Manga like Gekiga Hyouryuu

Showa-Shi

Also known as Showa: A History of Japan.

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama

When the Showa Era began, Mizuki himself was just a few years old, so his earliest memories coincide with the earliest events of the Era. With his trusty narrator Rat Man, Mizuki brings history into the realm of the personal, making it palatable, and indeed compelling, for young audiences as well as more mature readers. As he describes the militarization that leads up to World War II, Mizuki’s stance toward war is thoughtful and often downright critical – his portrayal of the Nanjing Massacre clearly paints the incident (a disputed topic within Japan) as an atrocity. Mizuki’s Showa is a beautifully told history that tracks how technological developments and the country’s shifting economic stability had a role in shaping Japan’s foreign policy in the early twentieth century.



Tags: Historical , Autobiographical , War , Politics , Educational , Non-fiction

Tezuka Osamu Monogatari

Also known as The Osamu Tezuka Story: A Life in Manga and Anime.

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life

This graphic-format biography of Osamu Tezuka--Japan's "God of Manga"--looks at one of the twentieth century's great creative artists (Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion, Black Jack). It is also an anecdotal study of the evolution of Japan's early manga and anime business and its heroes. A never-before-seen popular culture history of postwar Japan, it is sure to fascinate fans and anyone interested in manga, anime, and the potential of the graphic storytelling medium.

Volume count differs by region, but they are all divided into three chapters: The Appearance of Osamushi, 1928~1945 (オサムシ登場, Osamushi Toujou) - Covers Tezuka's youth, his developing talents during his school days, fascinations with bugs, manga, and animation, and his trials and tribulations during the war. Dreams of Manga, 1945~1959 (漫画の夢, Manga no Yume) - Covers the immediate struggles of the Post-War period, his time in medical school and the decision between being a physician or a mangaka, his debut and career throughout out the 50s. Also covers the emergence of the assistant system, the many assistants that would later become famous mangaka themselves (Matsumoto, Ishinomori, the Fujios, etc.), the obsession with movies and the influence they have on manga, and the gradual shift toward animation. Dreams of Anime, 1960~1989 (アニメの夢, Anime no Yume) - Covers his time entering animation interning at Toei, the founding of his Anime Studio, Mushi Production, the culture of the studio, the anime adaptation of Astro Boy (Tetsuwan Atom) and the emerging anime production philosophies, the collapse of Mushi Production, the "Dark Tezuka" period, Tezuka Productions, Black Jack, the events leading to the Osamu Tezuka Complete Works, later anime productions, and his tragic passing.

Tags: Work , Biographical , Drawing , Non-fiction , Historical

Ai no Jidai: Ichigoichie

Status: Finished
Genres:

The story is a semi-autobiographical fiction.

Tags: Autobiographical , Shounen

Blue Period

Also known as Blue Period.

Status: Releasing
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life

The studious Yatora leaves a dry life of study and good manners behind for a new passion: painting. But untethering yourself from all your past expectations is dangerous as well as thrilling…



Note: Nominated for Manga Taisho Awards in 2019, Kodansha Manga Awards in 2019 and the 24th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize in 2020. Winner of the 13th Manga Taisho Awards. Winner of the General Manga category of the 44th annual Kodansha Manga Awards.

Tags: Drawing , Coming of Age , College , Seinen , Male Protagonist , Educational , Philosophy , Primarily Adult Cast , LGBTQ+ Themes , School , School Club , Tragedy , Transgender , Bisexual , Primarily Teen Cast , Crossdressing , Suicide , Gender Bending , Nudity , Tomboy

Look Back

Also known as Look Back.

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life

Fujino is a fourth grader who draws a manga strip for the school newspaper. Her art makes her the star of the class, but one day she's told that Kyomoto, a student who refuses to come to school, would also like to submit a manga for the paper...



Note: The one-shot was compiled in a special volume, released on September 3, 2021.

Tags: Drawing , Tragedy , Female Protagonist , Primarily Female Cast , Hikikomori , Shounen , Coming of Age , Work , Meta , Autobiographical , School , Primarily Child Cast , Philosophy , Rehabilitation

Munou no Hito

Also known as The Man Without Talent.

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life

The Man Without Talent is an unforgiving self-portrait of frustration. Swearing off cartooning as a profession, Tsuge takes on a series of unconventional jobs—used-camera salesman, ferryman, stone collector—hoping to find success among the hucksters, speculators, and deadbeats he does business with. Instead, he fails again and again, unable to provide for his family, earning only their contempt and his own. The result is a dryly funny look at the pitfalls of the creative life, and an off-kilter portrait of modern Japan.



Tags: Autobiographical , Seinen , Philosophy , Rural , Primarily Adult Cast , Drawing , Male Protagonist

Kakukaku Shikajika

Also known as Blank Canvas: My So-Called Artist's Journey.

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life

High schooler Akiko has big plans to become a popular mangaka before she even graduates, but she needs to get much better at drawing if she ever wants to reach her goal. Looking for an easy fix, she signs up for an art class, thinking all her problems will soon be solved. She’s in for a surprise: her new instructor is a sword-wielding taskmaster who doesn’t care about manga one bit. But maybe this unconventional art teacher is just what she needs to realize her dreams!



Notes:
Kakukaku Shikajika is an autobiography detailing the life of author Akiko Higashimura.
The manga won the Grand Prize at the 8th Manga Taisho Award in 2015.

Tags: Drawing , Coming of Age , Otaku Culture , Teacher , Autobiographical , Josei , Female Protagonist , Tragedy , Non-fiction , College , Time Skip , Meta , Work , Writing , Primarily Adult Cast , Rural , Swordplay , Philosophy , Educational , Mopeds

Gekiga Bakatachi!!

Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Slice of Life

Tags:

Boku no Isshou wa Gegege no Rakuen da: Manga Mizuki Shigeru Jijoden

Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Slice of Life

Shigeru Mizuki's autobiography on 1500 pages in six volumes.

Tags: Historical , Autobiographical , War , Youkai , Seinen

Eiga Daisuki Pompo-san

Also known as Pompo: The Cinéphile.

Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama

Gene Fini, a production assistant and film fanatic in the movie capital Nyallywood, has been working on popcorn films with the baby-faced movie producer Joelle Davidovich “Pompo” Pomponette. One day, Gene finds a script written by Pompo and is blown away. When he says it deserves to be made, Pompo challenges him to do it himself—and now Gene is officially directing his first feature film! The hours are long and the challenges are endless, but Gene’s passion for movies will fuel him through the gauntlet of making his own.



Note: Began serialization in Gene Pixiv on July 27, 2017.

Tags: Filmmaking , Acting , Coming of Age , Shoujo , Female Protagonist