Original English-language manga
Encyclopedia
Original English-language manga or OEL manga is the term commonly used to describe comic book
s or graphic novel
s in the "international manga" genre of comics whose language of original publication is English
. The term international manga, as used by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs
, encompasses all foreign comics which draw inspiration from the "form of presentation and expression" found in Japanese manga
.
, global manga, manga-influenced comics, neo-manga, and nissei comi can occasionally be heard as substitute names, but the term OEL Manga is most commonly used today. OEL manga gradually became more widely used, even if usually incorrectly, because it was a more inclusive, global term that included works produced by all English-speakers encompassing works originating in countries such as Canada, Australia, and United Kingdom as well as in America. Anime News Network columnist Carlo Santos made the first recorded use of the term on April 28, 2005 on his personal blog, and others began using it on forums and spreading the popularity of the phrase. By October 2005, publishing industry journal Publishers Weekly
was also making use of the term, but manga publishers have yet to use it in official advertisements or press releases.
However the original parent loan word, manga
, is still used by publishers such as Tokyopop
, Harper Collins, and various small presses as a blanket term for all of their bound graphic novels--without reference to origin or location of its creator(s). The significance of the word, however, has mutated outside of Japan
as a reference to comics
originally published in Japan, regardless of style or language. Merriam-Webster
's dictionary defines the word manga
as meaning "a Japanese comic or graphic novel", reflecting the change of the meaning this word has had once used outside Japan.
The term "OEL Manga" has also received criticism from some quarters. According to some Western anime and manga otaku
, this word would be an oxymoron
because the word "manga" —being a Japanese loanword
in English use- means comics initially published in Japan. Those who prefer not to use the word "manga" in reference to non-Japanese-origin comics have proposed the term manga-influenced comics as a possible neutral term for works created outside of Japan, though this term does not inherently refer to non-Japanese comics, but simply to any comic which is influenced by manga. It would include comics produced in Japan as well. However, it is well understood that these comics
would be manga
by definition. Megatokyo
, which is scheduled to be published by the largest manga producer Kodansha
, is still referenced as a "manga-influenced comic".
Anime and manga news site Anime News Network
currently uses the term World Manga
, coined by Jason DeAngelis of Seven Seas Entertainment
, to describe these works in their column entitled Right-Turn Only. In May 2006, Tokyopop officially changed the name of their line of non-Japanese manga to Global Manga, considering it a more respectful and accurate term than Amerimanga with its negative connotations of being a sub-par quality of work in comparison to Japanese manga; however, the Tokyopop books themselves, whether they come from Japan, Korea, or some other country, all say manga on them and are shelved in the manga section of the major bookstore chains such as Borders
and Barnes & Noble
alongside Japanese manga, Korean manhwa, Chinese manhua, French la nouvelle manga
, and American graphic novels of similar size and dimensions. It is understood, however, that manga
does not act as a loanword
when used in the original Japanese language
and therefore it only takes its original meaning of, simply, comics
.
published a magazine series called AmeriManga from 2002–2003. A few of the titles in the compilation have since moved on to be published in other formats by other companies, most notably TOKYOPOP
.
Other similar magazines are still in publication today, including EigoManga
's Sakura Pakk
and RumblePakk titles; Purrsia Press's Mangatron; Mangazine; and Shōjo. International magazines of the same type include Britain's
MangaMover and Sweatdrop; the Australia
n publication Kiseki; and the Canadian
magazine Kitsune.
was formerly the world's largest publisher of manga-inspired comics written in the English language, and used to publish over two dozen titles. (Before the company was defunct) From 2002-2011, the company actively promoted new writers via its popular Rising Stars of Manga
annual competition and collection. Several winners from the competition eventually published their own books under the Tokyopop imprint.
In a recent deal with HarperCollins
, the company announced the expansion of its distribution and new adaptation projects based on American prose novels. It was indicated that Tokyopop plans to produce over 100 new comics over the next two years.
is one of the largest publishers in Japan. Through International Manga Contests held bi-annually, the company seeks within the talent pool outside Japan. According to Eijiro Shimada, editor-in-chief of Morning Two and deputy editor-in-chief of Morning, some readers in Japan seek interest in manga produced in other parts of the world.
In May 2004, Kodansha
formed a partnership with Del Rey Books
called Del Rey Manga
to publish many of their books in English in the United States. Some of the more popular titles published by Del Rey Manga
include Negima! Magister Negi Magi
by Ken Akamatsu
and Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle
by Clamp
.
