Questions :)

**Niizuma** · 02-05-2012, 10:42 AM

Heya there, i'm not any good in drawing, but i believe i got talent for drawing art, i was told so by my art teacher in school many times, by my friends & my family. I never liked school so it's going to hell, my exam results are the shit, i'm living in Sweden and i just found out that it's possible to get serialized in Shounen Jump.

I would like to know more details about how i could get serialized in an industry like Shounen Jump or any other good Manga Corporations in Japan. Please answer seriously, as i stated earlier my exams are going to hell and i'm betting my life on Manga!

For me, Manga is when you imagine a protogonist, and you simply draw him to help get to life. The ideas are twisting around in my head, i got so many things i could do, tho, i'm not any good in either grammar or english, i'm giving myself a 4-months deadline, by that time i'll have my drawing practice going everyday, i would like to get a decent writer who will share the same dreams with me, to get serialized with Shounen Jump.

**Regantor** · 02-05-2012, 10:51 AM

Not to be the hardbringer of bad news, man, but non-Japanese people never really get published in Japan, dude. Sorry, but it's true. We get this kind of idea alot around here. It's a harsh planetoid. >_>

If you really wanted to bust into the comics industry you could probally get into an American, French or Italian comics producer far more easily than one from Japan. But it's still a question of marketing and renoun even then. Long-running webcomics in perticular tend to be the only ones to get published, and that takes a few years and alot of luck, so... Yeah. I wouldn't back yourself into a corner by concentrating on nothing else.

**Niizuma** · 02-05-2012, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by Regantor

Not to be the hardbringer of bad news, man, but non-Japanese people never really get published in Japan, dude. Sorry, but it's true. We get this kind of idea alot around here. It's a harsh planetoid. >_>

If you really wanted to bust into the comics industry you could probally get into an American, French or Italian comics producer far more easily than one from Japan. But it's still a question of marketing and renoun even then. Long-running webcomics in perticular tend to be the only ones to get published, and that takes a few years and alot of luck, so... Yeah. I wouldn't back yourself into a corner by concentrating on nothing else.

I'm informed that far, even without that information i knew that i would be hard to get in there, i'm practicing everyday with a real damn heavy heart, i can feel the weight pushing me down, for real, it's really frustrating and every second in my back though i feel that i will fail. Any how, a manga only needs to be good, and it will get serialized, if a manga is good, it's always getting serialized. I dont have an idea how i will get the Shonen Jump to notice my Manga... :/.. Of course, i'm talking like i have one ready, and of course i dont have one, but i will get to that point anyhow. If there's no non-japanese Manga-ka in Shonen-Jump, i'll be the first one, after all, i'm only 16, and i have around 15 years of trying.

**Bacon_Barbarian** · 02-05-2012, 11:28 AM

Reg warned you. Be prepared for heartbreak.

EDIT: Why do you want to be published in Jump for anyway? The prestige? Are you one of those people who feels the need that all manga must be straight out of Japan? You do realize that in order to get a job in Jump, you would not only need to be a good artist and/or writer not to mention actually speak (and presumably write in) Japanese. Not to mention the fact that Japan is a very xenophobic country. Even if you did get published, the fact that you're a westerner would just come across as some sort of novelty that would probably lose it's shine pretty quickly.

**Regantor** · 02-05-2012, 11:58 AM

I'll just put it this way; You ever hear of an unknown Japanese dude getting published at Marvel or DC?... Nope, me neither. Seriously, we get people that say they are going to swing in and take over shonen jump constantly.

Don't want to depress you or anything, but doing crap jobs, so you can afford to do what you love on the side, is pretty much adult life in a nutshell. Some of us with enough skill and perseverance might make it big in the long run, but that takes time and money first, not afterwards. Nobody just has instant success dropped in their lap, and doing badly in a few exams is not the end of the world.

So chill, don't get depressed, and make sure you have a back-up plan... That's all I'm saying.

Regantorian life lessons ITT.

**Niizuma** · 02-05-2012, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by Bacon_Barbarian

Reg warned you. Be prepared for heartbreak.

EDIT: Why do you want to be published in Jump for anyway? The prestige? Are you one of those people who feels the need that all manga must be straight out of Japan? You do realize that in order to get a job in Jump, you would not only need to be a good artist and/or writer not to mention actually speak (and presumably write in) Japanese. Not to mention the fact that Japan is a very xenophobic country. Even if you did get published, the fact that you're a westerner would just come across as some sort of novelty that would probably lose it's shine pretty quickly.

I have reasons, that's why i want to be published in Shounen Jump. I love both mangas and animes, and i would love to have a manga serialized there, i'm aiming far with this, and if by any possibility my manga would become lively, i would only agree to that if the voice-actors would be Japanese.

