100 Manga Artists is exactly what the title would suggest. In the book readers will find examples of manga from 100 different artists. The work of each artist is accompanied by a brief bio, explaining who the artist is, how they got into manga, and the sort of work they are known for. This edition has been updated to include more recent artists.

The fact that this book includes the work of 100 artists provides both its strengths and its weaknesses. Because so much different manga is on display there is a great amount of variety. Readers will come across multiple genres and multiple artistic styles. Horror manga with great detail can be found next to romance manga with a more simplistic style.

The downside to having so many artists represented in the book is that the book subsequently has less time to spend on each of them individually. The two paragraphs discussing each entry is all the reader gets on why that artist has been included, so their story is told in the broadest possible terms. By focussing on so many artists the book doesn’t have the space to go into the work it highlights in any great depth, or explain why they chose the specific examples that are present in the book.

One point that will divide readers is that the writing in the actual manga is all in Japanese (except for the odd English word on a sign in the background). The source material is Japanese, and in fairness the book is primarily concerned with showcasing the art, but the biographies talk a lot about the themes present in the writing. Having translations of what the characters were saying would have provided context that would help the readers better appreciate the art.

Ironically this book might actually be best suited to people who aren’t already fans of manga, or at least not hugely into it. It doesn’t provide much information, and depending on how much you know about manga you may already know everything this book has to tell you. If you don’t know much about manga this book could be helpful. By including such a wide array of work, 100 Manga Artists is ideally suited for those wishing to figure out whether manga might appeal to them, and what they should try reading first.

100 MANGA ARTISTS / AUTHOR: VARIOUS / ARTISTS: VARIOUS / EDITOR: JULIUS WIEDMANN / PUBLISHER: TASCHEN / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW