Brooklyn Museum's 'Art of Manga' Showcases 600+ Works and Global Fandom

From October 3 to January 31, 2027, the Brooklyn Museum will present 'Art of Manga,' which follows its debut at the de Young Museum in San Francisco. This exhibition showcases over 600 illustrations that represent various generations of Japanese comics and addresses the complexities of showcasing a worldwide phenomenon. According to Japan's Ministry of Economics, Trade and Industry, the international manga market hit ¥300bn (approximately $2bn) in 2024, with manga outselling American superhero comics in the US annually since 2018, as reported by BookScan. Curator Nicole Coolidge Rousmaniere, from the MOA Museum of Art in Atami, