Secret Codes of Manga Art Explained

The story of manga

Chapter 1

The birth of a visual language

Chapter 2

The secret codes of manga art

Chapter 3

Demographics and genres for everyone

Chapter 4

From paper to global phenomenon

YOUR GOAL

Master of The story of manga

Ch 2 · The secret codes of manga art

Manga Code Pop

BETA

yuki Pop the emotional symbols to master the visual language of your favorite manga.

yuki Manga Art Codes

One giant drop of sweat, yeah, we talk in black and white!

yuki Manipulating time with panel layouts

Manipulating time with panel layouts

yuki Manga artists manipulate the size and shape of panels to speed up or slow down a reader's perception of time.

The silent language of sweat drops

yuki Manga uses a unique set of visual symbols, from giant sweat drops to nosebleeds, to represent specific emotional states.

Fun Fact

Manga eyes: The white glint inside a manga character's giant eyes represents the reflection of light, a visual trick borrowed directly from classic doll-making.

Glossary

manpu (noun)
A standardized graphic symbol or icon used in Japanese comic books to represent a character's emotion, physical state, or action. In 2018, artist Fumiyo Kono published a dictionary-style catalog of these expressive symbols.

Gossip

Which classic manga drawing effect is your favorite?

Quiz

How do manga artists use panel borders to speed up the action during a fight scene?

yuki The silent language of sweat drops

Quiz

In manga visual shorthand, what does a giant sweat drop behind a character's head represent?

yuki Why manga characters have giant eyes

Quiz

What is a 'splash page' in manga layout terminology?

yuki The tactile magic of screentone

Quiz

Why is the vast majority of manga printed in black and white rather than full color?

Quiz

What are 'screentones' used for in the creation of black-and-white manga?

Quiz

What physical reaction is commonly used in manga to depict a character's romantic excitement?

Quiz

Why did Osamu Tezuka originally give his characters unusually large eyes?

Quiz

What does a popping 'cross' vein symbol on a manga character's forehead indicate?