Where can I meet fellow Manga Artist?

Question

Hi everyone!

I'm relatively new in town and would love to meet fellow manga artists. I understand most artists here are super busy, but I'd really enjoy the opportunity to talk about our craft and share ideas.

Back in Canada, we had events and gatherings where artists could meet, collaborate, or just hang out. I'm wondering if there's anything similar here in Tokyo, like meetups, art jams, or other creative spaces where manga artists gather.

If anyone knows of good places, events, or communities (online or in person), I'd really appreciate the tips!

Thanks in advance 😊

stephania · Answer

honestly, the whole doujinshi convention scene is your best bet but not Comiket itself. try the smaller ones like Comic City or Design Festa at Tokyo Big Sight, way more chill and artists actually hang around their tables between sets. the entrance fee is like 800 yen and you can just wander around chatting with creators who are happy to take a break from selling

there's also a weekly drawing meetup at Manga Souhonsha in Nakano Broadway every Saturday afternoon. it's this tiny bookshop on the 4th floor that stocks indie zines and they let people use the back corner tables for like 2 hours, no cost just buy a drink from the vending machine. usually 5-10 people show up, some sketching some just talking shop

if you want something more structured, check out the Tokyo Manga Artists Guild on meetup.com. they do monthly life drawing sessions at a studio in Shinjuku for 2000 yen, and half the time people end up going for ramen after and talking about panel layouts until midnight. pretty decent way to find critique partners without it being weird

elise · Answer

theres a monthly open studio thing at Art Complex in Kichijoji, first sunday of every month. its like 500 yen and they have a whole floor with drawing tables and good lighting, mostly mangaka and illustrators working on their own stuff. people are pretty open to talking if you just sit next to them and start sketching.

also if u want something more casual, theres a tiny coffee shop in Shimokitazawa called Trattoria that does manga-themed nights every other wednesday. they have a shelf of self published zines u can flip through and the owner used to be an assistant for a big shonen artist so she gets the struggle. coffee is 400 yen and they stay open late

pauline · Answer

Check out Manga Artists' Cafe in Akihabara, it's tucked away on the third floor of a building near the Electric Town exit. They host weekly sketch sessions on Thursday evenings for about 1500 yen including a drink, and the crowd is usually a mix of hobbyists and published folks. The place is small so you'll end up chatting with whoever is at your table, which beats trying to network at Comiket where everyone is sprinting for doujinshi.

Neu aus Tokyo