Danica Davidson
January 27, 2025 
In Japan it’s not uncommon for manga to get their own museums or exhibits, whether permanent or temporary. Now manga will get its day in the sun in an American exhibit, thanks to the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, which is launching Art of Manga later this year. It’s described as the “First exhibition in the Americas to explore manga as an art form.”
The exhibit, which will run from September 27, 2025 to January 25, 2026 at the de Young museum, boasts more than 700 manga drawings, with sections divided up for the following popular mangaka: Hirohiko Araki, Eiichiro Oda, Gengoroh Tagame, Rumiko Takahashi, Jiro Taniguchi, Kazumi Yamashita, Mari Yamazaki, and Fumi Yoshinaga. Some of these drawings have not been seen by the public.
Besides showing artwork, the exhibit will offer a history on manga, as well as information on such topics as manga genres, how the production process works, fandom, piracy, and artistic styles. At the end of the exhibit, people will be able to check out Shueisha’s Shueisha Manga-Art Heritage initiative, a.k.a SMAH. People who are new to manga will get a good grasp on how to read it and the social impact manga is making.
Director and CEO of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco Thomas P. Campbell remarked in an official statement, “Captivating millions around the world with dynamic graphic narratives, manga is one of the most significant visual mediums of our time. San Francisco has long been a gateway for Japanese cultural exchange in the United States, and we are delighted to honor this legacy by showcasing the artistry and power of contemporary Japanese narrative art in Art of Manga.”
Nicole Coolidge Rousmaniere, who is the Research Director of the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures, University of East Anglia and the exhibit’s organizing curator, noted, “By prioritizing images and line over text in its storytelling, manga cultivates an ease of visceral understanding that enables readership from around the world to enjoy the same stories.”
You can learn more about the exhibit here.
Source: Press release
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Danica Davidson is the author of the bestselling Manga Art for Beginners with artist Melanie Westin, plus its sequel, Manga Art for Everyone, and the first-of-its-kind manga chalk book Chalk Art Manga, both illustrated by professional Japanese mangaka Rena Saiya. Check out her other comics and books at www.danicadavidson.com.
