Manga artist Tetsuya Chiba speaks during an interview in Tokyo in March 2021.
12:59 JST, January 23, 2024
The Cultural Affairs Department decided to investigate the condition of original drawings by leading manga artists in Japan and explore methods to preserve them. The agency strives to prevent spoilage, scatter or loss of such valuable drawings and other materials.
The agency will begin the investigation this month, first with the participation of Tetsuya Chiba, 85, known for his work “Ashita no Joe” (Tomorrow’s Joe), and gradually expand the scope of the investigation to other famous manga artists. They plan to borrow drawings and other materials from Chiba until March. In addition to cataloguing, researching and improving their condition, the initiative also includes photographing dozens of borrowed objects and researching preservation methods for potential digital use.
The value of Japanese manga pieces has increased both in Japan and abroad, as evidenced by Osamu Tezuka’s original drawings of “Astro Boy,” which fetched a high price at an overseas auction. However, many such works are often privately owned by the creators or their surviving relatives, raising concerns that works may be lost or taken abroad. Considering such risks, the government is rushing to develop a system of preservation, where the government would collect original manga pieces.
