What is origins manga?

Origins manga, also known as manga's birth, refers to the earliest period of the Japanese manga industry, which began in the late 19th century and lasted until the 1950s. In this period, manga was primarily used for political satire and humor, and the focus was on creating stories that could be easily understood by a broad audience.

The first manga to gain widespread popularity was Hokusai Manga, a collection of sketches and cartoons by the famous ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Hokusai, which was published in 1814. However, the modern manga industry began in the 1930s, with the publication of magazines such as Shonen Club, which focused on stories for young boys.

One of the most notable figures of origins manga was Osamu Tezuka, who is often called the "Father of Manga." Tezuka created the popular series Astro Boy, which first appeared in 1952 and helped to establish manga as a mainstream form of entertainment in Japan.

Origins manga was heavily influenced by Western comics such as Disney and American superhero comics, which accounts for the cartoonish and exaggerated style of many early manga. Despite this, many early manga creators experimented with different styles, genres, and techniques, paving the way for the diverse and innovative manga industry we see today.