Hiring a Manga Artist? Need to know how and where to find the best candidates? Here is a comprehensive guide to finding the best Manga Artists. Read on!
How to hire a Manga Artist?
Who are Manga artists? Manga is a cartoon book and anyone who has mastered the art of making these Japanese comics is known as a Manga artist. The Japanese-style based comic book artist is also popularly known as “Mangaka artist”.
We have created a detailed guide to understand who are Manga artists and the process to hire them. This article will cover everything recruiters should know before recruiting a Mangaka. Topics covered vary from market trends, hiring rates, skills, and certifications to look for, interview questions to ask, popular job boards, etc.
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Hiring market for Manga Artist
According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics, the projected growth for artists and animators is 4% from 2019 to 2029. This is said to be as fast as the growth of other occupations. The reason behind this growth is due to the increase in demand for animations and visual effects for video games, television series, movies, comic books, etc.
Manga popularity is on the rise all over the world. Manga is published in so many languages to cater to everyone’s needs. Manga art has become the fastest-growing category in the comic book publishing world these days. In Europe, nearly half of the comic book industry was occupied by Manga in the year 2011.
In Germany, around 71% of the total comic books sold were Manga. It is hugely popular in Japan as it originated there and became part of Japanese pop culture. The popularity of Manga has eventually led to an increase in demand for Mangaka (Manga artists).
According to the All Japan Magazine and Book Publisher’s and Editor’s Association, the Manga market was worth 441.4 billion yen (almost $3.96 billion) in the year 2018. Almost half of this revenue is generated by digital comics. A top 10 list of Manga Artists and their key work is a great compilation to read.
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Top 15 recent job titles for Manga Artists
Below is a list of the most recent job titles for Manga Artists,
1. Managing Editor, Manga
Managing Editors are proficient in project management. They are required to work with operational, editorial, and publishing departments. The average salary for this job role is between $31k -56k per annum. A relevant experience of 3-4 years is required to be eligible for the role of Managing Editor.
2. Anime/Manga Features Writer
Anime/Manga Features writers are responsible for writing feature articles based on anime and manga. They work with the editorial team to create original and informative articles. The average salary for this job role is $492 per month. A relevant experience of 1-2 years is required to be eligible for the role of Manga Feature writer.
3. Lead 2D Artist
The lead 2D artist is responsible for creating compelling and inspiring key art by partnering with the Creative and Art Director. The average salary for this job role is $15 -16 per hour. A relevant experience of 3+ years is required to be eligible for the role of the Lead 2D artist.
4. Mangaka Assistant
Top anime artists hire assistants to help them draw the manga within the scheduled time in a clean manner. They can also be hired by a manga artist looking for writer roles. The average salary for this job role is between $45 -135 per day. A relevant experience of 1+ years is required to be eligible for the role of Magaka Assistant.
5. Manga Comic Letterer
A Manga Comic Book Letterer is responsible for adding text and sound effects to manga drawings to make it easy for readers to follow the story. The average annual salary for this job role is $48,000. A relevant experience of 1+ years is required to be eligible for the role.
6. Associate Comic Book News Writer
An associate comic book news writer is responsible for working closely with the editorial team to create articles based on anime and manga comics. The average annual salary for this job role is $26k -38k. A relevant experience of 0-1 years is required to be eligible for the role of Associate Comic Book News Writer.
7. Software Development Manager, Manga
This job role is for people who have good knowledge of programming and have a keen interest in manga comics. The average annual salary for this job role is $98k -159k. A relevant experience of 5+ years is required to be eligible for the role of Software Development Manager.
8. Senior Art Director
The Senior Art Director is responsible for collaborating with the Creative Director and Writers to provide art direction to multiple art disciplines. The average annual salary for this job role is $102k. A relevant experience of 3+ years is required to be eligible for the role of Senior Art Director.
9. Editorial Intern
Editorial interns are responsible for assisting the team in editing and copywriting work. The average salary for this job role is $38,700 per annum. A bachelor’s degree in English and a relevant experience of 0-1 years is required to be eligible for the role of Editorial Intern.
10. Associate Product Manager
An associate product manager is a person responsible for executing brands and marketing plans for manga comics. The average salary for this job role is between $51k -89k per annum. A relevant experience of 3-4 years is required to be eligible for the role of Associate Product Manager.
11. Art & Digital Art Teachers
Art and Digital Art Teachers are required to teach Manga, anime, and other related art styles to students. The average annual salary for this job role is $26k – $53k. A relevant experience of 1+ years is required to be eligible for the role of Art & Digital Art Teacher.
12. Graphic Design and Marketing Assistant
Graphic design and marketing assistants are responsible for collaborating with product managers to design consumer products. The average annual salary for this job role is $40k -45k. A relevant experience of 2+ years is required to be eligible for the role of Graphic Design and Marketing Assistant.
13. Animation Sales Coordinator
Animation Sales Coordinator works with other teams to meet animation sales goals and objectives by providing sales support, analysis, and reports. The average annual salary for this job role is $25k -$47k. A relevant experience of 2-3 years is required to be eligible for the role of Animation Sales Coordinator.
