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From Edo roots to global phenomena: exploring the art, stories and stylistic mastery of mangas at musée Guimet

When we speak of art, we often tend to think of élite cultural products, unique masterpieces of human genius preserved in prestigious museums and perceived as distant from everyday life: Bernini’s Apollo and Daphne, Leonardo’s Virgin of the Rocks, works conceived as unrepeatable and imbued with an almost sacred aura.

Figure 1 Leonardo da Vinci, Virgin of the Rocks, 1483–1486. Oil on canvas (wood added 1806), 199 × 122 cm. Louvre Museum, Paris (Inv. 777)

Yet, a 20th-century Italian thinker, Umberto Eco, noted: why should art not be popular, and therefore pop? Why not acknowledge the aesthetic and cultural significance of works created for mass audiences, such as comics or television, which nonetheless construct narratives, awaken emotions, and mobilize aesthetic and communicative codes that invite active engagement? In this light, not only Sandro Botticelli’s Primavera, but also a comic strip by Carl Barks or an animated film by Studio Ghibli, despite being created for a broad public, can exhibit a symbolic richness and an expressive depth comparable to that of works traditionally regarded as “fine art”.

Figure 2 Hirata Hiroshi (1937–2021), Rakujo no fu (Partition for the Fall of a Castle), 1965, original plate, ink on paper with printed and pasted phylacteries, 26.5 × 15.7 cm. Hinomaru Bunko, p. 122. Collection MEL Compagnie des arts, MEL10588. © HIRATA Hiroshi

Manga can certainly be considered among these popular art forms. Often dismissed merely as a commercial product, manga in fact represents a complex expressive language, embedded in a history that is layered socially, economically, culturally, and artistically. Far from being an isolated or purely contemporary phenomenon, it initially emerged from encounters between East and West, before evolving into a distinctly Japanese cultural expression that has since become a global phenomenon, shaped by an ongoing dialogue between modernity and tradition, with roots in the rich visual culture of the Edo period. It is through the exploration of these themes that the exhibition Manga. Tout un art, curated by Estelle Bauer and Didier Pasamonik, is currently on display at the Musée Guimet until March 2026.

Our collective imagination has been profoundly shaped by ninja apprentices, space pirates, supernatural beings, warrior schoolgirls, and the many characters that populate manga, which, selling millions of copies each year and inspiring numerous adaptations into anime, video games, and merchandise, forms one of the most enduring and recognizable pillars of Japanese popular culture. Less widely known, however, is the history of manga, which is the focus of the first rooms of the exhibition.

When Japan opened to international trade in the second half of the 19th century, during the Meiji era, various cultural forms imported from the West began to circulate in the country, including the satirical press. Satire already existed as a form of expression in the archipelago, but it had not yet been organized into dedicated newspapers. Charles Wigman launched The Japan Punch in Yokohama, inaugurating a tradition of publications that combined irony, social critique, and graphic invention, which gradually gained popularity.

Figure 3 Charles Wirgman (1832–1891), The Japan Punch, Yokohama, August 1876, 35.8 × 24 cm, private collection © Pierre-Stephane Proust Collection

This tradition later inspired the works of Imaizumi Ippyo, who published the first cartoon drawings in his newspaper Jiji, effectively introducing the term manga for the first time, as well as Kitazawa Rakuten and Okamoto Ippei, who helped consolidate its visual and linguistic codes. Particularly significant in this context is Norakuro by Tagawa Suiho, aimed at a young audience, who could follow with amusement the adventures of the soldier dog as he rose through the military hierarchies, depicted with lightness and irony.

Figure 4 Tagawa Suihô (1899–1989), Norakuro, 1931–1941, vol. 7, pp. 12–13, original plate published in 1945, India ink, colored ink, and collage on paper, 27.5 × 39.4 cm, Mel Compagnie des Arts Collection, MEL-2020/2021-030. © Suiho Tagawa / KODANSHA LTD

In this context, Osamu Tezuka rose as a central figure in modern manga, and the following rooms of the exhibition are devoted to his work. Trained as a cinematographer, he brought his expertise to that medium: whereas earlier strips resembled small theatrical scenes, with characters entering and exiting from the sides, Tezuka incorporated cinematic techniques, employing high-angle shots, close-ups, panning, and zooms to enhance the dramatic impact of his illustrations. These stylistic innovations pervade much of his monumental oeuvre, which comprises 150,000 pages and 700 titles, yet is undoubtedly dominated by Astro Boy (1952), whose original plates and preparatory sketches are displayed in the exhibition.

Figure 5 Tezuka Osamu (1928–1989), Astro Boy, 1952–1968, vol. 6, chap. 6, pp. 331–332 © Tezuka Productions

Manga, however, is far from a monolithic or uniform form of expression. In the subsequent rooms, the exhibition explores the diversity of themes, graphic styles, and narrative approaches through which manga has continually evolved. This journey includes the gekiga movement, characterized by a realistic, austere, and often dark style, aimed at depicting the misery and banality of crime, as in the works of Tatsumi Yoshihiro, or illustrating the harsh realities of contemporary proletarian inequality, as exemplified by Shirato Sanpei’s production …

Figure 6 Garo, no. 15, 1965, cover by Shirato Sanpei illustrating the series Kamui-den, 1964–1971, 26 × 18.8 cm, private collection, cover illustration © Shirato Sanpei / Okamoto Tetsuji

…or, likewise, the yokai of Mizuki Shigeru, whose cartoon characters are rendered in an expressive and stylised manner, reflecting the aesthetics of ukiyo-e, while the surrounding scenes are depicted with realistic and detailed strokes, informed by the European Beaux-Arts tradition.

