Manga, a Japanese visual narrative art form, has evolved over the past century into a global phenomenon. Once referring primarily to comics and graphic novels, it now encompasses digital media, fine art, fashion, and other cultural expressions, achieving immense international reach.

In Japan, manga is read across all generations and remains a thriving industry, with domestic revenues in 2023 reaching approximately 694 billion yen (4.7 billion US dollars). Exhibitions of manga in Japan over the last two decades have typically highlighted the work of a single publisher or artist.

In contrast, the British Museum’s 2019 exhibition presented original drawings (genga) by fifty artists within a historical framework. This autumn, beginning September 25, 2025, the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco will stage The Art of Manga, an ambitious exhibition of drawings by ten leading contemporary artists.

This lecture introduces manga as a compelling art form by focusing on these two major exhibitions, both curated by Nicole Coolidge Rousmaniere.

Please note that taking any screenshots during the lecture or circulating them on social media is not permitted due to copyright reasons.