The Brutality of the Manga Industry

Some of our favorite manga is made under horrible circumstances. Low pay, regular health issues, and sometimes even editor abuse. Let's talk about the brutality of the manga industry, and advocate for better working conditions for mangaka.
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Sources:
- Kubo health issues: AshitanoGin/statu...
- Togashi author comments: www.crunchyroll.com/anime-new...
- Togashi health issues: www.animenewsnetwork.com/inte...
- Page rates: / ink-sweat-and-tears-ho...
- Volume salaries: altjapan.typepad.com/my_weblo...
- Say Hello to Black Jack: / how-mangaka-get-paid-f...
- Adaptation earnings: soranews24.com/2016/11/25/do-...
- Editor abuse: www.animenewsnetwork.com/inte...
- Editor abuse 2: animehunch.com/newbie-manga-a...
- Passion tax: optimizeyourself.me/passion-tax/
- Sleep Deprivation: www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/slee....
- Skipping meals: louisville.edu/medicine/depar...
- Overwork: www.thelancet.com/journals/la...
- Overwork in japan: www.nytimes.com/2017/10/05/wo...

[@ghost4439]

This isn't just one industry this is japan in general. The overwork the employees until they break. It's sad really, they need to create more realistic scheduled for themselves.

[@siginotmylastname3969]

This is also true. As I commented I'm sure people also become artists and the likes to avoid other industries. The same issues in an industry involving manual labour would be worse. Customer service as well. Still means they have a responsibility to improve though.

[@creditianistani6474]

ya i think one reason mangaka keeps going anyway is because if they do something else it wont' be better in any other jobs. if they're gonna suffer either way might as well suffer for something they consider pasison

[@wolfcraft1375]

They need the Sabbath Day Rest.

[@imbored1179]

I feel like a solid chunk of the issues mangaka face could be solved if it was done monthly or volume by volume. Working on their own schedules with 2 chapters a month is far better then 1 a week 4 times a month

[@3dsmaster537]

Yeah. 2 chapters a month with 20 or so pages each instead of the grueling 15-17 per week would probably be a least a little better. I cant imagine drawing a whole storyboard just for one prick to tell me it sucks and to redo it. And that the past 28 hours i spent drawing it were a waste

[@victorkaranja1420]

While that's true alot of these companies already have magazines and such for that and the weekly format just happens to be the nost popular type of manga, prolly given it's ability to keep readers attention span due to it being something to fill their week

[@kingpotato7183]

That's why araki went monthly

[@MrTotBalls]

@@kingpotato7183exactly and it made his work even better

[@Kikyams]

if all would support their work or if they could get higher salary. he could get assistants or any kind of help not shouldering all the works. this isnt much an issue in western country right.

[@3dsmaster537]

What sucks about this is that even though I'm educated about it there is practically nothing I can do about this. Creators of my favorite works are suffering in a horrible work environment and the work culture shows no signs of changing. Japan and *only* Japan can fix its own issues that stem that deep. Its disheartening. All I can do is support the author and hope the get better

[@the0nlytrueprophet942]

Japans work culture is just completely fucked. I think as they start to open up more to foreigners it’ll get better, but the old men running Japan are such old school wankers honestly

[@adrianpas7309]

You know manga industry is garbage when weekly hiatus exists (mangakas are CLEARLY burned)

[@dohickey7184]

I will never understand how these corporations will build themselves entirely on the backs of people's passion, literally owing thei entire existence to creatives, and then doing absolutely everything they possibly can to not compensate them. It's why I hope that if I ever create my own comic I'll be able to publish it on a platform like Mangacreators or Webtoon rather than sign my soul and labor away to a company that could not care less about anything but the bottom line

[@siginotmylastname3969]

Webtoon treats Korean artists terribly too unfortunately, it seems the labour conditions are better(more flexibility in uploading) at least for westerners on it though idk how or why.

[@Queen-dl5ju]

and these dumb mangaka's expect to work like this and are almost accepting it as a way of life for a mangaka which is dumb af.. so its their fault too for not speaking up

[@adamshadow9881]

One of my favorite manga, that's technically not a MANGA. But Manfra, is Radiant. Which is ALL done by one French-Canadian guy. It's over 10 years old, but only has 132 chapters. And why is because the series comes out on a volume basis, instead of chapter. On average, two volumes come out a year. (Which might as well be a monthly series.) And the author, Tony Valente, has said that he could pump out one more volume during the year, but he absolutely knows the consequences that comes with it. Makes me wonder if Mangaka could benefit from doing an approach like that. Or even be on a bi-weekly schedule instead.