Shounen Jump gave me a dream, courage, strenght, alot of knowledge about the life. Even if its an anime, but it's just so much more then that, the message writers are delivering trough that anime, their feelings, i understand all that, it's so much more then just some pictures & good looking drawing. Well, it's not like i want other people to understand it, some people are just looking / reading cuz they like it.

And yes, i'm in the 9th grade atm, i will try to get my final exam results good, but, i'll spend 15 years trying to get serialized in Shounen Jump.

I already got a team, one writer, one background illustrator, and myself a character illustrator. I'll be posting my progress on this page, call it a waste, call it a hopeless dream, this is my decision, i know more then anyone how hard and depressing it is, my life is pretty complicated, and just a week ago i had no reasons to live for or no reasons to die for, thanks to Shounen Jump i got both of those things.

And, no i never heard of someone unkown Japanese dude getting published at Marvel, and that could depend on Japanese people never tried it, i'm 100% sure that they would be able to do it. I'm also sure that there's alot of people trying to get serialized with Shounen Jump, and i'm sure they're failing cuz they're giving up on it. Manga for me is not drawing pictures and some bubble texts, i'm expressing my feelings through drawing, i'm reflecting myself in what i draw, i'm proud of my drawing even how ugly and bad it is atm, even so, i would like to give life to all of my drawing, i would like getting them lively(animed). This is my first real decision in my life, and i'm glad that it turned out this way, even if i'll end up not getting serialized after 20 years, i'll be happy & satisfied, cuz i gave it my best, i gave my life for it. I rather live trying to make my dreams into reality, instead of living with a simple job & gray days and the huge regret in my heart.

I'm sure i've typed more then i need, to end it, i don't have a back-up plan, and i don't plan on getting one either.

Takashi's life lessons.

**ClockHand** · 02-05-2012, 12:36 PM

Well Tsutomu Nihei did a work for Marvel. And I think marvel is doing a lot to include japanese manga in their industry (and to expand their industry in japan).

With the subject of being serialized in Shounen Jump. You have more chance outside japan, France is a great place to study about comics/mangas, they did a lot of development around storytelling with the media. But the problem with japan is not just xenophobia or anything else, is that their industry is very closed, you need to work with a master mangaka first to gain recognition and then if you are lucky a publisher will want you. And you need to face all the problems stated by reg and bacon.

I recommend you to think in small and achievable goals, little steps for a bigger goal. Do a plan, work in one story, try publishing it in the internet, try to gain fans, do another, and keep working until you have the experience and recognition.

**Niizuma** · 02-05-2012, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by ClockHand

Well Tsutomu Nihei did a work for Marvel. And I think marvel is doing a lot to include japanese manga in their industry (and to expand their industry in japan).

With the subject of being serialized in Shounen Jump. You have more chance outside japan, France is a great place to study about comics/mangas, they did a lot of development around storytelling with the media. But the problem with japan is not just xenophobia or anything else, is that their industry is very closed, you need to work with a master mangaka first to gain recognition and then if you are lucky a publisher will want you. And you need to face all the problems stated by reg and bacon.

I recommend you to think in small and achievable goals, little steps for a bigger goal. Do a plan, work in one story, try publishing it in the internet, try to gain fans, do another, and keep working until you have the experience and recognition.

That's not a problem, i'm not even at a step where i could start drawing manga. The school will end soon, and i will finish it, i will let you guys know that i'm alive, and i will post my progress on this site. I give myself 1 year deadline, by that time, i will practice drawing everyday. I will advance my own style, i will advance my art, you guys, i will prove that i'm not just a talk, in one year, i'll be a great a great artist! In one year, i hope you guys are still here by that time, Reg, Bacon, be sure to watch me in one year!

**Sutari** · 02-05-2012, 12:47 PM

Forgive me for interrupting, but...

lets say you DO get in jump, and you DO get serialized. The trouble of going through everything it takes to get that far (get a residence in japan while being a gaijin) is only the beginning of the beginning. You'll have to put up with corporate deadlines, and you WILL lose alot of sleep. Its not worth your health OR your stress, but thats just my opinion. And you have to cater to the age group of the readers you are aiming for. (which, if you're in jump, is going to be middle schoolers/young kids.. mostly boys.) Your story may be really good, but if kids don't understand it and therefore don't read it, you just lost your job. It would be alot easier to make a webcomic and take a shot at getting popular online while you have another source of money. There is a manga that tells you basically what will happen if you try. Its Bakuman. You are just adding being foreign to the list of obstacles.

If i misunderstood you, please forgive me.
I just dont like seeing/hearing about people getting hurt because they are too stubborn.