The History of Manga: History, hearsay & facts

Manga is having a moment, influencing art and culture around the globe. In this talk, renowned manga historian Helen McCarthy traces the full arc of the form’s evolution from the 12th century to a multi-billion-dollar industry today. We will explore the key genres of Manga, from romance to sci-fi to horror and beyond, and evaluate the cultural contexts of Manga in relation to war, politics, gender and technology.

Whether you're already a manga superfan or new to this magical world, this is the ultimate guide to the art form. Expert manga historian Helen McCarthy covers all the iconic genres, stories and artists, as well as introducing you to a host of lesser-known creators and characters, telling their fascinating stories, all drawn from her brand new book The Manga Bible.

Signed copies of The Manga Bible will be available to purchase along with your ticket or at the venue.

Doors open at 7pm, talk starts at 7.30pm - come down early to grab a good seat!

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Helen McCarthy is a writer, presenter and independent scholar who was introduced to anime in 1981 and has been studying it ever since. She has spoken at universities, cultural institutions and of course anime conventions across America, Asia and Europe, from the British Museum and the Smithsonian Institution to Akita International University and the Japan Foundation in London and Kuala Lumpur. Her works include The Anime Encyclopedia, widely recognised as a seminal text for the study of anime; Hayao Miyazaki: Master of Japanese Animation; The Art of Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga; and Leiji Matsumoto: Essays on the Manga and Anime Legend.

Testimonials from our guests

⭐ Seed Talks created a friendly and inclusive atmosphere, it was a really wonderful experience. Thank you Seed Talks for facilitating such a powerful and important platform. 100% recommend you check out a Seed Talk near you! - Anna F.

⭐ Amazing content and delivered in such interesting and captivating ways. Can’t imagine there’s anyone else doing it as good as this lot are right now. - Macks C.

⭐ I attended the art history of Studio Ghibli with Helen McCarthy in London, I absolutely loved the event and thank you so much for hosting. - Khalif K.

Praise for Helen’s books

The Anime Encyclopedia: A Century of Japanese Animation

'Impressive, exhaustive, labyrinthine and obsessive - The Anime Encyclopedia is an astonishing piece of work.' Neil Gaiman

'... promises to do for anime what Halliwell did for film.' Mark Schilling, Screen International

A Brief History of Manga

'It is with such wonderful details that McCarthy's bullet-point history of the form really triumphs' Jasper Sharp, Manga UK blog

The Art of Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga

'... an absolute treasure trove for anyone who wants to learn more about the God of Manga and his varied creative output.' NEO magazine

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