Discover the latest findings in manga research at this world-leading research institution. Kyoto Seika has long been a front runner in manga education and research with the establishment of Japan’s first-ever Faculty of Manga in 2006 and the country’s first Graduate School of Manga in 2010. We are one of the world’s most authoritative research institutions on manga, conducting serious inquiry into the very essence of manga itself rather than treating it as simply a kind of resource or material.
Graduate School of Manga Master’s Program
Field: Manga practice, Manga theory
Home to the next generation of leaders in manga culture
Japanese manga has taken the world by storm, attracting a wealth of attention in the process.
While manga rapidly evolves as a mode of expression, its media and format are changing with it, and the market for manga only continues to expand. Manga artists, refusing to be bound by convention, have embraced these new avenues for creative expression, with manga researchers providing support for their endeavors—sometimes as critics, other times as promoters. The Graduate School of Manga at Kyoto Seika University is home to the next generation of leaders in manga culture.
A cutting-edge research environment that explores the essence of manga expression
Kyoto Seika has long been a front runner in manga education with the establishment of Japan’s first-ever Faculty of Manga in 2006 and the country’s first Graduate School of Manga in 2010. We are one of the world’s most authoritative research institutions on manga, conducting serious inquiry into the very essence of manga itself rather than treating it as simply a kind of resource or material. An incredibly wide scope of research is made possible through collaborations with the university’s International Manga Research Center and the Kyoto International Manga Museum, which it operates jointly with Kyoto City.
Instruction by leading artists, editors, and manga researchers
Faculty members include artists and editors at the forefront of the manga industry as well as international researchers specializing in manga. Kyoto Seika had the foresight to realize the potential of manga early on, preparing a stellar faculty lineup at the Graduate School of Manga, which is renowned for its teaching methods and research achievements. Another feature the Graduate School of Manga offers is an environment in which practical and theoretical students study alongside one another. Interaction between creators and theoretical researchers deepens their knowledge and awareness of the issues they face and enables them to approach their work from multiple perspectives.
Promoting Japan’s proud manga culture to the world
Japanese manga has attracted a great deal of attention overseas due to globalization, and Kyoto Seika plays a significant role as a center for manga research in promoting manga throughout the world. At the Graduate School of Manga, students participate in both domestic and international academic conferences as well as manga conventions to expand the global network for manga culture. The graduate school is also home to many international students, so there are opportunities for international exchange on a daily basis. Students here become the next global leaders in manga through a variety of education and research activities that engage the world.
Examples of Research Themes
● An Inquiry into Copyright Issues Surrounding the Japanese and Chinese Content Industries: Manga Copyright Protections
● The Diversity and Potential of Essay Manga: The Clues Latent in the Act of Drawing and Media Theory
● Adapting Original Japanese Manga as Live-Action Chinese Films: From Gambling Apocalypse: Kaiji to Animal World as Examples
● Visual Design and Planning for a Virtual Game Involving Anthropomorphic Medicines
Graduate School of Manga Doctoral (Ph.D.) Program
Field: Manga
The doctoral program is intended for students who wish to become leaders in manga research both in Japan and abroad and open up new possibilities in the field.
Japan must now take steps to improve the level of manga studies internationally to raise the bar for manga criticism and research around the world. This requires more in-depth knowledge and presentation skills. In the doctoral program at the Graduate School of Manga, students acquire the advanced professional skills needed to work abroad through research on manga/comic culture and international literature. They then present their research at academic and research conferences both in Japan and abroad.
Furthermore, the program aims to further encourage the evolution of manga’s artistic expression and to cultivate individuals who will forge new disciplines in manga research through collaborative projects with the university’s International Manga Research Center and the Kyoto International Manga Museum, which it operates jointly with the City of Kyoto, in addition to other domestic and international networks.
Course Instructors
The Joint Introductory Classes and Specialist Lecture Courses, which can be taken across the four graduate schools, provide a more hands-on education and research environment by inviting lecturers who are active in their specialized fields and society. In the Specialist Research Classes offered by each graduate school, experienced research advisors provide comprehensive guidance tailored to students’ individual research themes.
Examples of Research Themes
● “Malaysianness” in Manga-like Comics: Cultural Identity and Comic Expression
● Mixed Media as Adaptation: The Case of Mahiro Maeda’s Gankutsuou
● “Otaku-izing” Geeks and “Geeki-fying” Otaku: The International Diffusion of Anime and Manga Culture and the Role of Subculture Clusters from the Perspective of Hungarian Producers
● Oblivion and Discovery in 1960s Shojo Manga: A Study of the Materiality of Media Based on a Survey of the Weekly Magazine Margaret (1963-1970)
Academic Faculty
Graduate School Admissions
For the Graduate School of Manga application guidelines, refer to “Graduate School Admissions.”