[Book Review #1] Hirohiko Araki's 'Hirohiko Araki's Manga Technique'

This is amazing. I couldn't stop turning the pages and finished it the same day I bought it. It goes without saying that it's interesting, but it's also very easy to read. Because the author himself has a solid philosophy, the theme never wavers, and every sentence is clear and unambiguous upon a single reading, so there is no stress while reading.
I highly recommend this.

This book is about Hirohiko Araki, the author of the 'JoJo's Bizarre Adventure' manga series, teaching the royal road (the golden path) to drawing manga.

He says that 'good manga' has an excellent balance of characters, story, theme, and worldview. Since practical approaches to constructing each of these elements are introduced, I think it can be a great reference for anyone involved in creative work, not just manga. The ingenuity of how to attract people in the very first panel or the very first page can be applied to presentations in general, and it would be useful even outside of creative work.

And what makes this book interesting is that it's not about how to draw manga that sells or is popular, but rather it focuses on the mindset of a manga artist walking the 'golden path'.
The keyword 'golden' will ring a bell for fans of the JoJo series. This refers to 'the correct way of being that one should uphold as a person, rather than superficial rewards like temporary profit or fleeting status.'

I nodded deeply at the sentence that only works that truly try to walk the 'golden path' acquire a universality that is loved by readers across generations. At the same time, I also thought, 'How strict.'

Simply imitating popular manga, obsessing over an art style that was once successful, etc.
Instead of drifting toward such easy methods, one must determine what they truly want to draw and how they should be in order to express it at the level they demand.
It means you must take on the challenge seriously, not with a half-hearted attitude. Whether it's popular or not, you should work straight on what you think is good.
Yes. I think this is a story about 'resolve'.

Paradoxically, even if it's hard to get into at first, works that the author thinks are good and works on seriously are what capture the hearts of readers.
Cutting corners, looking down on readers, doing it reluctantly... such attitudes are always exposed to the recipient. If they feel betrayed, the readers will leave.
Being turned away by readers is a big deal because it makes it impossible to make a living as a professional manga artist. At the same time, dishonest work also betrays one's own 'soul'. That must not happen; keep the 'golden path' in your heart—this book is filled with such teachings.

'I'm fine with it, but what about YAZAWA?'

This is a quote from musician Eikichi Yazawa. Sorry, suddenly talking about Yazawa.
YAZAWA is the ideal image of himself that Eikichi Yazawa has, and it is an expression of a guideline for what the ideal 'me' should do in such a situation.
The self that is here now is an incomplete self, and one continues to evolve toward the ideal self; I can feel that positive life philosophy. I think it also connects to the resolve of the 'golden path'.

Also, the point in the book that 'the story must always head toward the positive, not the negative' was interesting. I think the author's life philosophy comes out strongly in the part about 'what is positive'.
For example, if you look at the word 'character death' alone, it could be taken as 'negative', but I personally think that 'whether the character fulfills their mission' or 'whether the character kept their promise to themselves' is the point that determines negative and positive. This is not decided by simple life or death.

I think that being able to feel spiritual growth is what happiness is.
Carving a path through a dark wilderness. The process of that journey is what promotes spiritual growth. That is why life requires the courage to step into the wilderness.

Ah~~~, this is all what has been expressed in JoJo~~~~...!
You're amazing, Sensei... You have such a strong core.

I also always feel the importance of input, which was touched upon in the book. If you want to express the world, you need to 'observe' and 'understand' the world at high resolution. Keeping an antenna out for things that seem unrelated to manga at first glance, actively incorporating specialized knowledge... I felt that the attitude of not neglecting study while drawing a serialized manga, and always visiting the actual location of the work's setting for research, is truly professional.
Also, the teaching to listen to the opinions of editors and not forget humility is also important, I think.


I will continue to read the sequel, 'Hirohiko Araki's New Manga Technique: How to Create Villains'!!