漫画
The Art of Manga
de Young
Ongoing – January 25, 2026
The word "manga" is written with the Japanese ideographs 漫 and 画. The first ideograph, 漫 (man), means "random," "unrestrained," or "hasty," 漫. This kanji conveys the idea of being random, uninhibited, or spontaneous. The second, 画 (ga), means "picture" or "drawing" or art in general.. Together, they form the word 漫画 (manga), which translates to "whimsical pictures," “carefree drawings” in other words (English words) "comics" or in some instances, graphic novels.
Manga have become a global phenomenon. Manga mania has now arrived in San Francisco, with this first major exhibition in North America. Art of Manga explores manga as a powerful medium for visual storytelling, highlighting themes across genres, from friendship to sexuality to the human condition. Looking closely at each artist’s narrative worlds and creative processes, the exhibition also spotlights manga’s cultural impact on the world today and possibilities for the future.
At the de Young, you will find rarely presented original drawings – genga – by major artists, as this exhibition traces manga’s evolution from the 1970s to today. Immerse yourself in the world of manga through genga, the rough, high-quality drawings that capture the character's design and the intended acting and movement.
[Not to be confused with Genga, CA, an ancient Tongva and Acjachemen village located on Newport Mesa in what is now Newport Beach and Costa Mesa.]
You will find the manga frog character Beshi guiding museumgoers as you tour the exhibition.
The show highlights 11 manga artists who work across genre and artistic style, including Taniguchi Jiro (The Walking Man), Takahashi Rumiko (Inuyasha), Araki Hirohiko (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure), Tagame Gengoroh (My Brother’s Husband) and Oda Eiichiro (One Piece).
Manga Warrior Cosplay
The de Young is holding special Art of Manga Cosplay Days in conjunction with its exhibition. Dress up as your favorite manga or anime character to participate in themed activities and photo sessions. Costumes must be safe to wear in the museum, with no sharp objects, weapons, or live flames. (Thank goodness!) Staff may ask for adjustments or removal of costumes deemed inappropriate or disruptive.
Props can be checked at CosCheck while you wander among the civilians.
So far, the de Young has identified three cosplay dates:
Saturday, September 27
Saturday, October 25 Sat,
Saturday, December 6
Are you stitching your costume together as you read this? Need an idea? Try Goku (Dragon Ball Z), Monkey D. Luffy, Tanjiro Kamado (Demon Slayer), Edward Elric, and L from Death Note.
If your imagination fails, rewatch Kill Bill Vol. 1 to see how Quentin Tarantino dressed his manga characters. Not handy with a needle and thread? Dozens of manga costumes are available online. Just Google: manga costume.
A special discount code, DYCOSPLAY, is being offered for cosplayers to receive $5 off their ticket purchase. As I write this, that discount is still available. Check the official website (by clicking the link below) for any other currently available discounts. There will also be a livestream link available on cosplay days.
You Get It, Intellectually
On Saturday, December 6 (yes, while cosplay is running amok throughout the de Young), a special International Symposium exploring manga as an art form, will be held in conjunction with the exhibition. This dynamic gathering brings together leading artists, editors and scholars from Japan and beyond to delve into the cultural, artistic and narrative power of manga. Through conversations and presentations, the symposium will highlight manga’s evolution as a global visual language and its recognition as a serious art form. Artists to be confirmed.
Symposium Schedule:
Session 1: Creation
This conversation explores the creative process behind manga-making from concept to publication.
Session 2: Preservation and Manga in Museums
This series of presentations will examine how manga is preserved, studied, and exhibited in museum contexts. Topics will include archival practices, curatorial approaches, and the evolving role of manga within cultural institutions.
The Museum is also planning exclusive programming with special guest manga artists and editors.
For more information on Art of Manga and cosplay dates, click here.
