Japan Taps China's Manga Artists

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One Japanese comic publisher has found a wealth of manga artists in China. For one Chinese artist, drawing for the comic is an achievement that will finally make his parents proud.

With only days to go before his comic strip series hit the bookshelves, 25-year-old Liu Chong is busy in his Shanghai offices working on the next installments of his fantasy history novel "Killin-ji".

His story is based on the Chinese historical novel "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," but his drawings are strongly styled after Japanese manga.

In fact, Liu, who goes by the pen name L-Dart, is writing for the Japanese audience in a major Japanese manga magazine, "Monthly Big Comic Spirits."

Like many Chinese of L-Dart's generation, he was brought up on Japanese manga.

He taught himself how to draw in the Japanese style which initially his parents did not understand or approve of.

For L-Dart this is now a milestone accomplishment that will make his parents proud.

[Liu "L-Dart" Chong, Chinese Manga Artist]:
"Now that my manga is going to be published in Japan, it is like the showing of my results slip to my parents. I can now tell them that I have come a long way in my profession and I have gained some achievement. Also, there is a lot of potential for my career."

"Monthly Big Spirits Comic" is a new comer, but has already sold 26,000 copies and targets mostly 20 to 25-year-old men in Japan.

Manga culture has taken off beyond the Japanese borders and is especially popular in many parts of East Asia and some western nations, so it's no surprise that its artists and influences have also moved overseas.

That has prompted some Japanese media to caution that this is the beginning of the Japanese manga industry being outsourced overseas with cheap Chinese labor, like many other Japanese industries.

Takashi Hayakawa, editor of Big Comic Spirits, defends these claims however, saying it pays L-Dart the same rate it would pay a Japanese newcomer to the industry.

[Takashi Hayakawa, Editor, Big Spirits Comic]:
"We pay him exactly the same as we'd pay a starting manga artist in Japan so we didn't really think of him because he was Chinese."

But L-Dart says he's not in it for the fame or the money.

[Liu "L-Dart" Chong, Chinese Manga Artist]:
"My dream is to draw better. It is just that simple. I want to draw better and do more stories. I want to draw out every idea that I have inside my brain."

Category:

Entertainment

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• comic
• Chinese
• artist
• Liu
• Chong
• Killin-ji
• Romance of the Three Kingdoms
• L-Dart
• Takashi
• Hayakawa
• Big
• Comic
• Spirits
• NTD
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[Keiykou]

Just like all mangaka's we only strive to draw better,Money's just a bonus.

[iiKitty03]

YAY! GO CHiNA!

[myassin2009]

@Keiykou Personality, drawer better is simple a requisite that goes with drawing. My aim is to convey my thoughts through writing and drawer to an audience.

[2002VocaLoid]

oh my god i can relate to this guy so much ><

[BlackMilkCunt]

everyone can do it!i draw also manga.

[AUDIObuoi]

hay

[PinkBabey]

Fantastic! That manga is looking great.

[rambo62372]

his manga better be translated! i wanna read it >:D

[VinniManga]

@Kasosdri

manga sherlock get it right

[Rivalhopeso]

lol i love how this 'turning-pro' achievemnt is as big for this chinese artist, as showing his parents his result slip. i'm sory for stereotyping but it says alot about chinese parents lol xD But we want more english mangakas!!! xD i mean from England. :P