[@mindandbody9427]

American comics used to produce Bi-weekly during the summer months, but they would usually, not always get fill-in artists on their major titles, or have a shorter story format and insert a filler to conclude the book. Monthly is truly the way to go and that's still a tough schedule for an artist to adhere to.

[@Miraihi]

There are weekly manga magazines, but Shounen Jump is the biggest one, and it's weekly.

[@kompav5621]

It's sad, and in one way ironic. The authors of some of my favourite fictional characters write wonderful stories with themes of heroism and growth, yet there's seemingly no one to come save them in their actual lives from the machine that harvests them for every drop of creativity lest they can't pay the bills.

[@lapplandkun9273]

Pretty much what happened to Naruto. That's why there were so many problems after the pain arc. Kishimoto got burnt out. The entire story of shinobi killing for a living went ideologically bankrupt and backwards. Kishimoto should've made the ending he wanted, not what the fans wanted because fuck them

[@Kaptime]

Sucks how badly even the top authors get paid. Fair... Oda has millions... But he's outsold batman at this point, bro should be getting BILLIONS.

[@aceclover758]

Revenue and royalties are very different in Japan from other countries Under American laws, Oda would be a billionaire

[@BraviaGames]

Bro you cooked so hard with this. I knew being a mangaka was hard but had no idea it was THAT abysmal. Something's gotta change but idk what. It seems like this harsh work cycle comes with the job at least for Weekly Shonen Jump. That fact that we get such stellar work from these artists is nothing short of a miracle. Good video, really important info actually. Gonna share this.👍

[@God-T]

When the well with this sh! get dealt with .. it seem so twisted

[@makotoyuki345]

Holy...the mangaka get my condolences. Just wow...I hope this work culture changes eventually. I don’t know what else to say I’m just still in shock, I already know it is bad but wtf is this!?

[@KingLAO2964]

It's really sad to see people have to work their own health into the ground

[@nullarcana]

I'm confused on why these successful mangakas like Horikoshi don't strike or self-publish on places such as Kickstarter. I know it's not close to easy to do these things but these do feel like solid options for them and must have crossed their minds throughout their careers? I'd like to hear other perspectives on this.

[@kingpotato7183]

I'm guessing contracts or something

[@siginotmylastname3969]

This is why even if I grew out of love with it at some point I'm still cheering on Hoshino to finish d gray man in her own pace. A rare case of a disabled mangaka making a decent living continuing to be popular and recovering her health(at least I imagine it's so much better than if she'd been with shonen jump longer). So far as I can tell she makes her money with not just dgm but art exhibitions and teaching about manga. She re learnt how to draw with her other hand because of norovirus and arthritis.

[@NinjaristicNinja]

Great video 👏 Depressing, but super informative.

[@THV4106_]

YOOOO ITS HIM

[@lonemotheomatshaba9640]

I hope one day these authors see how powerful they are cause truth be told they don't need shonen jump as much as shonen jump needs them

[@Jaymizuband]

Passion tax was a really good point to bring up. Heard about it in Esports not long ago and it’s lame asf how employers will hold that against some people. Find it wicked with WSJ how most of these breaks/poor health stories comes from their authors as well.

[@evilnet1]

The mainstream manga industry doesn't deserve their artists. So many good works and ideas going to waste, mangakas getting sick, etc. Due to decrepit editors and executives. This might as well describe the whole of Japanese work culture

[@alpha-boss]

The worst part is i heard that once a story is axed the author doesn't get to keep his work but it belongs with the publisher and the managka can simply try again with a new work. Talk about exploiting manga artist smh

[@RhiKlowho]

western comics work like that as well. While it's probably a bit different with some of the IDW, Image, etc. DC and Marvel both has or at least had policies where character that are published by them belong to them.

[@debilita9999]

A reminder for all aspiring mangaka to selfpublish, industry standarts are garbage and will lead you to an early grave.

[@daeryk6424]

Ain't no way in hell I could deal with any of that shit. Assuming I was in a position to make manga, I would likely die in those work conditions (or maybe fired before that due to no sleep). I rather struggle on my own in that case. At least then I can make my own schedule.

[@redgrave4492]

I had heard about the harsh schedule, but I'm shocked they don't get compensated much from successful adaptations or licensed games. I hope a new standard to be more considerate to the well being of mangaka will be put in place one day.

[@alpguy4865]

The sheer fact that despite knowing this we're probably can't do much anything to change it is the most messed up one. These mangaka's basically destroying their own body to produce these entertaining stories just so the "upper up" can enjoy the money that the made. I would love to see an actual action, like union or changes to these stuffs. It's pretty messed up man, seriously.

