The World Manga Creates
Growing up in Japan, manga was always a natural part of everyday life for me. I have an older brother, so there were always manga books at home, and I grew up reading many different kinds of manga. I also love spending all night at manga cafés in Japan, reading until morning.
I recently visited the Brooklyn Museum to see ART OF MANGA, the first major exhibition in the U.S. focused on Japanese manga.
The exhibition starts with MANGA BEFORE MANGA: Japanese Art from the Collection, looking at different forms of visual expression in Japanese art that can also be found in manga today. From there, it leads into ART OF MANGA.
ART OF MANGA presents works by manga artists, each with their own unique world. Seeing so many well-known scenes through the original drawings was a very special experience.
Among them, Hirohiko Araki’s JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is one that has always been especially meaningful to me.
What drew me in again was the unique posing and fashion. The clothes, the body, and the poses known as “JoJo poses” all come together to create the characters and their world. I was especially excited to see some of the works at such a large scale.
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure began in 1986. Almost 40 years later, it continues with Part 9, The JOJOLands.
Seeing the work also reminded me of a cover story we created years ago, inspired by JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. On set, we had references of “JoJo poses” around us, and the model referred to them while posing in the dressed-up looks I styled.
There is something powerful about how manga can pull you into its world in an instant. Seeing the original drawings in person made me feel that again.
