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Anoriginal English-language manga orOEL manga is acomic book orgraphic novel drawn in the style ofmanga and originally published in English.[1] The term "international manga", as used by theJapanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, encompasses all foreign comics which draw inspiration from the "form of presentation and expression" found in Japanesemanga.[2] This may also apply to manga-inspired comics made in other languages.
The growth of manga translation and publishing in the United States has been a slow progression over several decades. The earliest manga-derived series to be released in the United States was a redrawn American adaptation ofOsamu Tezuka'sAstro Boy published byGold Key Comics starting in 1965.[3]
In 1979, Gold Key[4] published the comic bookBattle of the Planets, based on a television seriesof the same name.[5] Marvel published a series basedShogun Warriors, bringing characters of themecha anime and manga series:Brave Raideen,Chodenji Robo Combattler V andWakusei Robo Danguard Ace.[6]
Original English-language manga first began to appear in the U.S. in the mid-1980s. The San Antonio-based publisherAntarctic Press produced the anthologyMangazine in 1985,[7] and the Ohio-based Rion Productions published two issues ofRion 2990, byDoug Brammer andRyan Brown, in 1986.[8] Between 1986 and 1988,First Comics published a series about amecha,Dynamo Joe, created by Doug Rice, it was scripted first byJohn Ostrander,[9] then by Phil Foglio. Ben Dunn sometimes filled in for Rice on the art.
In the late 1980s, Antarctic andEternity Comics published manga-inspired works likeBen Dunn'sNinja High School (debuting in 1987) andJason Waltrip'sMetal Bikini (debuting in 1990),[10] as well as adaptations ofanime likeCaptain Harlock,Robotech andLensman.[11]
As early as 1993, Japan-ownedViz Media issued a line of American manga.[12] Shortened to "Amerimanga", it is thought to be the earliest colloquial name for these types of works.[13] Other variations on OEL manga, such as western manga,world manga, global manga, manga-influenced comics, neo-manga, and nissei comi can occasionally be heard as substitute names, but the term OEL manga is most commonly used today.[14] OEL manga gradually became more widely used, even if usually incorrectly, because it was a more inclusive, global term that included works produced by all English-speakers encompassing works originating in countries such as Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom as well as in the United States. Anime News Network columnist Carlo Santos made the first recorded use of the term on April 28, 2005, on his personal blog, and others began using it on forums and spreading the popularity of the phrase.[15] By October 2005, publishing industry journalPublishers Weekly was also making use of the term,[16] but manga publishers have yet to use it in official advertisements or press releases.
However the original parent loan word,manga, is still used by publishers such asTokyopop,HarperCollins, and various small presses as a blanket term for all of their bound graphic novels[17]—without reference to origin or location of its creator(s). The significance of the word, however, has mutated outsideJapan as a reference tocomics originally published in Japan, regardless of style or language.Merriam-Webster's dictionary defines the wordmanga as meaning "a Japanese comic or graphic novel", reflecting the change of the meaning this word has had once used outside Japan.[18]
Because the word "manga"—being a Japaneseloanword in English use—means comics initially published in Japan, there have been attempts to find more appropriate terms for the growing number of publications of manga created by non-Japanese authors.[16] Beside the term “OEL Manga”, there is also the term “manga-influenced comics” (MIC) in use.[16] For example,Megatokyo, which was scheduled to be published by the largest manga producerKodansha, is still referenced as a "manga-influenced comic".[19]
Anime and manga news siteAnime News Network currently uses the term "world manga", coined byJason DeAngelis ofSeven Seas Entertainment, to describe these works in their column entitled Right-Turn Only.[20] In May 2006, Tokyopop officially changed the name of their line of non-Japanese manga to "global manga",[21] considering it a more respectful and accurate term than Amerimanga with its negative connotations of being a sub-par quality of work in comparison to Japanese manga;[22] however, the Tokyopop books themselves, whether they come from Japan, Korea, or some other country, all say manga on them and are shelved in the manga section of the major bookstore chains such asBarnes & Noble alongside Japanese manga, Korean manhwa, Chinese manhua, Frenchla nouvelle manga, and American graphic novels of similar size and dimensions. It is understood, however, thatmanga does not act as aloanword when used in the originalJapanese language and therefore it only takes its original meaning of, simply,comics.
Notable OEL manga creators include:
 | This section needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(December 2023) |
Antarctic Press most notably publishes the extremely long-runningNinja High School (debuted 1987) andGold Digger (debuted 1992) comic books, with heavy inspiration from manga in terms of art and high-paced imaginative action/humor storytelling style; and also publishes newer works likeNeotopia (debuted 2003). These are consistently collected into pocket-sizedpaperback format. If the original comics appeared in color, Antarctic Press also publishes the collected manga in color as well.
eigoMANGA publishes two Original English-Language manga anthology comic books and several graphic novel series.Sakura Pakk (debuted 2004) is ashōjo-based anthology graphic novel whileRumble Pak (debuted 2004) is their shōnen-based comic book series. eigoMANGA means "English Comics" in Japanese and they market themselves as OEL manga publishers.
Eternity Comics/Malibu Comics was one of the earliest American publishers to adapt popular anime into comics form, and put out original English-language manga. Operated from 1986 to 1994.
Kodansha is one of the largest publishers in Japan.[23] Through bi-annual international manga contests the company seeks talent outside Japan. According to Eijiro Shimada, editor-in-chief ofMorning Two and deputy editor-in-chief ofMorning, some readers in Japan are interested in manga produced in other parts of the world.[citation needed]
In May 2004,Kodansha formed a partnership withDel Rey Books calledDel Rey Manga to publish many of their books in English in the United States. Some of the more popular titles published byDel Rey Manga includeNegima! Magister Negi Magi byKen Akamatsu andTsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle byClamp.
