Japan has ruled the animation and cartoon world for a long time, making them immensely popular worldwide. You can not discuss Japan’s culture without mentioning manga and anime. These illustrations, graphic novels, and stories are very entertaining and have been on the best-seller list for some time.
Most readers get confused when they dive into online discussions about manhwa and manga. Why? It’s because these terms are mainly used interchangeably. This leads us to the question – what’s the difference between manga and manhwa?
Manga and manhwa are most often grouped, but they have their unique features. Let’s delve in further.
History Of Manga vs. Manhwa
These terminologies come from the Chinese term ‘Manhua,’ which translates as impromptu drawings. Initially, these terms were used between Korea, China, and Japan as general terminologies for all comics.
Presently, International and avid readers use these terms to address comics published from a particular country.
Mangas are Japanese comics, while manhwa are Korean comics. Creators of these comics also have unique titles; an individual who makes manhwa is called Manhwaga, and a person who makes manga is a Mangaka.
Manga History
The popularity of manga heightened in mid-twentieth century Japan with the godfather of manga, Tezuka Osamu. Nonetheless, many scholars believe mangas originated earlier in the 12th – 13th centuries.
The first publication of mangas shows frolicking animals(chōjū-giga), a collection of animal drawings by different artists.
American soldiers brought American and European comics with them from 1945 to 1952 during the American occupation; this act influenced manga creators’ art creativity and style.
In the 1950s – 1960s, there was a massive demand for manga due to increased readership. Soon after, manga became a widespread phenomenon, with international readership starting in late 1980.
Manhwa History
In 1910 – 1945, during the Japanese occupation of Korea, many Japanese soldiers brought their language & culture into the Korean society by importing Manga.
From 1930 – 1950, manhwa was used as a means of publicity to impose a political ideology and for the war effort; it became popular in the 1950s but experienced a significant decline in the 1960s because of stringent censorship laws.
However, manhwa became more popular again when South Korea launched websites that can publish digital manhwa called webtoons, for example, Naver webtoons and Daum webtoons.
Difference Between Manga And Manhwa
The major difference between manga and manhwa depends on the country they come from. Manga is from Japan, and Manhwa is from South Korea; let’s expatiate further.
What Is Manga?
Manga refers to graphics or comic novels that originate from Japan. They are used as source materials for various animal adaptations. If you’re an avid reader of comics, you will notice that manga is read from right to left and is published in white and black.
Manga has various genres, such as Josei, Seinen, Shoujo, Shōunen, and others.
1. Josei Manga.
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- irua (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 02/27/2020 (Publication Date)
It is a type of manga for female readers between the age of 18 – 40 years. Drawings in this manga genre feature more mature plot lines than those of Manhwa made for younger female audiences; it focuses on realistic romance among numerous themes.
2. Shûojo Manga.
- Tsubaki, Izumi (Author)
- German (Publication Language)
- 146 Pages – 12/05/2019 (Publication Date) – Manga Cult (Publisher)
This manga targets young girls that are up to 18 years old. Shûojo manga focuses on friendship, comedy, and romance.
Drawings in this manga genre are idealized, and emotions are conveyed through expressive large eyes and symbols that look like flowers. Although its primary target is for girls, boys can also read.
3. Shōnen Manga.
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Kusunoki, Kei (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 209 Pages – 07/10/2013 (Publication Date) – Digital Manga Publishing (Publisher)
This genre of manga targets teenage boys. This manga typically features many action and male protagonists who hope to get stronger.
You’ll also find many squads of close friends and lost family.
4. Seinen Manga.
- Fujimoto, Tatsuki (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 208 Pages – 06/27/2023 (Publication Date) – VIZ Media LLC (Publisher)
This type of manga is the equivalent of adult fiction that targets men in their 20s and above. The thematic handling and storyline are more mature than the ones in Shounen manga.
It focuses on action, science fiction, politics, comedy, sports, relationships, and fantasy. The female equivalent of seinen manga is the Josei manga.
Manga Publishing Types
1. Doujinshi.
It is romanized as dōjinshi. It refers to self-published print works like magazines, mangas, and novels, all in Japan. Amateurs create doujinshi works, although professional artists also participate.
2. One Shot Comics.
This comic is a stand-alone work that consists of a single chapter or issue as opposed to an ongoing or limited series that comes with multiple branches and topics.
What Is Manhwa?
It refers to comics that originate from South Korea. It is similar to manga and is a source material for various series. Manhwa is identical to American comics and is read from left to right, unlike manga.
In terms of overall art style, manhwa characters look more realistic when compared to manga. Also, it is influenced by Korean beauty culture and directly influenced by Japanese manga comics.
Genres Of Korean Manhwa
- Korean Webtoons. They are made to be posted on the internet.
- Sunjeong, Soonjung, Or Sunjung. This manhwa is all about romance; it is equivalent to shōuji manga.
- Indie. This type of manhwa is made outside the major publishers.
- Children Manhwa. This type of manhwa involves adventure and humor.
- Animated Cartoons.
- Political Manhwa.
Manhwas are usually presented in full color when published online but are often in black and white when printed on paper.
Verdict: Manga Vs. Manhwa
Manga are comic books from Japan, while Manhwas originate in South Korea; all the Manhwas available to the public are from South Korea.
There are manhwas from North Korea, but they are not accessible to English-speaking readers. It is also vital to know that Chinese comics are called “Manhua.”
Manhwa and Manga have distinct cultural preferences, unique art styles, approaches, and historical reasons, so it’s incorrect to use manga as a general term for East Asian comics.
The modern format of the manga was developed in World War ii when Osamu Tezuka, the godfather of manga, emerged as the first creator.
On the other hand, modern Manhwa is deeply rooted in social and political commentary; they were political cartoons that were also suppressed alongside newspapers during the Japanese occupation of Korea.
The government of Korea shaped manhwas content, influence, and landscape.
On A Final Note
Although manga digitalization isn’t massive, avid comic readers can still read manga and manhwa on various websites. If you still haven’t read Manhwa, Manga, or Manhua, you should try it.