14. Senior Product Manager
A senior product manager is responsible for ensuring a delightful customer experience. They also develop and deliver high-level initiatives. The average annual salary for this job role is $135k. A relevant experience of 5+ years is required to be eligible for the role of Senior Product Manager.
15. Senior UX Designer, Manga
A Senior UX Designer, Manga is someone who is passionate about creating effortless customer experiences and has a huge love for manga comics. The average annual salary for this job role is $96k -151k. A relevant experience of 8+ years is required to be eligible for the role.
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Qualifications to look for in Manga Artist
There is no mandate for a degree to be a Manga artist but a professional degree helps in gaining the necessary skills to pursue this field as a career. Artistic skills can be built right from high school by opting for the right kind of courses.
Subjects like Literature and writing will be useful in creating a compelling storyline. A Bachelor’s degree in Fine arts or related fields helps in building up a candidate’s artistic skills. Few American universities offer specific courses in comic art as well.
Another way would be to directly earn a bachelor’s degree in Manga art from a Japanese university. Look for candidates who have taken literature and writing courses along with the art degree. A good manga designer will have years of practice under their hood. Online courses are a great way to hone up niche skills.
Look for the previous work or work portfolio of an artist before considering hiring them. A portfolio can have both personal and professional creations which will give an insight into their work and professionalism. Ask if any of their work has been published earlier. Many accomplished Manga artists have their websites with details of their work.
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Skills to look for in Manga Artist
Recruiters should look for the following technical and non-technical skills before hiring professional anime artist,
- Story Writing – An anime Manga illustrator should have good storytelling skills to create characters with whom readers can connect.
- Anatomy – Knowledge of human anatomy is essential while creating characters in a Manga like a professional anime artist.
- Artwork – It takes years to learn how to draw good artwork. Look for someone with exceptional artwork skills.
- Japanese Language – This skill is optional for those who are planning to write their Manga in some other language.
- Draw Facial Expressions – Facial expression is a huge part of drawing Manga characters hence freelance manga artist professionals must showcase this skill.
- Creativity – Any artwork takes creativity to make the work interesting to the readers/audience.
- Professionalism – Meeting deadlines and being disciplined are the two most important attributes of a professional anime art maker.
- Computer Literacy – As Manga is getting digital these days, it is essential to have computer skills to transform your creativity for both kinds of audiences.
- Innovation – Constant innovation is required to keep creating unique work and avoid any kind of repetitiveness.
- Graphic arts – Graphic arts skills are essential for those who are drawing Manga on a digital platform.
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Certifications to look for in Manga Artist
Here are the top 5 certification courses to look for while looking at Manga artist for hire,
- How to Draw Manga Faces and Hair by Udemy – Best drawn Manga needs years of practice. This Udemy course has 5.5 hours of video and 4 articles explaining the basics of drawing a Manga head, adding emotions to faces, etc.
- Anime Drawing for Beginners – This course by Udemy is perfect for people who wish to get the basic knowledge of drawing anime. It has 2.5 hours of video and 1 article to explain how to use DesignDoll to create high-quality drawings.
- Art Anime Academy – Art Anime Academy is a website that offers series of courses taught by the best Japanese Manga Professionals. They guide students throughout the journey of becoming an artist. The variety of content covers everything there is to know about Manga illustration.
- Manga Art School (Anime and Manga Character Drawing Course) – This is a 2-6 week learn from anywhere course offered by Udemy that teaches how to draw professional and authentic Japanese Manga and Anime character stylization.
- Anatomy Art school (Complete Skeleton Drawing Course) – Best drawn Manga comics demonstrate the excellent anatomy skills of the artist. This course by Udemy teaches how to draw the anatomy of a skeleton and build a solid foundation for Manga art.
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Rate per hour of Manga Artist
A Manga artist studio professional is paid an average hourly wage of $25.52 per hour. However, the lower median manga cost is $21.56 per hour. The wages of Manga artists are based majorly on their popularity. Famous Manga artists can charge as high as $450 per page.
Another thing to note here is that a Mangaka can either be paid on an hourly basis or a per-page basis. Manga creators who are new in the field earn as little as $27 per page and the average price per page is around $107.
The Manga artist rate increases as the experience increases and the Manga created by the artist gains popularity. According to the BLS, the median salary for a fine artist in 2012 is $44,380 per annum. In Japan, a Manga drawer is paid anywhere between 3000- 8000 Yen per manuscript page.
The best Manga artists earned around $900,000 annually in the year 2009 where the royalties collected from selling 5300 volumes of a Manga series was a whooping 70,000,000 yen. Professional Manga artist professionals on freelance job boards like Upwork can be hired at the hourly rate of $15 to $22.
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Top 10 job boards to find best Manga Artist
Freelance anime artist professionals can be hired through multiple job boards by creating an appealing job description and posting it to reach maximum people. We have curated a list of the most popular freelance job boards where recruiters can easily hire manga artist professionals based on their project requirements and budget.