In July 2007, Kodansha
has announced that it will publish a Japanese language edition of Megatokyo
in 2008. Furthermore, within September 2008, the company announced plans to expand publishing beyond Japan and into the United States via the Kodansha USA holding company.
has published many Original English-Language manga and manga-inspired webcomics.
publishes two Original English-Language manga anthology comic books and several graphic novel series. Sakura Pakk
is a shōjo
-based anthology graphic novel while Rumble Pak
is their shōnen
-based comic book series. eigoMANGA means "English Comics" in Japanese and they market themselves as OEL manga publishers.
most notedly publishes the extremely long-running Gold Digger
and Ninja High School
comic books, with heavy inspiration from manga in terms of art and high-paced imaginative action/humour storytelling style, but also hosts newer works like Neotopia. These are consistently collected into pocket-sized paperback
format. Where the original comics appeared in color, Antarctic Press also publishes the collected manga in color as well.
's Samurai, Doug Rice's Dynamo Joe
, and Alan Oldham's Gambit and Associates. Ben Dunn
's long-running Ninja High School
remains a seminal title of that period, as do the comics based on the animated series Robotech
.
The trade magazine ICv2 Guide to Manga lists the top 25 and top 50 best-selling manga based on sales data obtained from bookstores and comics shops across the United States. The table below shows those OEL manga that reached the top 25 or top 50 sales status in 2007 and 2008 with their sales ranks and ICv2 references. ICv2s editors write that titles not released during the time period shown tend to drop down or off the list, while titles released during the same time period tend to rise.
Magazine publishers
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 or 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 in the "international manga" genre of comics whose language of original publication is English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. The term international manga, as used by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Japan)
The is a cabinet level ministry of Japan responsible for the country's foreign relations.The ministry is due to the second term of the third article of the National Government Organization Act , and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Establishment Act establishes the ministry...
, encompasses all foreign comics which draw inspiration from the "form of presentation and expression" found in Japanese 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...
.
History and nomenclature
As early as 1993, Japan owned Viz issued a line of American manga. Shortened to Amerimanga, it is thought to be the earliest colloquial name for these types of work. Other variations on OEL manga, such as western manga, world mangaSeven Seas Entertainment
Seven Seas Entertainment is a publishing company located in Los Angeles, California. It was originally dedicated to the publication of original manga, but now publishes licensed manga and novels, as well as select webcomics...
, global manga, manga-influenced comics, neo-manga, and nissei comi can occasionally be heard as substitute names, but the term OEL Manga is most commonly used today. OEL manga gradually became more widely used, even if usually incorrectly, because it was a more inclusive, global term that included works produced by all English-speakers encompassing works originating in countries such as Canada, Australia, and United Kingdom as well as in America. Anime News Network columnist Carlo Santos made the first recorded use of the term on April 28, 2005 on his personal blog, and others began using it on forums and spreading the popularity of the phrase. By October 2005, publishing industry journal Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly, aka PW, is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents...
was also making use of the term, but manga publishers have yet to use it in official advertisements or press releases.
However the original parent loan word, 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...
, is still used by publishers such as Tokyopop
Tokyopop
Tokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...
, Harper Collins, and various small presses as a blanket term for all of their bound graphic novels--without reference to origin or location of its creator(s). The significance of the word, however, has mutated outside of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
as a reference to 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...
originally published in Japan, regardless of style or language. Merriam-Webster
Merriam-Webster
Merriam–Webster, which was originally the G. & C. Merriam Company of Springfield, Massachusetts, is an American company that publishes reference books, especially dictionaries that are descendants of Noah Webster’s An American Dictionary of the English Language .Merriam-Webster Inc. has been a...
's dictionary defines the word 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...
as meaning "a Japanese comic or graphic novel", reflecting the change of the meaning this word has had once used outside Japan.
The term "OEL Manga" has also received criticism from some quarters. According to some Western anime and manga otaku
Otaku
is a Japanese term used to refer to people with obsessive interests, particularly anime, manga or video games.- Etymology :Otaku is derived from a Japanese term for another's house or family , which is also used as an honorific second-person pronoun...
