Gekiga
Encyclopedia
is Japanese for "dramatic pictures." The term was coined by Yoshihiro Tatsumi
and adopted by other more serious Japanese cartoonists who did not want their trade to be known as manga
or "irresponsible pictures." It's akin to Will Eisner
who started calling his comics
"graphic novel
s" as opposed to "comic book
s" for the same reason.
Tatsumi began publishing "gekiga" in 1957. Gekiga was vastly different from most manga at the time, which were aimed at children. These "dramatic pictures" emerged not from the mainstream manga publications in Tokyo headed by Osamu Tezuka
but from the lending libraries based out of Osaka
. The lending library industry tolerated more experimental and offensive works to be published than the mainstream "Tezuka camp" during this time period.
By the late 1960s and early 1970s the children who grew up reading manga wanted something aimed at older audiences and gekiga provided for that niche. In addition this particular generation came to be known as the manga generation and read manga as a form of rebellion (which was similar to the role rock and roll played for hippies in the United States
). Manga reading was particularly common in the 1960s among anti-U.S.-Japan Security Treaty and Labor oriented student protest groups at this time. These youths became known in Japan as the "manga
generation."
Because of the growing popularity of these originally underground comics, even Osamu Tezuka
began to display the influence of gekiga cartoonists in works such as Hi no Tori (Phoenix
), produced in the early 1970s, and especially in Adolf
, produced in the early 1980s. Adolf has heavy influences from Tatsumi's artwork, with more realistic styling and darker settings than most of Tezuka’s work. In turn Tatsumi was influenced by Tezuka though storytelling techniques.
Not only was the storytelling in gekiga more serious but also the style was more realistic. Gekiga constitutes the work of first generation of Japanese alternative cartoonists
. Some authors use this original definition to produce works that only contained shock factor.
As a result of Tezuka adopting gekiga styles and storytelling, there was an acceptance of a wide diversity of experimental stories into the mainstream comic market commonly referred to critics as being the Golden Age
of Manga. This started in the 1970s and continued into the 1980s. In 1977, writer Kazuo Koike
founded the Gekiga Sonjuku educational program, which emphasized maturity and strong characterization in manga.
As mainstream shōnen
magazines became increasingly more commercialized, gekiga's influence began to fade. More recently the most mainstream shōnen
publications have lost a lot of gekiga influence and these kinds of works are now found in slightly more underground publications (usually seinen
magazines). In addition other artistic movements have emerged in alternative manga
like the emergence of the avant-garde magazine Garo
around the time of gekiga's acceptance into the mainstream manga market and the much later Nouvelle Manga
movement. These movements have superseded gekiga as alternative comics
in Japan.
who are known to create works from the gekiga perspective.
Yoshihiro Tatsumi
is a Japanese manga artist who is widely credited with starting the gekiga style of alternative comics in Japan, having allegedly coined the term in 1957....
and adopted by other more serious Japanese cartoonists who did not want their trade to be known as manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
or "irresponsible pictures." It's akin to Will Eisner
Will Eisner
William Erwin "Will" Eisner was an American comics writer, artist and entrepreneur. He is considered one of the most important contributors to the development of the medium and is known for the cartooning studio he founded; for his highly influential series The Spirit; for his use of comics as an...
who started calling his comics
Comics
Comics denotes a hybrid medium having verbal side of its vocabulary tightly tied to its visual side in order to convey narrative or information only, the latter in case of non-fiction comics, seeking synergy by using both visual and verbal side in...
"graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
s" as opposed to "comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
s" for the same reason.
Tatsumi began publishing "gekiga" in 1957. Gekiga was vastly different from most manga at the time, which were aimed at children. These "dramatic pictures" emerged not from the mainstream manga publications in Tokyo headed by Osamu Tezuka
Osamu Tezuka
was a Japanese cartoonist, manga artist, animator, producer, activist and medical doctor, although he never practiced medicine. Born in Osaka Prefecture, he is best known as the creator of Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion and Black Jack...
but from the lending libraries based out of Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
. The lending library industry tolerated more experimental and offensive works to be published than the mainstream "Tezuka camp" during this time period.
