SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — It may originate in Japan, but almost nothing about manga is ever lost in translation. It’s an in-your-face style of storytelling that literally jumps off the gallery walls in a new exhibition opening at San Francisco’s De Young Museum.
It is the first large-scale exhibition of Manga art in North America.
The exhibit has more than 600 images across mediums, from art to comic books to full-length animated features. Curator Nicole Rousmaniere says the art form exploded in international popularity after World War II.
“What’s interesting is that manga that’s read in America and manga that’s read in Japan is read in Saudi Arabia, is read in Indonesia, is in Malaysia, the same titles are popular throughout the world,” Rousmaniere said.
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Manga literally translates as “whimsical pictures.” Anime series like “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure” are drawing in younger audiences, blending Western styles and music with tales of battle against supernatural forces.
Rousmaniere says the art form is also incredibly diverse.
“You have manga that is aimed towards a female market, you have manga that’s aimed towards a male market. There are different stylistic things,” she said.
The exaggerated facial expressions explode with emotion as characters and story lines can shift in time and space.
Artist Mari Yamazaki is a classically trained painter who fell in love with manga even though her mother didn’t approve at the time.
“My mother said that if I read too much manga, it makes me stupid,” she said.
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Yamazaki melded the popular manga form with her own art, even placing her characters in historical settings like the ancient Roman Empire.
“I never thought that I would become a manga artist one day because I wanted to become an oil painter. So that’s the reason that I went to Italy to study classical art,” Yamazaki said.
The exhibit is designed to decode manga for visitors and help them slip into a world of emotion and adventure now enjoyed by millions.
“So you’re actually going to be able to read manga,” Rousaniere said. “And at the end of this exhibition, you will have gained a new skill. You will become fluent in manga.”
The exhibit opens to the public this weekend and runs through January.
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