, this word would be an oxymoron
Oxymoron
An oxymoron is a figure of speech that combines contradictory terms...
because the word "manga" —being a Japanese loanword
Loanword
A loanword is a word borrowed from a donor language and incorporated into a recipient language. By contrast, a calque or loan translation is a related concept where the meaning or idiom is borrowed rather than the lexical item itself. The word loanword is itself a calque of the German Lehnwort,...
in English use- means comics initially published in Japan. Those who prefer not to use the word "manga" in reference to non-Japanese-origin comics have proposed the term manga-influenced comics as a possible neutral term for works created outside of Japan, though this term does not inherently refer to non-Japanese comics, but simply to any comic which is influenced by manga. It would include comics produced in Japan as well. However, it is well understood that these 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...
would be 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...
by definition. Megatokyo
Megatokyo
is an English-language webcomic created by Fred Gallagher and Rodney Caston, debuting on August 14, 2000, and then written and illustrated solely by Gallagher since July 17, 2002. Gallagher's style of writing and illustration is heavily influenced by Japanese manga. Megatokyo is freely available on...
, which is scheduled to be published by the largest manga producer Kodansha
Kodansha
, the largest Japanese publisher, produces the manga magazines Nakayoshi, Afternoon, Evening, and Weekly Shonen Magazine, as well as more literary magazines such as Gunzō, Shūkan Gendai, and the Japanese dictionary Nihongo Daijiten. The company has its headquarters in Bunkyō, Tokyo...
, is still referenced as a "manga-influenced comic".
Anime and manga news site Anime News Network
Anime News Network
Anime News Network is an anime industry news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, Japanese popular music and other otaku-related culture within North America, Australia and Japan. Additionally, it sometimes features similar happenings throughout the Anglosphere and elsewhere in the...
currently uses the term World Manga
Seven Seas Entertainment
Seven Seas Entertainment is a publishing company located in Los Angeles, California. It was originally dedicated to the publication of original manga, but now publishes licensed manga and novels, as well as select webcomics...
, coined by Jason DeAngelis of Seven Seas Entertainment
Seven Seas Entertainment
Seven Seas Entertainment is a publishing company located in Los Angeles, California. It was originally dedicated to the publication of original manga, but now publishes licensed manga and novels, as well as select webcomics...
, to describe these works in their column entitled Right-Turn Only. In May 2006, Tokyopop officially changed the name of their line of non-Japanese manga to Global Manga, considering it a more respectful and accurate term than Amerimanga with its negative connotations of being a sub-par quality of work in comparison to Japanese manga; however, the Tokyopop books themselves, whether they come from Japan, Korea, or some other country, all say manga on them and are shelved in the manga section of the major bookstore chains such as Borders
Borders Group
Borders Group, Inc. was an international book and music retailer based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The company employed approximately 19,500 throughout the U.S., primarily in its Borders and Waldenbooks stores....
and Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble, Inc. is the largest book retailer in the United States, operating mainly through its Barnes & Noble Booksellers chain of bookstores headquartered at 122 Fifth Avenue in the Flatiron District in Manhattan in New York City. Barnes & Noble also operated the chain of small B. Dalton...
alongside Japanese manga, Korean manhwa, Chinese manhua, French la 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...
, and American graphic novels of similar size and dimensions. It is understood, however, that 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...
does not act as a loanword
Loanword
A loanword is a word borrowed from a donor language and incorporated into a recipient language. By contrast, a calque or loan translation is a related concept where the meaning or idiom is borrowed rather than the lexical item itself. The word loanword is itself a calque of the German Lehnwort,...
when used in the original Japanese language
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
and therefore it only takes its original meaning of, simply, 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...
.
Studio Ironcat
Briefly before its closing, American manga publisher Studio IroncatStudio Ironcat
Studio Ironcat was a small publishing company based in Fredericksburg, Virginia, dedicated to publication of manga and later, Amerimanga. The company is most known for its publication of the first volume of Megatokyo, a prominent webcomic, as well as the flamboyant style of one of its founders,...
published a magazine series called AmeriManga from 2002–2003. A few of the titles in the compilation have since moved on to be published in other formats by other companies, most notably TOKYOPOP
Tokyopop
Tokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...
.
Other similar magazines are still in publication today, including EigoManga
Eigomanga
eigoMANGA is a comic book publishing company that produces original Japanese-influenced comics as well as develop business and marketing projects geared towards the anime industry. eigoMANGA has been underway since its conception in 2000...
