Niigata - A Hidden Anime and Manga Hotspot

A Brief Look at Japanese Anime and Manga Culture

An international sensation and multi-billion dollar market, anime and manga have been at the core of Japanese pop culture for decades. “Anime” refers to Japan-made animation (although Japanese people often use “anime” for anything animated), and “manga” are Japan-made comics. Both mediums have a fervent following that exists side-by-side with Japanese video games, light novels, collectible figurines, and the electrifying world of cosplay and idols.

Both anime and manga are taken very seriously in Japan, with diehard fans often spending significant funds to express their passion. The term “otaku” is used to describe these fans, now common overseas as well. In Japan, however, otaku can carry negative connotations akin to “nerd” in English, so be careful when using it in Japan.

Experiencing Anime and Manga Culture in Japan

From manga cafes to anime museums, Japan is chock-full of spots parading the best of anime and manga culture. Tokyo’s Akihabara, particularly the Akihabara Electric Town, is flooded with enthusiasts rummaging through specialist stores selling figurines, physical media, magazines, trading cards, and other collectibles. Ikebukuro’s Otome Road is a hotspot for female fans, while Nakano Broadway is an apt choice for indoor shopping. Tokyo also has many museums promising an educational look at anime and manga, like the Suginami Animation Museum, the Tokyo Anime Center, the Toei Animation Museum, and the Ghibli Museum.

There are also scores of anime and manga museums outside of Tokyo, too. Favorites include the Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum in Hyogo Prefecture, the Kyoto International Manga Museum in Kyoto City, Ghibli Park in Aichi Prefecture, the Kitakyushu Manga Museum in Fukuoka Prefecture, and the Niigata Manga Animation Museum in Niigata City. Along with deep dives into the culture, these facilities provide insight into the localities that served as inspiration for famous franchises.

A General History of Anime and Manga in Japan

With such a strong cultural presence, it’s no surprise that the history of anime and manga spans epochs. In fact, some historians claim Japan’s earliest manga to be the Choju-giga, a set of picture scrolls featuring animal caricatures drawn in the 12th or 13th century.

Modern manga as we recognize it today, however, can be traced back to the early Edo Period (1603-1868) with "ukiyo-e" woodblock prints. These prints had a sense of dynamism and realism similar to modern manga, and their inexpensive price made them wildly popular.

By the end of the Edo Period, leaps in printing technology resulted in the creation of actual comic books. The Japan Punch, a satirical comic magazine published by a British expat from 1862, is said to be one of the earliest examples of manga made in Japan. It took until the end of World War II, however, for serialized magazines to launch, pushing manga from caricatures into a wide range of genres.

Anime, on the other hand, has a more recent history dating back to the beginning of the 20th century. Japan’s first fully-fledged anime is said to have been released in January 1917 by artist Oten Shimokawa. Unfortunately, like many works from the era, Shimokawa's films haven't survived, making Namakura Gatana (Blunt Sword) Japan's oldest surviving anime, released half a year later. Remarkably, this piece of history was rediscovered in 2007 at a local antique market!

Following a period dictated by educational and propaganda pieces, the Japanese animation industry saw a postwar shift with the release of Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1950. Realizing the potential for animation, Japan’s pioneering commercial animation studio, Toei Doga (now Toei Animation), was established in 1956, and their debut film, The White Snake Enchantress, premiered as Japan’s first fully colored feature anime film in 1958.

The next milestone came in 1963 with Japan’s trailblazing anime television series Astro Boy. It was directed by Osamu Tezuka from his own manga, and was produced in 30-minute weekly episodes unprecedented for the time. Due to the high cost, Tezuka used “limited animation” techniques like reducing the frame rate, defining the look of anime still seen today.

Anime flourished over the following decades, marked by pivotal moments such as the 1979 debut of Mobile Suit Gundam, which sparked the "mecha" genre, and Hayao Miyazaki's 1984 film Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, who went on to take the world by storm with the founding of Studio Ghibli. Other seminal releases that shaped anime's landscape include Dragon Ball, first published as a manga in 1984; Sailor Moon, defining the "shojo" girls genre; and One Piece, which garnered a massive global following and was adapted into a live-action Netflix series in 2023.