In a cultural landscape often dominated by a male gaze, manga also frequently addressed a female audience, particularly through shojo. These works encompass not only love stories, but also sports adventures, fantasy, science fiction, and horror narratives. Furthermore, shojo magazines developed a distinctive visual language, marked by more flexible layouts, full-length characters with large, expressive eyes, and a heightened attention to psychological nuance.

Figure 7 Kaze Kaworu (born 1949), Dress wo meshimase (Go ahead, put on a dress!), published in Hello Friend, Kodansha, January 1975, original plate, ink and color on paper, 38 × 27 cm, private collection © Kaze Kaoru / Valentin Paquot Collection

Yet it was shonen, aimed at a young audience, that ultimately triumphed and remains the most popular genre in the manga world today. Beginning in the 1970s and 1980s, through shonen manga established itself as a global phenomenon, captivating readers of all ages and presenting Japanese aesthetics anew to Europe. Works such as Goldorak (1978), followed by Dragon Ball, One Piece, Naruto, Fairy Tail, and Demon Slayer, have expanded far beyond the pages of manga to include card games, video games, anime, and television adaptations, becoming central pillars of global popular culture. In the exhibition’s subsequent rooms, the history of each of these works is explored, highlighting their profound connections with Japanese artistic traditions. Long before the 19th century, Japanese society had in fact produced works that anticipated many of manga’s stylistic features, where text and image intertwined to tell stories with stylised graphics, daring layouts, and an innate taste for the fantastic and the marvellous. Progressing from room to room, it becomes evident that manga is not merely a product of modernity, but the culmination of centuries of artistic and visual imagination and poetic invention.

Figure 8 Copy of Santô Kyôden, Ashigara yamamine no adauchi, woodblock print on paper, 1810 © Guimet Museum, Paris (dist. Grand Palais RMN) _ photo Thierry Ollivier

Toriyama Akira’s Dragon Ball draws inspiration from Journey to the West, a classic of Chinese literature in which the protagonist is a Monkey King named Son Goku. Like his Chinese predecessor, Goku in Akira’s manga possesses a monkey tail, extraordinary strength, and a spirited, rebellious character, as well as a magic staff and a flying cloud. Yet the Goku of Dragon Ball undertakes an adventure of his own, journeying across lands and seas in search of the seven Dragon Balls, mysterious crystals capable of summoning a dragon that can grant any wish. Much of the evocative power of the manga’s early chapters derives from the humorous interplay between the conventions of the shonen universe and the multiple references to its ancient literary prototype.

Figure 9 View of the exhibition © Photo: Luc Boegly

Kishimoto Masashi’s Naruto tells the story of a young boy who, through perseverance in trials, training, and combat, strives to achieve his greatest dream: becoming a ninja. Naruto channels his energy using mudras, ritual gestures of Buddhist origin that enable him to perform various techniques. His body is also host to Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Fox, a supernatural being of immense power that renders him an ostracized and feared enfant maudit. Over the course of the narrative, however, he learns to coexist with this inner force, transforming it from a hostile presence into a valuable ally.

Figure 10 Copy of Nine-Tailed Fox, carved wooden statue, 19th century, Ennery Museum

Gotōge Koyoharu’s Demon Slayer follows the story of demon hunters, centering on the protagonist, Tanjiro, who embarks on a perilous journey to save his sister, transformed by these malevolent beings. The manga is notable for its universe, strongly inspired by early 20th-century Japan, and addresses profound themes that resonate with traditional theatre: memory, lineage, and the capacity to feel compassion for those who, through suffering, have become monstrous. These theatrical connections are also evident in the recurring use of masks, a central element in Nō, classical Japanese theatre, and its comic counterpart, Kyōgen.

Eiichirō Oda’s One Piece, in turn, recounts the adventures of a pirate crew and, true to the spirit of shonen, unfolds as a coming-of-age journey, in which friendship, courage, and the ability to surpass one’s limits become essential tools for triumph. The narrative arc set in the Land of Wa is rich in references to classical Japan: a territory closed to foreigners, evoking the Edo period (1603–1868) and its era of isolation. Within this context, the samurai embodied honour, resilience, and sacrifice, while the pirate crew members emerge as allies in a struggle for liberation, bridging seemingly opposing worlds. To bring his characters and their surroundings to life, Oda drew extensively on Edo-period culture, from artistic prints to Kabuki theatre and tales of swords and warriors. In doing so, One Piece fuses fantasy adventure with a vivid resonance of Japanese history and tradition.

Figure 11 View of the exhibition © Photo: Luc Boegly

Finally, the exhibition concludes with Attack on Titan by Isayama Hajime, which portrays humanity confined behind enormous walls to protect itself from the Titans, gigantic man-eating creatures. A hybrid work, rooted in the shonen tradition yet with a vivid and dark gekiga intensity, this manga engages with the apocalyptic imagery that emerged in Japan following the Second World War, a context that also includes Honda Ichiro’s film Godzilla. It has established itself as a landmark in global manga, capable of articulating collective anxieties related to war and authoritarian regimes.

Figure 12 Godzilla © Claude Esteve

Figure 13 Attack on Titan © Hajime Isayama, KODANSHA LTD

In conclusion, this exhibition displays how manga are far more than mere entertainment; they constitute significant artistic and cultural works capable of provoking reflection and engaging audiences on multiple levels. Through their eloquent and harmonious stylistic codes, combining narrative innovation, visual invention, and a deep dialogue with history, literature, and theatrical traditions, manga convey complex emotions, social critiques, and universal themes. From their earliest origins to contemporary masterpieces, they demonstrate that popular art can possess symbolic richness and expressive depth equal to, and sometimes surpassing, that of works traditionally regarded as Beaux Arts.

Figure 14 View of the exhibition Manga: A Whole Art!, Guimet Museum © Photo: Dmitry Kostyukov