's Sakura Pakk
Sakura Pakk
Sakura Pakk is an anthology OEL manga series created and published by eigoMANGA. Sakura Pakk highlights original comics stories created for female comic book readers. Sakura Pakk was released in November 2004....
and RumblePakk titles; Purrsia Press's Mangatron; Mangazine; and Shōjo. International magazines of the same type include Britain's
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
MangaMover and Sweatdrop; the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n publication Kiseki; and the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
magazine Kitsune.
Tokyopop
TokyopopTokyopop
Tokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...
was formerly the world's largest publisher of manga-inspired comics written in the English language, and used to publish over two dozen titles. (Before the company was defunct) From 2002-2011, the company actively promoted new writers via its popular Rising Stars of Manga
Rising Stars of Manga
Rising Stars of Manga was an English-language comic anthology published by TOKYOPOP from 2002 to 2008, and a contest held by the same company. It was originally semi-annual, but switched to annual beginning with the 6th volume....
annual competition and collection. Several winners from the competition eventually published their own books under the Tokyopop imprint.
In a recent deal with HarperCollins
HarperCollins
HarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
, the company announced the expansion of its distribution and new adaptation projects based on American prose novels. It was indicated that Tokyopop plans to produce over 100 new comics over the next two years.
Kodansha
KodanshaKodansha
, the largest Japanese publisher, produces the manga magazines Nakayoshi, Afternoon, Evening, and Weekly Shonen Magazine, as well as more literary magazines such as Gunzō, Shūkan Gendai, and the Japanese dictionary Nihongo Daijiten. The company has its headquarters in Bunkyō, Tokyo...
is one of the largest publishers in Japan. Through International Manga Contests held bi-annually, the company seeks within the talent pool outside Japan. According to Eijiro Shimada, editor-in-chief of Morning Two and deputy editor-in-chief of Morning, some readers in Japan seek interest in manga produced in other parts of the world.
In May 2004, Kodansha
Kodansha
, the largest Japanese publisher, produces the manga magazines Nakayoshi, Afternoon, Evening, and Weekly Shonen Magazine, as well as more literary magazines such as Gunzō, Shūkan Gendai, and the Japanese dictionary Nihongo Daijiten. The company has its headquarters in Bunkyō, Tokyo...
formed a partnership with Del Rey Books
Del Rey Books
Del Rey Books is a branch of Ballantine Books, which is owned by Random House and, in turn since 1998, by Bertelsmann AG. It is a separate imprint established in 1977 under the editorship of author Lester del Rey and his wife Judy-Lynn del Rey. It specializes in science fiction and fantasy...
called Del Rey Manga
Del Rey Manga
was the manga-publishing imprint of Del Rey Books, a branch of Ballantine Books, which in turn is part of Random House, the publishing division of Bertelsmann. It was formed as part of a cross-publishing relationship with Japanese publisher Kodansha. Some of the Del Rey titles, such as Tsubasa...
to publish many of their books in English in the United States. Some of the more popular titles published by Del Rey Manga
Del Rey Manga
was the manga-publishing imprint of Del Rey Books, a branch of Ballantine Books, which in turn is part of Random House, the publishing division of Bertelsmann. It was formed as part of a cross-publishing relationship with Japanese publisher Kodansha. Some of the Del Rey titles, such as Tsubasa...
include Negima! Magister Negi Magi
Negima! Magister Negi Magi
Negima! Magister Negi Magi, known in Japan as is a manga and anime series by Ken Akamatsu . The manga is currently being published by Kodansha and serialized in Shōnen Magazine in Japan. Del Rey Manga published the English translated version in the United States and Canada prior to Kodansha...
by Ken Akamatsu
Ken Akamatsu
is a Japanese manga artist from Tokyo.Sailor Moon was his introduction to anime and manga fandom.In his teens, Akamatsu applied himself to Film Study . Eventually, he became famous as an illustrator featured in Comiket . He used the pen name...
and Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle
Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle
is a shōnen manga series written and illustrated by the manga artist group Clamp. It takes place in the same fictional universe as many of Clamp's other manga series, most notably xxxHolic. The plot follows how Sakura, the princess of the Kingdom of Clow, loses her soul and how Syaoran, a young...
by Clamp
Clamp
Clamp may refer to:*Clamp , a device used to hold an object in a fixed position*Wheel clamp, a device used with road vehicles to prevent theft or enforce parking restrictions*Riser clamp, a device used to support vertical piping...
.
In July 2007, Kodansha
Kodansha
, the largest Japanese publisher, produces the manga magazines Nakayoshi, Afternoon, Evening, and Weekly Shonen Magazine, as well as more literary magazines such as Gunzō, Shūkan Gendai, and the Japanese dictionary Nihongo Daijiten. The company has its headquarters in Bunkyō, Tokyo...
has announced that it will publish a Japanese language edition of Megatokyo
Megatokyo
is an English-language webcomic created by Fred Gallagher and Rodney Caston, debuting on August 14, 2000, and then written and illustrated solely by Gallagher since July 17, 2002. Gallagher's style of writing and illustration is heavily influenced by Japanese manga. Megatokyo is freely available on...
in 2008. Furthermore, within September 2008, the company announced plans to expand publishing beyond Japan and into the United States via the Kodansha USA holding company.
Seven Seas Entertainment
Seven Seas EntertainmentSeven Seas Entertainment
Seven Seas Entertainment is a publishing company located in Los Angeles, California. It was originally dedicated to the publication of original manga, but now publishes licensed manga and novels, as well as select webcomics...
has published many Original English-Language manga and manga-inspired webcomics.
eigoMANGA
eigoMANGAEigomanga
eigoMANGA is a comic book publishing company that produces original Japanese-influenced comics as well as develop business and marketing projects geared towards the anime industry. eigoMANGA has been underway since its conception in 2000...
publishes two Original English-Language manga anthology comic books and several graphic novel series. Sakura Pakk
Sakura Pakk
Sakura Pakk is an anthology OEL manga series created and published by eigoMANGA. Sakura Pakk highlights original comics stories created for female comic book readers. Sakura Pakk was released in November 2004....
is a shōjo
Shojo
The term refers to manga marketed to a female audience roughly between the ages of 10-18. The name romanizes the Japanese 少女 , literally: "little female". Shōjo manga covers many subjects in a variety of narrative and graphic styles, from historical drama to science fiction — often with a strong...
-based anthology graphic novel while Rumble Pak
Rumble Pak (comics)
Rumble Pak is an Original English-language manga anthology series published by eigoMANGA. Rumble Pak showcases original comics created by artists from around the world including a line-up of original stories written and produced by predominantly independent American comics artists...
is their 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"...
-based comic book series. eigoMANGA means "English Comics" in Japanese and they market themselves as OEL manga publishers.
Antarctic Press
Antarctic PressAntarctic Press
Antarctic Press is a San Antonio-based comic book publishing company which publishes "American Manga" style comic books.Founded by Ben Dunn in 1984, Antarctic Press has produced over 850 titles with a total circulation of over 5 million...
most notedly publishes the extremely long-running Gold Digger
Gold Digger (comic book)
Gold Digger is a manga-reminiscent comic book series, written and drawn by Fred Perry, and published by Antarctic Press. Fred came up with the initial inspiration for Gold Digger during his tour of duty in the First Gulf War, and released the debut oneshot in Antarctic Press' Mangazine, in 1991...
and Ninja High School
Ninja High School
Ninja High School is a comic book series created, written, and illustrated by Ben Dunn, and currently published by Antarctic Press. It was at first published by Eternity Comics...
comic books, with heavy inspiration from manga in terms of art and high-paced imaginative action/humour storytelling style, but also hosts newer works like Neotopia. These are consistently collected into pocket-sized paperback
Paperback
Paperback, softback or softcover describe and refer to a book by the nature of its binding. The covers of such books are usually made of paper or paperboard, and are usually held together with glue rather than stitches or staples...
format. Where the original comics appeared in color, Antarctic Press also publishes the collected manga in color as well.
Roots
The original wave of manga influenced comics came during the mid to late 1980s, prior to wide familiarity with manga in North America. Particularly in publications such as Barry BlairBarry Blair
Barry Blair was a Canadian comics publisher, artist and writer, known for launching Aircel Comics in the 1980s...
's Samurai, Doug Rice's Dynamo Joe
Dynamo Joe
Dynamo Joe was a comic book series published by First Comics from 1986–1988. Created, plotted and drawn by Doug Rice, it was scripted first by John Ostrander then by Phil Foglio...
, and Alan Oldham's Gambit and Associates. Ben Dunn
Ben Dunn
Ben Dunn is an American comic book artist. Although born in Taiwan, he grew up in Kentucky, Taiwan and San Antonio, Texas. It was in Taiwan that he was first exposed to Japanese manga. In 1984 he founded Antarctic Press, an American comic book company specializing in Manga-style titles...
's long-running Ninja High School
Ninja High School
Ninja High School is a comic book series created, written, and illustrated by Ben Dunn, and currently published by Antarctic Press. It was at first published by Eternity Comics...
remains a seminal title of that period, as do the comics based on the animated series Robotech
Robotech
Robotech is an 85-episode science fiction anime adaptation produced by Harmony Gold USA in association with Tatsunoko Production Co., Ltd. and first released in the United States in 1985...
.
Reception
According to Lillian Diaz-Przybyl, an editor at Tokyopop, their best selling OEL manga sells about half as well as their best selling Japanese-origin manga.The trade magazine ICv2 Guide to Manga lists the top 25 and top 50 best-selling manga based on sales data obtained from bookstores and comics shops across the United States. The table below shows those OEL manga that reached the top 25 or top 50 sales status in 2007 and 2008 with their sales ranks and ICv2 references. ICv2s editors write that titles not released during the time period shown tend to drop down or off the list, while titles released during the same time period tend to rise.
| Date | Source | Title | Author | Publisher | Rank |
| Mid-Feb. to mid-May, 2007 | ICv2 #45, from page 6 | Warcraft: The Sunwell Trilogy Warcraft: The Sunwell Trilogy Warcraft: The Sunwell Trilogy is a collection of three volumes of OEL manga, written by Richard Knaak, illustrated by Kim Jae-hwan, and published by Tokyopop... | Richard A. Knaak | Tokyopop | 12/50 |
| My Dead Girlfriend My Dead Girlfriend My Dead Girlfriend is an original English-language manga written and illustrated by Eric Wight, published by Tokyopop. The first volume "A Tryst Of Fate" came out Valentines Day 2007. It has received positive reviews from the likes of Joss Whedon , Jeph Loeb and Meg Cabot.-Volumes:* Wight, Eric. My... | Eric Wight | Tokyopop | 38/50 | ||
| Mid-May to mid-Aug., 2007 | ICv2 #47, from page 8 | Megatokyo Megatokyo is an English-language webcomic created by Fred Gallagher and Rodney Caston, debuting on August 14, 2000, and then written and illustrated solely by Gallagher since July 17, 2002. Gallagher's style of writing and illustration is heavily influenced by Japanese manga. Megatokyo is freely available on... | Fred Gallagher | CMX | 25/25 |
| June-Aug., 2007 | ICv2 #48, from pages 8, 10 | Megatokyo Megatokyo is an English-language webcomic created by Fred Gallagher and Rodney Caston, debuting on August 14, 2000, and then written and illustrated solely by Gallagher since July 17, 2002. Gallagher's style of writing and illustration is heavily influenced by Japanese manga. Megatokyo is freely available on... | Fred Gallagher | CMX | 33/50 |
| Warcraft: The Sunwell Trilogy Warcraft: The Sunwell Trilogy Warcraft: The Sunwell Trilogy is a collection of three volumes of OEL manga, written by Richard Knaak, illustrated by Kim Jae-hwan, and published by Tokyopop... | Richard A. Knaak | Tokyopop | 45/50 | ||
| Sept-Oct, 2007 | ICv2 #50, from pages 8–9 | Return to Labyrinth Return to Labyrinth Return to Labyrinth is an original English-language manga based on the Jim Henson fantasy film, Labyrinth. Jake T. Forbes is credited as the creator, and Chris Lie is the illustrator. The covers for all four volumes were drawn by Kouyu Shurei. It is published by Tokyopop.Return to Labyrinth is a... | Jake T. Forbes | Tokyopop | 40/50 |
| Bizenghast Bizenghast Bizenghast is an ongoing original English-language manga series written and illustrated by M. Alice LeGrow. It is currently being published in North America by Tokyopop, which has released seven volumes as of July 2010, and is expected to conclude with the eighth book... | M. Alice LeGrow | Tokyopop | 44/50 | ||
| Full Year, 2007 | ICv2 #51, from pages 8–9 | Warcraft: The Sunwell Trilogy Warcraft: The Sunwell Trilogy Warcraft: The Sunwell Trilogy is a collection of three volumes of OEL manga, written by Richard Knaak, illustrated by Kim Jae-hwan, and published by Tokyopop... | Richard A. Knaak | Tokyopop | 14/50 |
| Megatokyo Megatokyo is an English-language webcomic created by Fred Gallagher and Rodney Caston, debuting on August 14, 2000, and then written and illustrated solely by Gallagher since July 17, 2002. Gallagher's style of writing and illustration is heavily influenced by Japanese manga. Megatokyo is freely available on... | Fred Gallagher | CMX | 26/50 | ||
| Return to Labyrinth Return to Labyrinth Return to Labyrinth is an original English-language manga based on the Jim Henson fantasy film, Labyrinth. Jake T. Forbes is credited as the creator, and Chris Lie is the illustrator. The covers for all four volumes were drawn by Kouyu Shurei. It is published by Tokyopop.Return to Labyrinth is a... | Jake T. Forbes | Tokyopop | 36/50 | ||
| Dramacon Dramacon Dramacon is an original English-language manga written and illustrated by Svetlana Chmakova. It was published in three volumes by Tokyopop from October 11, 2005 to December 11, 2007... | Svetlana Chmakova | Tokyopop | 41/50 | ||
| Final 2007 (top 25) | ICv2 #52, from page 10 | Warcraft: The Sunwell Trilogy Warcraft: The Sunwell Trilogy Warcraft: The Sunwell Trilogy is a collection of three volumes of OEL manga, written by Richard Knaak, illustrated by Kim Jae-hwan, and published by Tokyopop... | Richard A. Knaak | Tokyopop | 14/25 |
| Jan. to mid-Mar., 2008 | ICv2 #54, from pages 8–9 | Dramacon Dramacon Dramacon is an original English-language manga written and illustrated by Svetlana Chmakova. It was published in three volumes by Tokyopop from October 11, 2005 to December 11, 2007... | Svetlana Chmakova | Tokyopop | 20/50 |
| Dark Hunger | Christine Feehan | Berkeley | 49/50 | ||
| Jan. to late-Apr., 2008 | ICv2 #55, from page 10 | Dramacon Dramacon Dramacon is an original English-language manga written and illustrated by Svetlana Chmakova. It was published in three volumes by Tokyopop from October 11, 2005 to December 11, 2007... | Svetlana Chmakova | Tokyopop | 20/25 |
| March to Mid-May, 2008 | ICv2 #57, from pages 8–9 | Dark Wraith of Shannara Dark Wraith of Shannara The Dark Wraith of Shannara is a graphic novel produced by Terry Brooks in his Shannara series. The story is set several years after the events of The Wishsong of Shannara and Indomitable.-Background:The novel was released on March 25, 2008... | Terry Brooks | Del Rey | 22/50 |
| May to Mid-July, 2008 | ICv2 #59, from pages 8–9 | In Odd We Trust In Odd We Trust In Odd We Trust is the first Graphic Novel featuring Dean Koontz's character Odd Thomas. It was released June 24, 2008. It is written by Dean Koontz and Queenie Chan, with illustrations by Queenie Chan in a Manga style.-Plot summary:... | Dean Koontz | Del Rey | 11/50 |
| Batman: Gotham Knight Batman: Gotham Knight is a 2008 direct-to-DVD animated superhero anthology film of six animated short films set in-between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. It depicts Batman battling against the mob of Gotham City, as well as other villains... | Louise Simonson | Penguin | 25/50 |
See also
- Anime-influenced animationAnime-influenced animationAnime-influenced animation refers to non-Japanese works of animation that emulate certain aspects of the visual style of anime. Due to Western culture, the term anime has been coined to explicitly refer to Japanese animation...
- Global BL
- La nouvelle mangaLa nouvelle mangaNouvelle 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...
- :Category:Original English-language manga - for individual titles.
External links
Book publishers- Antarctic Press
- Dark Horse Publishing
- Mini-Komix
- Purrsia Press
- Seven Seas Entertainment
- Sweatdrop Studios
- SLG Publishing
- Oni Press
- TOKYOPOP
- Yaoi Press
- DramaQueen
- Viz Media
Magazine publishers
- EigoManga - publisher of the Sakura PakkSakura PakkSakura Pakk is an anthology OEL manga series created and published by eigoMANGA. Sakura Pakk highlights original comics stories created for female comic book readers. Sakura Pakk was released in November 2004....
and Rumble PakRumble Pak (comics)Rumble Pak is an Original English-language manga anthology series published by eigoMANGA. Rumble Pak showcases original comics created by artists from around the world including a line-up of original stories written and produced by predominantly independent American comics artists...
anthologies - Kitsune - Canadian anthology publisher
- Perfect World - publisher of the Unimaga anthology
- Kiseki - Australian anthology publisher