Can Japan's manga industry replicate Akira Toriyama's success?

With digital platforms multiplying, it's now harder for artists to become popular

20240405 Manga book store in tokyo

The Mandarake manga superstore in Tokyo's Shibuya district.  © AP

CHIHIRO ISHIKAWA and RYOHTAROH SATOH, Nikkei staff writers

TOKYO -- While the Japanese manga industry is increasingly catering to global and digital native audiences, experts say nurturing the next generation of artists who could replicate the success of Akira Toriyama, who died in March, will not be easy.

When Toriyama's "Dragon Ball" was popular, "the publishers did all the advertisements, and manga artists could concentrate on making fun stories" a 31-year-old manga artist, who requested anonymity, told Nikkei Asia. "Now artists have to promote themselves, or you'll never be noticed on social media."

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