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by Charles Tan It’s out there, you just don’t recognize it. Why, it can sometimes be mistaken for as an original manga. For those of you bewildered by what a Doujinshi is, it’s a fan-made comic which serializes on a popular manga series. However, there’s more to it than just another fan-based work. Much like fan fiction and fan art, most dojinshis are done by fans in tribute to their favorite anime or manga. Here, they create side stories or what they deem should have happened in the series. This is where all those yaoi/yuri/hentai mangas of popular characters that never should have been appeared came from. It also gives them a chance to parody a series giving more laughs to it. While many fans already know what I have stated above, it is worthy to note that dojinshis are just as popular as regular manga in Japan. They’re sold in limited numbers at comic shops and they even have their own convention where the publishers show off their dojinshis. You’d think something like that wouldn’t be tolerated in Japan as it is a violation of licensors rights and all. However, it contributes to anime’s popularity as well as talent can be scrounged from the works that appear out there. Many manga artists started out with dojinshis until their work was seen and asked to do an actual manga series. Also, many existing artists continue to do dojinshis since this way, they’re allowed more freedom to do what they want. Also, just because an artist did a manga series does not necessarily mean they have the rights to it. Usually, when a popular series is serialized, the rights go to the publisher rather than the artist. If they’re lucky, they get a chunk of the rights and royalties but overall, if you want to ask permission to have the manga series adapted to TV or movie or whatelse, you have to ask permission from the publisher. Thus, dojinshis give a medium to artists where they can fully use their talents. For all what dojinshis contribute to the fan community, they can also sometimes be misleading. Since they’re sold on shelves on bookstores and such, they might as well be mistaken as the original manga. If the art is very good, it will be mistaken as original work of the artist. So how can this be avoided when going shopping for comics? For one thing, be sure to check the publisher of the comic as well as the artist (although the artist name may not be in English so it helps to know a little Japanese). It’s usually listed on the front cover, usually the artist name at the bottom while where it was serialized at the top. For example, Houshin Engi would have been done by Fujisaki Ryu while Jump Comics is the one that serialized it. It’s publisher is Shueisha. Another sign is the art. If it doesn’t quite match that of your previous manga or has a style which is different from what you are familiar with, then check your doubt for it might actually be a dojinshi. However, verify this for anime art and manga art is really different and if you’re basing a manga from an anime adaptation, expect different art styles. Lastly, for those learning to draw, it might be of note to check out dojinshis. You can learn various art techniques there and since you’re both amateurs, you can learn from each other. It’s easy to praise a good work but when you’re looking at mediocre work, try to see what doesn’t look right or what the artist should have done instead to that part and look at the progress of art styles between your form and his form. Who knows, you might be looking at the work of a soon-to-be successful manga artist. Are dojinshis bad at all? Well, they’re the output of fans for what they love most: anime and manga. They also give various opportunities to people. Since they’re not exactly mass published but produced in limited copies, well, they’re not taking that big a bite of the corporate pie. Besides, who knows what talent may be uncovered from these would-be artists.
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