Yozo Press · Our story
What is Manga?
01
The Origins
The word manga (漫画) roughly means 'whimsical pictures.' It was popularized in 1814 by the artist Katsushika Hokusai, whose sketchbooks were titled Hokusai Manga. Its roots go back even further, to illustrated Japanese picture scrolls from the 12th century that told stories through sequential images.
02
The Modern Era
After World War II, artists like Osamu Tezuka, creator of Astro Boy, shaped manga into the form we know today: cinematic paneling, expressive characters and long-form serialized stories. Manga grew into one of the largest publishing industries in the world.
03
Going Global
In the 1980s and 1990s, manga reached readers across the West. By the early 2000s, publishers began printing translated manga in its original right-to-left format, and readers embraced it. Today, manga is created by artists in France, the United States, Korea, Latin America and beyond, and some of those stories have even been published in Japan and adapted into anime.
Manga through time
12th century
Illustrated picture scrolls
1814
Hokusai Manga
1950s
Osamu Tezuka and modern manga
1980s–90s
Manga reaches the West
2000s
Right-to-left format embraced worldwide
Today
Manga created around the globe
04
Why We Call It Manga
At Yozo Press, we believe manga is defined by its format and craft, not by where it was made. Our books follow the manga tradition:
- Right-to-left reading
- Black-and-white art
- Collectible paperback volumes
- Chapter-based storytelling
- Manga's visual language: paneling, pacing and expression
We honor where manga began, and we're publishing where it's going.