[@Xxxvidsdg]

Another thing is some mangakas are often pressured to continue a series if it gets popular like Oda or horikoshi

[@pizzasteve9503]

I want to respect the artists for pulling through even in these horrible conditions for making the things they love, but it doesn't sound like they're pulling through at all. No human can withstand this without serious consequences, and it's so sad that this is how things are.

[@manny7662]

You're bound to get health issues.

[@animationdemonunknown]

Sucks that this happens to our favorite mangakas. I would not want to be a mangaka because of burnout and health, so I can only pray

[@NoodleCanoodle]

This is sad to hear. I wish it was possible for Mangakas en masse to start their own magazine so they could get reasonable work conditions. What are these magazines without their work anyways?

[@ausgod538]

They wouldn't have readership without those magazines.

[@fawfulmark2]

A video about a long overdue topic that needs to be made more transparent.

[@LunarSpawnSerenata]

After what happened with Kentaro Miura, I can now understand why these hiatuses happened.

[@MrTimeattacker]

Great video

[@goldenthing8865]

04:46 I know it's completelly unrelated, but I didn't except to hear Darkest dungeon music on this channel, I'll recognise that tune everywhere

[@Jamillian8]

Great video as always Asa! It's very disheartening to hear the horror stories of many beloved mangakas, I hope things change, but knowing how behind Japan laws are, we're probably going to be waiting for a long time...

[@naganut9718]

I felt the need to mwntion the fact that these kinds of things isn't exclusive to manga industry. It can be a lot of the entertainment industry. Whether that games or cartoons, this is already a huge problem for a long time

[@water7962]

i was already planning on doing this but this video reinforced it, no matter how little it pays and how much popularity its going to cost me i am going to learn to code and then upload my story/manga related content onto my own website - dont follow this example though because this only works if i have a main, more stable job like im planning on doing (nutritionist)

[@blue_rosa_art]

Artists in general are really notorious for running themselves into the ground health and mentality wise, and it's really seen the most when an artist (or in this case a mangaka) works for a big publishing company and is given deadlines. Most mangakas work solo when they first start out, and if by some miracle their manga does well enough will get assistants later on, but still, the weekly upload schedule is ridiculous and it doesn't even end with physical manga but also online webtoons also have this same crazy weekly schedule just to either get their online webtoon seen or to keep up with demands of viewership to get paid, and (at least from what I heard in the past) these online webtoon/mangakas also pay out of pocket for their assistants as well. The system for which all this is built on feels flawed from the start, and honestly it starts to feel that it stems from the fact that art in general is just not appreciated as a medium in the workforce, even though so many forms of entertainment and life are built upon the shoulders of an artist.

[@williamcompitello2302]

I heard Hideaki Anno's struggles with the manga life, but I can't believe it's technically everyone!

[@siginotmylastname3969]

But yeah excellent video!

[@siginotmylastname3969]

My last comment was long though, tldr is: there's a "social media makes people mentally ill" kind of error which can come into an analysis to some extent because of how disabled people are also more likely to take a work from home, less physically exhausting job so I do find it an exaggeration when people think every artist is a formally abled person made disabled by the industry. But the industry is definitely causing a lot of disability and death out of those and the fact it already has a lot of disabled people working means a responsibility to provide better working conditions, sick pay, flexible schedules, pay increases ASAP. And I think you'll find the social media analogy works because no one's going to question those companies being fucking evil just because they're not solely responsible for someone's clinical depression.

[@themelancholyofgay3543]

Well thats legit terrifying

[@EverythingAnimePodcast]

Wish I could directly support all my favorite manga artist

[@user-fe7sn9ed3u]

Things we do for love. To watch this and at 52 I stll want to make at least 1 graphic novel. For the love of the passion. We're doomed people

[@victorkaranja1420]

Oh boy while I have never been a pro I tried to work on my stuff at the mangaka pace for a good while and sweet christ the grind is pain

[@KimberlyPinkney]

If only they had the strength, time and money to stage a revolution. We have the technology now to reach the world. If they all banded together and form their own business that pays them and gives them the time they and their staff deserve. Like when American comic artists broke away from Marvel and DC. They have a massive audience out there. And yeah, it is a whole other culture out there that must do it for themselves and those who come after them.

[@misterOrca4]

This video makes me feel ashamed of myself. I keep forgetting how bad Mangaka have it and I go complain how they're writing their stories online. 😡😓😣

[@Queen-dl5ju]

these mangaka create things that become world phenomenon and dont become millionaires... while western stuff the creators are often super rich.. like harry potter or twilight etc... its insane.. the Mangaka's who create amazing things enjoyed by more people than a lot of western IP's should be millionaires.. its like their culture thrives off work and no pay

[@dennisduncan7561]

Some should and not all western IP makers are millionaires.

