First "Manga" University May Open Next Spring

by ap19
Apr 13, 2012 10:34 PM | 53 Comments

According to the Asahi Newspaper, Osaka may open the Osaka Sougou Manga Geijutsu Kouka Daigaku (Osaka Comprehensive Manga Arts Institute of Technology), which will become the first university to have the word "manga" in its name. Ueda Gakuen, the legally incorporated education system responsible for the new university, aims to raise students not only capable of manga expressionism, but also capable of utilizing the newest of digital technology as well as business and commercial management.

Although Kyoto Seika University had officially announced the opening of a manga department/manga major back in 2006, MEXT claims that this is the first legal submission that ever had the word "manga" in its name.

Source (Japanese): Asahi News

20 of 53 Comments Recent Comments

This isn't ridiculous. Manga is very popular in Japan. It's an art and is also marketed. What's wrong with a specialized university?

Apr 16, 2012 10:21 AM by -Yumaol-

BananaPeel said:
They should include a literature component in the course, since Manga is practically portraying a story.

^This.

Apr 15, 2012 8:12 PM by AkkaAkka

Charliehsv said:
Sounds like a education which leads straight into unemployment. Just like pretty much all of the professional schools who have manga departments and such in Japan.

If it was a state sponsored school I might have taken this more seriously, but this being a private university I can't see it being anything else than a business with the aim to milk as much tutition fees as possible.

Pretty much nearly every major ends up like that simply put it, they don't hire young people as much in Japan.

Apr 15, 2012 6:43 PM by Hoppy

Confucius said:
How could this even work? How will students be tested?

The same way art students are?
I like the idea. If it works, good for them.

Apr 15, 2012 5:58 PM by sarroush

jmal said:

Jokersparade said:
Japan, taking manga a little too seriously. xD

Because formalizing education in a trade is somehow weird or unusual? Besides being more focused, what makes this different from art school? There are also schools for acting (live or voice) and any number of other things. Manga is a huge business over in Japan. This doesn't sound strange to me at all.

It may also draw (no pun intended) internationals to come and study. That may help their economy.

Anyway, I would not think that all the classes would be in art. There could be some art history classes, focusing on the history and development of manga, or their could be some writing courses.

Heck, if the school is really serious about the manga industry, they could have some manga business courses.

If you take the time to think about the possibilities, there are a lot of courses outside of studio courses that a university like this could offer with the concentration on the manga industry.

Apr 15, 2012 4:44 PM by ccnavi

They should include a literature component in the course, since Manga is practically portraying a story.

Apr 15, 2012 7:54 AM by BananaPeel

Close enough.

Apr 15, 2012 4:24 AM by YukuZetsuji

I'd attend :D

Sadly, I cannot draw to save my life, haha :D

Apr 15, 2012 2:55 AM by shiroyume

you: uhhh.... i am a graduate of bachelor in manga writing???

company hiring staff: uhhh... B.M.W.?

well honestly this would be good... because this will create more mangas to be adapted to anime which means more anime for us to watch... in short, possibly 100 animes a week... ---- i can die now as a hard core otaku...

Apr 15, 2012 2:33 AM by MasterPogi

Well The Kubert School for comic art has been around a long time as an arts college for people pursuing going into comics like Marvel, I'm sure there are art schools in Japan that specialize too, they just didn't have manga in their name.

Apr 15, 2012 2:12 AM by inzaratha

sweet ~ i wish i could go to that university

Apr 14, 2012 11:32 PM by Giix

Yeah more manga will come!

Apr 14, 2012 8:20 PM by ExoticNeeds

Actually this sounds pretty cool. Hope it succeeds.

Apr 14, 2012 6:06 PM by Hikarusuke

I don't get you people
what are you excited about

Apr 14, 2012 5:47 PM by nathanr

Bakadomo said:

GodlyKyon said:

Bakadomo said:

jmal said:

Bakadomo said:
Because i find it a bad idea, need i say more?

If you want people to understand and value your opinion, yes.

If you don't, then okay, carry on. ::shrugs::

It's just an opinion, i don't really need people to value it, since it doesn't make a difference to me.

you are bad at expressing your self in that case, don't say it if you don't care in the first place on what others think, it only incites questioning and raging.

I say it may be a bad idea because the person who attends this university won't get any other job.

No, i'm just a person who doesn't care what others think, and it's not wrong to state an opinion either, you don't need a reason to give your opinion.

You made a post in a public forum. You're purposely putting your opinion out there so of course people are going to question what you have to say, especially when it's a one note sentence that doesn't convey anything concrete. Jmal nor GodlyKyon are wrong for calling you out on that. You say you don't care what others think. Well, take it one step further in not caring what others think. Stop posting in a public forum. That easy.

Apr 14, 2012 5:25 PM by Sir_Inqed

Bakadomo said:

jmal said:

Bakadomo said:
Because i find it a bad idea, need i say more?

If you want people to understand and value your opinion, yes.

If you don't, then okay, carry on. ::shrugs::

It's just an opinion, i don't really need people to value it, since it doesn't make a difference to me.

Apr 14, 2012 3:38 PM by GodlyKyon

I don't see what's so funny or ridiculous about a university aimed at bettering a person's knowledge and skills in a medium that is huge in Japan. Makes all the sense in the world.

Apr 14, 2012 3:10 PM by Sir_Inqed

Well, now isn't that interesting

Apr 14, 2012 2:44 PM by Stark700

Not bad idea...

Apr 14, 2012 1:55 PM by Nami-nyan

This sounds like a spinoff of Bakuman. Which is awesome.

Apr 14, 2012 1:39 PM by Yerocha

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