Manga! Japanska serier och skaparglädje

This is a study of why Japanese comics, so-called manga, in such a high degree make Swedish readers eager to write and draw comics themselves, and what didactic implications this might have for teachers working in Sweden. To answer this, the author has put together a focus group of Swedish artists influenced by manga, and also used a questionnaire at two Swedish art schools, where young artists are taught how to draw in a manga style. The results show that it is the compelling storytelling and the focus on the characters that enthral readers about Japanese comics, but that it is the seemingly simple style that makes the readers think they themselves can master it. The fact that the interest in both reading and creating manga, almost completely overlap with the so-called period of oppression (between the ages of 11 and 14) when most students lose interest in creating art, is something that could and should be used in the Swedish educational system