve as a dedicated colorist. Furthermore, with such a strict schedule, there is simply no time for a dedicated colorist, even if there is one, to color all 20 pages of a manga chapter.

Most American comic book titles feature specialized colorists, who are distinct from the art of drawing and coloring artists, meaning that a team of three to five or more people can bring together the talent of the artist. them for a Batman or X-Men comic. The manga has practically never had such a dedicated colorist for the entire series, and this is evident when manga fans review the name on a manga volume. At most, they’ll usually see one name for the story and one for the art, while an American comic series credits the artist who wrote the lines and a colorist—in addition to other non-art credits. like words and stories. writer(s).

Black and white also makes a manga volume or some magazines like Shonen Jump and Weekly Young Jump physically lighter, making them easier to ship in bulk to suppliers like manga stores and brands. books like Barnes & Noble. There is simply much less ink and paper, and even if a comic or comic book page is truly as light as a sheet of paper, it adds up quickly. A box full of manga or graphic novel issues has thousands of pages in it, and color comics weigh almost twice as much as their manga counterparts. This lighter weight makes it cheaper and easier to ship wholesale manga.

When Japanese Manga Use Color

By default, Japanese comics are in black and white to save time and effort and make books physically lighter, but manga artists still use color. Even the most avid comic book reader wants to see their favorite characters and settings in color at least a few times, and a great example is the covers of comic book volumes. On real manga magazines, there will only be one color cover and only so many series can be presented there. However, when a manga is printed in volumes, especially a lot, collectors will enjoy colorful images of their favorite characters and backgrounds on the front and back. Naturally, this makes the volume more appealing on the shelf, and it helps any reader use their imagination to visualize the black and white images of the manga in color. Anime can do the same, but only if there is a series, and only if manga readers take the time to watch it.

Manga series may even include coloring pages for special occasions, such as an important chapter like the 500th chapter or the climax of a major popular plot. Full-color double pages often appear in series like One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach, the “big trio” of classic shounen, often featuring their main characters in a large group. There may also be a distinctive visual theme, such as One Piece characters in traditional Japanese clothing or the main cast of Bleach in trendy urban clothing, as if they were models. in category. This is done only sparingly, which makes it all the more special and memorable for a fan of the manga to open up the latest Shonen Jump and find a whole two pages full of colorful real-life characters. jump off the page. Notably, these spreads are often reduced to grayscale in Western prints, but color versions can still be found online so Western fans don’t have to miss out on the full fun. color.