The Big Guide to Manga Mania

by Billy Aguiar, PW Comics Week -- Publishers Weekly, 6/12/2007

Jason Thompson, a former editor at Shonen Jump magazine, longtime comics creator, self-publisher and all-around American otaku, is the editorial force behind Manga: The Complete Guide, a jaw-droppingly comprehensive survey of translated Japanese manga published in the U.S. Coming from Del Rey Manga in August, the guide covers everything, from reviews of more than 900 individual manga series to background information on the Japanese and U.S. manga industry and an overview of genres. A preview copy of this mammoth resource has already been given prized placement on this reporter's desk, and the title will serve as the reference work on manga for American readers.

PWCW: How did you get started in manga?

Jason Thompson: I discovered manga in the late '80s and have been fascinated by it ever since. I was hired by San Francisco manga publisher Viz in 1996 and worked for them for 10 years.

PWCW: So you were part of Viz before the 2000 manga boom?

JT: Much before. In the '90s, manga was a small subculture, with companies selective about licenses, and many genres of manga, such as shojo and yaoi, were just not represented. Companies were afraid to license long-running titles because they were uncertain they could publish past the first volumes.

PWCW: I was very much impressed by the breadth and depth of knowledge that went into the Guide, including references to titles that are out of print.

JT: A lot of the manga I refer to are pretty hard to get now, with many only available online or in the dusty bins of comic stores, but they are all part of the history of manga in America. Luckily, I was still working at Viz and lived in San Francisco, so I had all these great resources to find these titles.

PWCW: What drove you to begin work on this project?

JT: In 2000 I had an idea for a coffee-table–type book of all the manga artists that had been published in America and some of the important untranslated artists. Too few books look at manga as the work of individual artists.

PWCW: When did the project turn from being about creators to being a guide to the medium?

JT: Between starting the project and being contracted to do it, a couple things happened. Several artist books were released and the number of translated manga grew to the point where it would be worthwhile to do a guide for them. It would be ridiculous, then, to not talk about manga in Japan along with its genres. The Japanese and American markets are growing closer together, though the American market is still smaller.

PWCW: But the Japanese market is at least paying attention to the U.S. manga market?

JT: Yes, where it once was just an experiment, the U.S. market is now recognized as something more. But at the same time, manga created in Japan is still intended for Japan's market. I think part of its appeal in the U.S is that it is not target-marketed and focus-grouped for it.

PWCW: So how did you go about producing the guide?

JT: I have always kept track of the U.S. market, and while I was at Viz I worked on Pulp, Viz's seinen [manga for older boys] magazine. The magazine had reviews from throughout the U.S. manga market, so between my experience from there, my years at Viz and the freelancers I worked with, I was able to find the people who had the background and knowledge I needed in addition to my own to complete the Guide. It took a lot of legwork, but I got copies of all the titles or found people who did. A lot of people helped me, for instance the San Francisco store Comic Relief gave me a free run of [its] collection. But it was also a tremendous pleasure putting the book together.

PWCW: Was there any one title that was particularly hard to get hold of?

JT: The hardest was an anthology simply called Manga published sometime between 1980 and 1982, which now Dark Horse editor Carl Gustav Horn had and reviewed for the Guide. But many are still available online or via EBay.

PWCW: I understand there will be updates?

JT: Yes, I am contracted to do updates, but the exact form and timing have not been decided. I am also going to be working for Otaku USA [a new U.S.-based Asian pop culture magazine], so that may have an effect on when updates are available.

PWCW: What are the promotion plans for the title?

JT: I am going to several art museums, be on a panel at Anime Expo along with attending other conventions.

PWCW: Who is the targeted market for this book?

JT: I tried to write it clearly so that the casual reader could be introduced to manga, but also have enough depth so that more informed fans would enjoy it, and hopefully point fans of a particular genre to titles that they may not be aware of. I wanted to get across to the reader the excitement of manga while providing a framework to talk about it.

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