By the late 1960s and early 1970s the children who grew up reading manga wanted something aimed at older audiences and gekiga provided for that niche. In addition this particular generation came to be known as the manga generation and read manga as a form of rebellion (which was similar to the role rock and roll played for hippies in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
). Manga reading was particularly common in the 1960s among anti-U.S.-Japan Security Treaty and Labor oriented student protest groups at this time. These youths became known in Japan as the "manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
generation."
Because of the growing popularity of these originally underground comics, even Osamu Tezuka
Osamu Tezuka
was a Japanese cartoonist, manga artist, animator, producer, activist and medical doctor, although he never practiced medicine. Born in Osaka Prefecture, he is best known as the creator of Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion and Black Jack...
began to display the influence of gekiga cartoonists in works such as Hi no Tori (Phoenix
Phoenix (manga)
is a manga series by Osamu Tezuka. Tezuka considered Phoenix his "life's work"; it consists of 12 books, each of which tells a separate, self-contained story and takes place in a different era. The plots go back and forth from the remote future to prehistoric times. The cycle remains unfinished...
), produced in the early 1970s, and especially in Adolf
Adolf (manga)
Adolf, known in Japan as is a manga series made by Dr. Osamu Tezuka.Adolf was published in English by Cadence Books and VIZ Media. The English manga is flipped to read left to right to conform to Western practice....
, produced in the early 1980s. Adolf has heavy influences from Tatsumi's artwork, with more realistic styling and darker settings than most of Tezuka’s work. In turn Tatsumi was influenced by Tezuka though storytelling techniques.
Not only was the storytelling in gekiga more serious but also the style was more realistic. Gekiga constitutes the work of first generation of Japanese alternative cartoonists
Alternative manga
Alternative manga are Japanese comics that are published outside of the more commercial manga market, or which have different art styles, themes, and narratives to those found in the more popular manga magazines....
. Some authors use this original definition to produce works that only contained shock factor.
As a result of Tezuka adopting gekiga styles and storytelling, there was an acceptance of a wide diversity of experimental stories into the mainstream comic market commonly referred to critics as being the Golden Age
Golden Age (metaphor)
A golden age is a period in a field of endeavour when great tasks were accomplished. The term originated from early Greek and Roman poets who used to refer to a time when mankind lived in a better time and was pure .-Golden Age in society:...
of Manga. This started in the 1970s and continued into the 1980s. In 1977, writer Kazuo Koike
Kazuo Koike
is a prolific Japanese manga writer, novelist and entrepreneur.-Biography:Early in Koike's career, he studied under Golgo 13 creator Takao Saito and served as a writer on the series....
founded the Gekiga Sonjuku educational program, which emphasized maturity and strong characterization in manga.
As mainstream shōnen
Shonen
The term refers to manga marketed to a male audience aged roughly 10 and up. The Kanji characters literally mean "few" and "year", respectively, where the characters generally mean "comic"...
magazines became increasingly more commercialized, gekiga's influence began to fade. More recently the most mainstream shōnen
Shonen
The term refers to manga marketed to a male audience aged roughly 10 and up. The Kanji characters literally mean "few" and "year", respectively, where the characters generally mean "comic"...
publications have lost a lot of gekiga influence and these kinds of works are now found in slightly more underground publications (usually seinen
Seinen
is a subset of manga that is generally targeted at a 20–30 year old male audience, but the audience can be older with some manga aimed at businessmen well into their 40s. In Japanese, the word Seinen means "young man" or "young men" and is not suggestive of sexual matters...
magazines). In addition other artistic movements have emerged in alternative manga
Alternative manga
Alternative manga are Japanese comics that are published outside of the more commercial manga market, or which have different art styles, themes, and narratives to those found in the more popular manga magazines....
like the emergence of the avant-garde magazine Garo
Garo (magazine)
was a monthly manga anthology magazine in Japan, founded in 1964 by Katsuichi Nagai. It specialized in alternative and avant-garde manga.-History:...
around the time of gekiga's acceptance into the mainstream manga market and the much later Nouvelle Manga
La nouvelle manga
Nouvelle Manga is an artistic movement which gathers Franco-Belgian and Japanese comic creators together. The expression was first used by Kiyoshi Kusumi, editor of the Japanese manga magazine Comickers, in referring to the work of French expatriate Frédéric Boilet, who lived in Japan for much of...
movement. These movements have superseded gekiga as alternative comics
Alternative comics
Alternative comics defines a range of American comics that have appeared since the 1980s, following the underground comix movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Alternative comics present an alternative to "mainstream" superhero comics which in the past have dominated the US comic book industry...
in Japan.
