Japanese culture is intact because of comics. Something India can learn from Japan

Japan, India, Comics, Manga, Culture

Source: Barnes & Noble

Have you ever explored the world of Japanese comics? Well, you should. It is quite exciting and also carries a key lesson for Indian civilisation on how to preserve cultural heritage. 

Japanese comics system explained

In fact, the Japanese comics system is pretty old, dating back to the 12th century. The system even has a Japanese name- Manga. 

Manga is extremely popular amongst the Japanese. And it is not as if they are made only for kids. The comics serve both children and adults. Japan’s corporate work culture takes a toll on the adults and they find Manga to be a good means of keeping themselves mentally relaxed. 

The consumption of Manga is actually quite high in Japan.    

How Manga preserves Japanese culture

Now, the question that might arise here is how Manga preserves Japanese culture. Well, this is where Manga differs from Western anime comics that are based almost totally on fictional superheroes and serve as mere entertainment material for young kids. 

Manga is quite intimately linked with Japanese culture and we can broadly segregate it into three different categories- 

 

 

 

What India can learn from Japan’s Manga culture

There is a lot that India can actually learn from Japan’s Manga culture. Firstly, we have a number of stories to tell to both adults and children from ancient India. 

I am talking about the many plays and poems written by great authors like Kalidasa that depict ancient India. The works of such great ancient Indian authors can be directly simplified into comic versions that make them easy to read and grasp for the present generation. 

And then, there is a lot of history to be chronicled from the Ramayana to the Mahabharata, and anecdotes in the life of Bhagwan Krishna. Also, there are many such ideas that can be chronicled at a highly local level from different parts of India. 

Also, there are stories that can be narrated from the point of view of great philosophers, politicians, and rulers like Chandragupta Maurya, Chanakya, Maharana Pratap, Maratha rulers and Chola dynasty rulers. 

To take things further, the story of India’s freedom struggle too can be narrated in the form of comics which can help bring into the spotlight the contributions of several unsung heroes.

Today, the world knows about the Japanese belief system and the Japanese tradition of samurai warriors, mostly through their comic culture. This is how Japan has kept its culture alive and intact and it is time India also started following Japan’s comic system to keep its own culture preserved. 

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