These job portals consist of profiles of multiple manga designers who are willing to work on a full-time or part-time basis. Here are the top ten portals for recruiters looking for Manga artist,
- Upwork
- Fiverr
- unremot.com
- Guru
- PeoplePerHour
- Freelancer
- ConceptArt
- Freelanced
- Indeed
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Top 10 companies hiring Manga Artist and salaries offered
The top 10 companies currently seeking anime artist for hire,
- Valnet Inc – Valnet is a leading online media publishing company looking for a freelance illustrator anime writer. The pay scale ranges from $26k -$38k per annum.
- Penguin Random House LLC – Penguin Random House is a multinational conglomerate publishing house that is seeking candidates for the role of Managing Editor at $31k -$56k per annum.
- Impact Theory Studios – Impact theory aims at helping people to develop skills that will assist them in improving themselves and the world. They offer $15- $16 per hour.
- Amazon – It is a multinational technology company focusing on e-commerce, cloud computing, digital streaming, and AI. The software development manager for Amazon’s digital manga business is being offered a salary of $98k -$159k per annum.
- VIZ Media – Viz Media is an American manga publisher, anime distributor, and entertainment company. Viz Media Editors are paid an annual income between $26k -$55k.
- Screen Rant – Screen Rant is an online entertainment news website that is looking for Manga News and Features Writer. The Screen Rant writer is paid $3 per hour.
- Yen Press – Yen Press is a publishing house dedicated to manga, graphic novels, and light novels. They provide a salary of $38,700 to their editorial intern.
- Konami Digital Entertainment – It is a Japanese entertainment and gambling conglomerate that is hiring for the role of Associate Product Manager. The salary ranges between $51k -$89k per annum.
- One River School – They have embarked on a mission of transforming art education. Manga art teacher salary is between $26k -$53k per annum.
- Oam Studios Art Academy – It is an art school that provides a creative and lively environment for children of all ages. They are hiring manga and manhwa art instructors at an hourly salary of $15- $25 per hour.
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Top 10 interview questions for Manga Artist
Recruiters who are looking for anime artists for hire should be prepared with basic knowledge of what manga is and how to be a manga artist. Once you are aware of manga artist anime craft, it is time to prepare for the interview questions. Here are the top 10 questions you can ask while hiring a Manga artist,
1. How do you keep yourself updated with the latest trends?
Rationale: To analyze a candidate’s learning skills and whether they keep themselves updated.
Sample Answer: A Manga artist for hire should be able to tell different ways by which they keep themselves updated with the ongoing trends such as following a blog, reading online, taking courses, etc.
2. What skills do you think a good Mangaka should possess?
Rationale: Helps you understand what qualities the candidate thinks make a good mangaka.
Sample Answer: See if the candidate can share different qualities and skills they think are essential to have a good manga artist career.
3. What do you like about writing Manga?
Rationale: Recruiters can see the motivation and passion of the candidate.
Sample Answer: There are several reasons why someone would be passionate about writing a Manga. The candidate being hired must share why they chose this field of career.
4. Share an experience when you faced challenges to meet the deadline? How did you deal with it?
Rationale: Help in analyzing a candidate’s problem-solving skills.
Sample Answer: Candidate should share their past experiences of having a hard time meeting the deadline and what did they do to overcome the situation. Whether they succeeded or failed in their attempt and what was their learning.
5. Explain how do you organize, plan and prioritize your work?
Rationale: Helps in understanding a candidate’s work ethic and process.
Sample Answer: An Anime artist at work has to be disciplined to meet the deadlines. Candidate must explain their planning process and how do they prioritize different tasks.
6. How much experience do you have and what is your expertise?
Rationale: To assess a candidate’s expertise and knowledge.
Sample Answer: The candidate should tell the number of years of relevant experience and share which amongst the five manga styles they are most proficient in.
7. Could you show us your favorite work? What do you like about it?
Rationale: A recruiter can know a lot about their skills and artwork through their best work.
Sample Answer: Candidate should pick their favorite and best work amongst all and share specific details of what they like about that particular Manga which makes it so special.
8. Give an example of when you thought out of the box and what was the outcome?
Rationale: It gives the recruiter an insight into the candidate’s creativity skills and thinking ability.
Sample Answer: Anime Illustrator faces lots of challenges daily to keep the story gripping and entertaining. Candidates should be able to tell about the time when they went out of the box to create something and the result of their actions.
9. What are some of the challenges you face daily? How do you deal with them?
Rationale: To help recruiters assess the strengths and weaknesses of a candidate.
Sample Answer: The candidate should share how their daily work looks like and what are the challenges they face regularly. What is their strategy to overcome such issues?
10. What elements are important to create a good Manga story?
Rationale: Help you see Mangaka’s perspective regarding a good manga story.
Sample Answer: A good manga consists of a compelling story with plot twists with great artwork. The most important factor is to make it enjoyable and relatable for the readers.
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