Kodansha published a Japanese language edition ofMegatokyo in 2009.[24]
Seven Seas Entertainment has published many Original English-Language manga and manga-inspired webcomics, such asAmazing Agent Luna (debuted 2005),Aoi House (debuted 2005),Hollow Fields (debuted 2007), and an adaptation ofLarry Niven'sRingworld.[a]
Briefly before its closing in 2006, American manga publisherStudio Ironcat published a magazine series calledAmeriManga from 2002 to 2003.[25] A few of the titles in the compilation have since moved on to be published in other formats by other companies, most notablyTOKYOPOP.
Other similar magazines are still in publication today, includingEigoManga'sSakura Pakk andRumblePakk titles; Purrsia Press'sMangatron;Mangazine; andShōjo. International magazines of the same type includeBritain'sMangaMover andSweatdrop; theAustralian publicationKiseki; and theCanadian magazineKitsune.
Tokyopop was formerly the world's largest publisher of manga-inspired comics written in the English language,[26] and used to publish over two dozen titles. From 2002 to 2011, the company actively promoted new writers via its popularRising Stars of Manga annual competition and collection. Several winners from the competition eventually published their own books under the Tokyopop imprint.
In a 2006 deal withHarperCollins,[27] the company announced the expansion of its distribution and new adaptation projects based on American prose novels. It was indicated that Tokyopop planned to produce over 100 new comics over the next two years.
On Spring 2022,Tezuka Productions launched an internationalKickstarter campaign to fund an English-language manga reboot series ofOsamu Tezuka'sUnico calledUnico: Awakening by writer Samuel Sattin and artist duoGurihiru on Spring 2022.[28] After the campaign was fully funded within 24 hours,Scholastic Corporation announced publication of the series as part of Graphix Imprint on September 20, 2023.[29] Both Scholastic and Tezuka Productions also announced the series to be expanded to 4 volumes with activity and handbooks to accompany them.[30] During San Diego Comic Con 2025, Tezuka Productions and Scholastic announced the series to run for a total of 8 volumes.
| This section needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(February 2018) |
According to Lillian Diaz-Przybyl, an editor at Tokyopop, their best selling OEL manga sells about half as well as their best selling Japanese-origin manga.[31]
The trade magazineICv2 Guide to Manga lists the top 25 and top 50 best-selling manga based on sales data obtained from bookstores and comics shops across the United States.[32] The table below shows those OEL manga that reached the top 25 or top 50 sales status in 2007 and 2008 with their sales ranks and ICv2 references.ICv2's editors write that titles not released during the time period shown tend to drop down or off the list, while titles released during the same time period tend to rise.[33]
| Title | Author | Publisher | Rank | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warcraft: The Sunwell Trilogy | Richard A. Knaak | Tokyopop | 12/50 | Mid-Feb. to mid-May, 2007 | ICv2 #45, p. 6 |
| My Dead Girlfriend | Eric Wight | Tokyopop | 38/50 | ||
| Megatokyo | Fred Gallagher | CMX | 25/25 | Mid-May to mid-Aug., 2007 | ICv2 #47, p. 8 |
| Megatokyo | Fred Gallagher | CMX | 33/50 | June-Aug., 2007 | ICv2 #48, pp. 8, 10 |
| Warcraft: The Sunwell Trilogy | Richard A. Knaak | Tokyopop | 45/50 | ||
| Return to Labyrinth | Jake T. Forbes | Tokyopop | 40/50 | Sept-Oct, 2007 | ICv2 #50, pp. 8–9 |
| Bizenghast | M. Alice LeGrow | Tokyopop | 44/50 | ||
| Warcraft: The Sunwell Trilogy | Richard A. Knaak | Tokyopop | 14/50 | Full Year, 2007 | ICv2 #51, pp. 8–9 |
| Megatokyo | Fred Gallagher | CMX | 26/50 | ||
| Return to Labyrinth | Jake T. Forbes | Tokyopop | 36/50 | ||
| Dramacon | Svetlana Chmakova | Tokyopop | 41/50 | ||
| Warcraft: The Sunwell Trilogy | Richard A. Knaak | Tokyopop | 14/25 | Final 2007 (top 25) | ICv2 #52, p. 10 |
| Dramacon | Svetlana Chmakova | Tokyopop | 20/50 | Jan. to mid-Mar., 2008 | ICv2 #54, pp. 8–9 |
| Dark Hunger | Christine Feehan | Berkeley | 49/50 | ||
| Dramacon | Svetlana Chmakova | Tokyopop | 20/25 | Jan. to late-Apr., 2008 | ICv2 #55, p. 10 |
| Dark Wraith of Shannara | Terry Brooks | Del Rey | 22/50 | March to Mid-May, 2008 | ICv2 #57, pp. 8–9 |
| In Odd We Trust | Dean Koontz | Del Rey | 11/50 | May to Mid-July, 2008 | ICv2 #59, pp. 8–9 |
| Batman: Gotham Knight | Louise Simonson | Penguin | 25/50 |
Even maintaining the same spelling of the robots' names between the toys and the comics didn't seem to be a top priority. Fans will find multiple versions of the word 'Combatra', sometimes as 'Combattra' and 'Raydeen', at times as 'Raideen', adorning the boxes of some of the figures.
