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The Origins and Evolution of Manga Expression Theory
WANG Pei-gang
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DOI:10.17265/2159-5836/2025.11.008
School of Literature and Media, Zhaoqing University, Zhaoqing 526061, China
In Japan, manga expression theory has developed over more than half a century into a major subfield within Japanese manga studies and has been widely applied in the practice of manga criticism. As a methodological approach to manga research, it has been deeply influenced by semiotics, rejecting text-centered or narrative-centered paradigms in favor of examining manga’s intrinsic principles and inherent structures. Originating from the theoretical groundwork laid by Junzō Ishiko (石子順造), further refined by scholars such as Fusanosuke Natsume (夏目房之介) and Osamu Takeuchi (竹内オサム), and later expanded and reinterpreted by Gō Itō (伊藤剛) and Tomoyo Iwashita (岩下朋世), manga expression theory has developed into a rich and diverse intellectual landscape. However, significant internal divergences remain within the field, making it necessary to distinguish and analyze both its diachronic evolution and synchronic configuration.
manga expression theory, Japanese manga studies, semiotics
Journal of Literature and Art Studies, November 2025, Vol. 15, No. 11, 857-865
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