Notable manga artists
The following is a list of manga artistsMangaka
is the Japanese word for a comic artist or cartoonist. Outside of Japan, manga usually refers to a Japanese comic book and mangaka refers to the author of the manga, who is usually Japanese...
who are known to create works from the gekiga perspective.
- Yoshihiro TatsumiYoshihiro Tatsumiis a Japanese manga artist who is widely credited with starting the gekiga style of alternative comics in Japan, having allegedly coined the term in 1957....
- Osamu TezukaOsamu Tezukawas a Japanese cartoonist, manga artist, animator, producer, activist and medical doctor, although he never practiced medicine. Born in Osaka Prefecture, he is best known as the creator of Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion and Black Jack...
(his later works such as MWMW (manga)-External links:****...
and Ode to KirihitoOde to Kirihitois a graphic novel by Osamu Tezuka. It was originally serialized in Big Comic in Japan 1970-1971 and was published in English translation in 2006 by Vertical Inc....
) - Yoshiharu TsugeYoshiharu Tsugeis a Japanese manga artist and essayist. He was active in comics between 1954 and 1987. The content of his works range from tales of ordinary life to dream-like surrealism, and often show his interest in traveling about Japan...
- Seiichi Hayashi
- Tokunan Seiichiro
- Kazuichi Hanawa
- Kazuo KoikeKazuo Koikeis a prolific Japanese manga writer, novelist and entrepreneur.-Biography:Early in Koike's career, he studied under Golgo 13 creator Takao Saito and served as a writer on the series....
- Goseki KojimaGoseki Kojimawas a Japanese manga artist.-Biography:Kojima was born on the same day as Osamu Tezuka. After getting out of junior high school, Kojima painted advertising posters for movie theaters as his source of income....
- Kazuo UmezuKazuo Umezu, is an author of Japanese horror and other manga, as well as a musician and actor.He had his first book of manga published while still in high school and made manga his career immediately upon graduation...
- Takao SaitoTakao Saitois a Japanese manga and gekiga artist. He is best known for creating the successful series Golgo 13.-Early life and career:Takao Saito was born on November 3, 1936 in Wakayama Prefecture. During his school days in Osaka he was the best in his class in drawing and fighting, and also considered...
- Hiroshi HirataHiroshi Hiratais a Japanese manga artist best known in the United States for the samurai manga series Satsuma Gishiden, which is published in the United States by Dark Horse Comics. Hirata's works belong to the subset of manga known as "gekiga" , and his artwork has a realistic style comparable to Goseki...
- Sanpei ShiratoSanpei Shirato, known by the pen name , is a Japanese manga artist and essayist known for his social criticism as well as his realistic drawing style and the characters in his scenarios. He is considered a pioneer of gekiga. The son of the Japanese proletarian painter Toki Okamoto, his dream to become an artist...
- Tetsuo HaraTetsuo Harais a Japanese manga artist famous for drawing the series Fist of the North Star , which he co-authored with Buronson...
- Ryoichi IkegamiRyoichi Ikegamiis a manga artist. He was assistant to manga artist Shigeru Mizuki in 1966. In 2001, he won the Shogakukan Manga Award for general manga as the artist of Heat. He became a professor at Osaka University of Arts in 2005...
- Imiri Sakabashira
- Rumiko TakahashiRumiko Takahashiis a Japanese manga artist.Takahashi is one of the wealthiest individuals, and the most affluent manga artists in Japan. The manga she creates are popular worldwide, where they have been translated into a variety of languages...
- Buichi TerasawaBuichi Terasawais a Japanese manga artist. His most famous works include Goku Midnight Eye and Cobra.In the early days of his career when he was still unknown, he contributed materials of comics to a magazine that won him a prize, an event that led him into the world of comics.In 1976, he came to Tokyo and began...
- Susumu KatsumataSusumu Katsumatawas an award-winning Japanese manga artist. He debuted in 1966 in the alternative manga magazine Garo, and in 2006 won the 35th Award Grand prize of 500,000 yen for Red Snow....