The Japanese anime and manga industry is now an unrelenting powerhouse, churning out hundreds of titles a year with no signs of a slowdown.

Niigata - The Home of Many Influential Anime and Manga Creators

For most people, Niigata conjures up images of powdery ski slopes and boundless rice paddies (after all, it's Japan's biggest rice producing region). However, for those in the know, it holds a significant standing in anime and manga culture. Many influential creators have roots in the region, including manga authors Rumiko Takahashi (Ranma ½, Inuyasha), Fujio Akatsuka (Osomatsu-kun), Takeshi Obata (Death Note), and recent star Aka Akasaka (Oshi no Ko).

The Niigata Manga Animation Museum - A Hub of Anime and Manga Culture

A short walk from Niigata Station, by the bank of the Shinano River, is the Niigata Manga Animation Museum. Since 2013, the museum has celebrated the region's anime and manga culture through interactive exhibits and rotating displays that showcase the works of local creators.

Welcoming visitors are the museum’s adorable mascotsーHanano Komachi and Sasa Dangoroーwho personify Niigata’s cherished tulip fields and “sasa-dango” bamboo leaf dumplings. Inside the museum, visitors can try their hand at storyboarding, animating, and voice acting, and play fun games starring local characters. Multilanguage touch panels examine the life and works of industry players, while a gallery of original illustrations from famed artists parade the talent often lost in print.

What to Do at the Niigata Manga Animation Museum

Despite its modest size, the Niigata Manga Animation Museum is loaded with 15 sections, each digging into a facet of anime and manga culture. Fueled by nostalgia, we began our day by reading about local creators like Rumiko Takahashi, the mastermind behind childhood favorites like Inuyasha.

We were also keen to learn about Fujio Akatsuki, known as the “gag manga master,” whose comedy series Osomatsu-kun was recently given a modern spin with the anime Osomatsu-san. Despite his lighthearted stories, we were surprised to discover that Fujio had a surprisingly tumultuous upbringing, being born in Japan-occupied Manchuria before moving to Niigata.

After studying up on local creators, we were itching to try out the museum's interactive exhibits. The high point was the “seiyu” experience, where we took on the role of an anime voice actor. While there’s no English version, those who are fluent or learning Japanese can dub their voice over scenes from two well-known anime with local ties. First, we were shown the full scene with the professional voice actors. Then, we followed the cues to record our own take, receiving a final ranking based on sync level. Listening back to our own, our respect for the talents of Japanese voice actors skyrocketed.

Feeling energized, we tested our reflexes at the fast-paced “Catch Lum If You Can” game. Her playful lightning attacks and the wacky obstacles had us jumping, ducking, and giggling, making it a surprisingly fun way to get some exercise!

To catch our breath, we sat down to watch a bunch of short documentaries on the making of the anime Wasurenagumo, taking us through script writing, storyboarding, art, and sound design. Our lessons continued at the Basics of Animation corner, where we spun a zoetrope to turn still pictures into fluid animation, and then set about creating our own manga page and anime scene.

We wrapped up our time by watching the museum’s original anime, where its mascots go on a wacky adventure through Niigata City.

The Niigata Manga Animation Museum also hosts themed exhibits spotlighting individual creators. At the time of our visit, the “World of Aka Akasaka” was in full swing, exhibiting illustrations and original manga pages from Akasaka’s creations like Kaguya-sama: Love Is War and Oshi no Ko. Aka Akasaka is originally from Sado Island, just off the coast of Niigata City, and his manga and subsequent anime adaptations have become worldwide hits, adding another chapter to anime and manga culture in Niigata.

Around six special exhibitions are held per year, so it’s likely that your visit will line up with one. Past favorites have included Tokyo Revengers, Madoka Magica, Trigun, Fullmetal Alchemist, and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. Alongside the artwork, each delves into the thoughts and process behind the works, illuminating the creative journey that led to their formation.

Why Did Anime and Manga Culture Flourish in Niigata?

So, how did such an obscure corner of Japan become such a cultural powerhouse? Toshiharu Koike, director of the Niigata Manga Animation Museum, theorizes that the answer may lie in Niigata’s famous rice and snow.

“Niigata has heavy snowfall and rough weather, and the first generation of local manga artists often drew as a way to pass time indoors,” explained Toshiharu.