[@aceclover758]

Yea movies and even the anime adaptations don’t get a constant stream of revenue for the manga author. It’s a one time fee usually at a flat rate…. Sucks

[@CharlzDgoat]

good video

[@NullifiedBreaker]

Good video

[@siginotmylastname3969]

I also think people who try to be supportive can end up being ableist sometimes. A mangaka, manhwa or other artist saying they're on a break for their health who gets flooded with responses of "get well soon/come back when you're recovered" etc is still expected to return to full health and that's just not how many of these stories go. And of course this is why hiatuses aren't enough. Talking of manhwa there are some big problems on that end too(unpaid hiatuses are the norm completely) and I imagine aside from pay per page and such issues you point out, the way disabled artists are treated has more issues. Lack of things like social security systems except in extreme cases puts huge amounts of pressure on workers and at the same time, industries which don't involve things like manual labour, driving and allow working from home are a draw for disabled people looking for work even if they're competitive. So I believe the manga industry both draws already disabled people to it because alternatives are less accessible, and leads to further disabilities due to working conditions.

[@Mordecool9]

I missed you last mha upload, did it get taken down?

[@Serjohn]

People saying it should monthly. Sure but then it's not enough money. Usually monthly authors do it all themselves and some choose to do 2 monthly series. Or be an assistant plus having a monthly series. It's fucked either way. And oh yes monthly series are 35 pages instead, a double issue basically.

[@imnugget8085]

Keyfact most mangaka will die earlier in there own countries so U.s magaka or japan there lose about 30 years of there life its sad

[@Thorfell2003]

These mangaka deserve more support.

[@jay-ik1bm]

I think mangakas should stood for themselves. Cuz these cash milker companies will need to stop putting pressure on them. They need the product. On big series ppl will wait a lot no matter what, how they waited for hxh.

[@shinobi8564]

I have a question, why can't you just do all of the manga pages and when your manga is over, you give the papers to the (how do we call that, editor?) and then your books are just published?

[@AsarathaHSYT]

because the publisher doesn't want to waste time, money or resources on publishing something if it doesn't do well

[@shinobi8564]

@@AsarathaHSYT ah ok thank you

[@Fightdemon]

Rest in peace, Miura sensei! - Berserk

[@imnugget8085]

To be honest this is the only thing they should copy u.s comic. Pay a little more and make the books shorter so volum 8-10 chapters should be like 5-8 chapters and sell at the same price

[@Onibyron]

Where do the editors live at? *chambering something*

[@thedreamsoldierful]

I would love to own a comic publishing company one day. Id have a much more lenient work schedule. Plus higher royalties % & cover expenses whenever possible

[@motivatedtoscapechildsupport]

It's sad to see that it's just an average life of Japanese.

[@IrregularPie]

This is, sad

[@eddyalvaross2195]

Any west african artist would be super happy if they were paid 1000 usd per month. But only if they stay in their country while having such an income.

[@luffy_libya]

sounds like hell fr

[@Mordecool9]

I’d love to get your take on mha chapter 365

[@senoadjiaditya1535]

Well, Japan work situation is toxic. Especially, at the creative field. I prefer collecting European comics album, for sure. The publisher treat their artist with respect.

[@bobi200samatar6]

There are manga magazines, like Hana to Yume, that release twice a month instead of weekly. It truly pisses me off that that isn't the norm. Give the people who actually make Shounen Jump successfull more time to cook and take care of themselves.

[@AlTariqLuqmanMuhammad]

Maybe the mangaka should just be better at their jobs so they don't have to work as much. Seems like a skill issue to me. More seriously, the culture around work in Japan (honestly everywhere, but Japan is arguably the worst about it) is extremely depressing. I understand being passionate enough about your craft to sacrifice rest, food, or personal time to work on it, but the returns these creators get for their work is rarely ever equal to what they put in and the burden of creation very often destroys them in the long run. I hope that one day these conditions can be fixed and the culture can evolve to put the health of these (mostly) wonderful individuals first and foremost. (I typed this comment before you got to the passion tax portion and I 100% agree with everything you said there. What a sad reality we live in. Let's make it better.)

[@jrome_art]

Watching this makes me want to draw LESS. Americans Love to talk about how Manga is so much better than Amerian Comics, but if this is what it takes to be better, than they can have it. I NEED my time with my wife and kids.

[@donttalktomeyoureannoying8736]

Honestly I would rather draw for $38,000 a year than working some bullsh*tting a** job dealing with irate customers/clients and psychopathic supervisors and immediate coworkers who will drive you to the insane asylum with their vicious antics. Mangaka conditions are horrific, but there can be worse. At least I can be doing something I love.

