TOKYO — While the Japanese manga industry is increasingly catering to global and digital native audiences, experts say nurturing the next generation of artists who could replicate the success of Akira Toriyama, who died in March, will not be easy.
When Toriyama’s “Dragon Ball” was popular, “the publishers did all the advertisements, and manga artists could concentrate on making fun stories” a 31-year-old manga artist, who requested anonymity, told Nikkei Asia. “Now artists have to promote themselves, or you’ll never be noticed on social media.”
The emergence of multiple manga sites and smartphone apps “made it easier to become a manga artist but difficult to be a popular one,” he added, since he has to compete against many other manga.
by Yatanet3000