The Point at Which the Japanese Manga Industry Overtook the US Comic Book Industry

The Japanese manga industry began to surpass the US comic book industry in the late 1990s. By the early 2000s, the popularity of manga in both Japan and the international market, particularly in the United States, contributed significantly to its growth. A significant turning point was around 2002 when sales figures indicated that manga was outselling American comic books in various markets. This trend continued, with manga becoming a dominant force in the comic book industry by the mid-2000s, driven by successful titles and the expansion of manga into mainstream media.

The Early Days of Manga and Comics

In the 1950s and 60s, the Japanese manga industry became one of the cheapest forms of entertainment during the war-ravaged post-war era in Japan. As a result, the industry grew steadily. Meanwhile, in the United States, many World War II soldiers were reading comics in the trenches, and many introduced these to their children during the baby boom of the late 40s and 50s. In both countries, with the rise in population came a rise in comic/manga readership, as well as juvenile delinquency.

The Decline of the US Comic Book Industry

During that time, the US comic book industry faced numerous challenges. The rise of juvenile delinquency fueled fears among parents that comics were to blame for their children's rebellious behavior. Into that atmosphere, Fredric Wertham, an American psychologist, wrote a book based on fraudulent data that blamed comic books for the rise in juvenile delinquency. Many comic books in the US had become exploitative, and there was a glut of superhero comics that seemed to cater only to young boys around the age of 10.

By the early 1960s, the US comic book industry, which had previously sold millions of copies for a single book, was in a state of collapse. The industry imposed a self-censoring board to address public concerns, but it became largely irrelevant to its previous audience. In the 1970s, the US comic book industry was a shadow of its former self, mainly attracting young boys with a limited range of superhero comics.

The Rise of Japanese Manga

Japan, on the other hand, felt similar pressures but did not attempt to curb the creativity of its artists. While the US comic book industry collapsed in the 1960s and was a shadow of its former self in the 1970s, the Japanese manga industry boomed. In the 1960s, manga branched into girls' comics, and in the 1970s, it expanded into college-age and adult cartoons. It was around this time that Japanese comics overtook American comics in terms of popularity and sales.

Current State of the Industries

Today, even though Japanese manga is experiencing some setbacks in overall sales, the industry remains significantly healthier than its American counterpart. While comic-book-based movies have not turned into huge comic-book sales in the US, the Japanese manga industry, with its vast array of manga for nearly every taste, remains robust and thriving.

While the US comic book industry has seen a decline due to various factors, including public concerns about juvenile delinquency and the changing entertainment landscape, the Japanese manga industry has continued to evolve and diversify. This transformation has solidified the Japanese manga industry's dominance over its American counterpart.