[@Franko-db4op]

I don't think it could get that bad from just sitting in a chair you would need to walk around a lot anyway if you lived in Japan or any big city and the Japan diet won't kill you like that. and id rather do that then my 9 to 5

[@mesasavage]

DO what the Image guys in the USA did 30+ years ago. Quit. All the stars, just quit. Start your own publishing thing with new materials. Putting up with this madness seems crazy. You get what you deserve.

[@seracris8357]

It's the spirit of the japanese to obey their masters. It gives them strength as a collective but the individuals suffer. Those who don't want to suffer from this culture anymore often leave for western more individual focused societies.

[@adeleinetheartist8267]

No, it is toxic, and it is a shame that this culture is normalised. Blind obedience shouldn't really be the norm.

[@seracris8357]

This is a cultural problem of many far east cultures. It has its pros but things like these are the cons. Same goes for western individual focused cultures that can breed egoistical people.@@adeleinetheartist8267

[@Kikyams]

if all would support their work or if they could get higher salary. he could get assistants or any kind of help not shouldering all the works. this isnt much an issue in western country right

[@toymareko]

Why do these people go through this in Japan? They just wanna make a story with their characters why go through so much pain?

[@akita_inu-il6em]

Because they want to publish their work

[@Thorfell2003]

At least all you need to do by making an actual book that has no pictires is to have great grammar and all these other skills to be an author and even that can take a lot of risk.

[@dennisduncan7561]

And good story-telling.

[@joshuamarchelim2871]

Does making manga need in jepang?

[@mateuszmierzejewski1355]

yes you need to be in japan publishing in japan writing in japanese for vast majority of people to acknowledge your work as manga.

[@animegarh7981]

Just make it 2 week they also need rest

[@Goldenzeno]

I will become a mangaka l will king of the manga

[@treeizure7821]

Talk about suffering for your art

[@antonioschrager3943]

funny as hell

[@wiggie666]

they should just go on strike, then the company will bend to their needs, or they will hire anyone but the manga may not be as good. I feel like they are kinda of doing this now. yes the passion part, this is a good video this is true. I guess everything comes with a price, become known globally living your dream or keep dreaming with your health.

[@mateuszmierzejewski1355]

you people really dont know what you are talking about.

[@WoodEe-zq6qv]

You flashed that schedule on screen for like 10 seconds and then talked about it for a few more minutes... We can't compare what you're saying to what the schedule is.

[@HTMangaka]

Still beats food service. Try a similar schedule, but the work is physical. -_-'

[@eddy9615]

Ok

[@niteshanthony2324]

hey we dont know each other but i wanna say that GOD still loves u and wants u to be with him all u must do is trust in Jesus and repent of ur sins. GOD loves u more than u can imagine

[@bobbydigital316]

Just get a normal job and just draw as a hobby artist.

[@dennisduncan7561]

And if you want to make money from your art?

[@bobbydigital316]

@@dennisduncan7561 then good luck to you, but you’re going to have a tough life, and in the case of a manga artist, a long and unrewarding life in terms of money making. I enjoy drawing as much as the next person, but im realistic in how the art industry is. So i have a normal job that pays well, and draw as a hobby. I simply wouldn’t accept such long hours so such little pay, just because I enjoy drawing, in fact it would probably eventually cause me to hate drawing.

[@ego.23]

Now let’s talk about the bright side, instead of crushing careers: 1. Most mangakas have a wide support group who work with them to create chapters weekly. For example, Oda has all of his side artists drawing backgrounds, side characters, and various things, while Oda literally only draws the main characters. 2. Most people that help out the main mangakas (apart of a team) are usually taking that job as a side job. They don’t live off that lame money every year 😂 3. Most mangakas complaining about the lifestyle, don’t actually enjoy what they are doing. If you enjoy doing something, than the tough life does not matter. 4. Hiatus is a thing 😅. 5. I guarantee you, every mangakas is eating snacks while drawing. Don’t you dare say they starve themselves 🙄. Eating nutrients is important…that extra 5 seconds it takes to grab that broccoli is definitely not gonna kill you. Note: Be whatever the Fvck you wanna be. ❤

[@dennisduncan7561]

And the ones that don't?

[@ego.23]

The ones that don’t what?….

[@dennisduncan7561]

@@ego.23 The ones that don't have an entire support team to draw backgrounds and such and aren't kicking back enjoying snacks.

[@rawreviews4457]

Kubo was really a God still drawing with a torn shoulder all Tybw