“Niigata also has a tough rice farming culture, and Niigata people are known throughout Japan for their tenacious character. After honing their skills and personality in Niigata, many of our local manga artists ventured out to Tokyo and found success.”

The triumphs of these pioneers inspired the next generation, and a local culture sprang up to sell homemade manga (doujinshi) at the Niigata Comic Market (Gataket), which has continued for over 40 years. This was followed up by the inaugural Niigata Manga Competition in 1998, the first of its kind nationwide; and the Niigata Anime & Manga Festival, where voice actor performances, cosplay parades, and other festivities attract crowds from across Japan.

This reputation also led to the opening of many art and media schools specializing in anime and manga production in Niigata, providing aspiring creators with a framework to find their footing.

The Future of Anime and Manga Culture in Niigata

Toshiharu is positive that anime and manga culture will continue blossoming in Niigata. “We’ve put in a lot of effort to set Niigata up as a place for anime and manga culture to thrive, which has encouraged a number of animation studios to set up shop here to develop local talent,” he said.

To boost its reputation, the Niigata International Animation Film Festival was founded in 2023. Films were screened by animators from all over the world, aiming to make Niigata synonymous with anime on a global scale.

Through his work at the Niigata Manga Animation Museum, Toshiharu has also seen the growth of anime and manga overseas. “In the past, foreign visitors only came to the museum at a few certain times, but now we consistently have them throughout the year.”

For Toshiharu, this is a big shift from what he experienced in his youth, when he had a stint teaching manga illustration in Europe. “I was often questioned, like about why the eyes were so big. At the time, manga was seen as a strange, over-the-top style, and it was interesting because it was unique. But now it is just another kind of everyday entertainment.”

Toshiharu believes that technology will continue to aid the unstoppable growth of anime. “It’s always been easy to publish your own manga in Japan, but anime requires a big team with lots of different people. However, with new software tools and streaming, it’s becoming much easier to create and share your own animations.”

Toshiharu says that there is a lot of opportunity in the industry. “Publishers are now putting out digital manga, and the mere twenty or so authors that were needed for magazines are no longer enough. With such a huge demand, I think there are a lot of opportunities for new creators in the Japanese anime and manga industry.”

Other Places in Niigata to Enjoy Japan’s Anime and Manga Culture

After visiting the Niigata Manga Animation Museum, Toshiharu also recommended checking out the following spots!

The Niigata City Manga House

The Niigata City Manga House is tucked in an alleyway near Niigata’s historical geisha district, a 20-minute walk from the Niigata Manga Animation Museum. This free facility boasts approximately 10,000 manga books for visitors to read, selected for their ties to Niigata or overall quality. There are also flashy exhibits on local comedy manga maestros like Fujio Akatsuka, promising plenty of photo opportunities. Aspiring illustrators can also learn manga basics from professionals at the free “Manga no Ippo” workshops, held daily with no reservations required.

Furumachi Shotengai No.5

Furumachi Shotengai is an undercover shopping street that runs through the Furumachi “old town” district of Niigata City. On the section near the Niigata City Manga House are a lineup of bronze statues from the baseball manga Dokaben, created by Niigata native Shinji Mizushima. Dokaben is not well known overseas, but the dramatic poses are worth a photo even if you’re not a fan!

You’ll also find the Japan Animation & Manga College just a bit further down. While not a tourist attraction, the facility is dressed up in a collage of eye-catching illustrations flaunting the talents of next-generation creators.

The Niigata City Loop Bus

The Niigata City Loop Bus circles the main attractions of Niigata City, from historical buildings to the popular Pia Bandai seafood market. One of the buses features the tabby cat from the manga What's Michael? by Niigata artist Makoto Kobayashi.

The Roots of Anime and Manga Culture in Rural Japan

Along with go-to spots like Akihabara, we recommend heading out into regional Japan to uncover the roots of anime and manga culture. Niigata, home to myriad anime and manga creators and facilities like the Niigata Manga Animation Museum, is the perfect place to head for after Tokyo, and its interactive exhibits, manga libraries, and otaku festivals promise a fulfilling encounter with all aspects of Japan’s anime and manga culture!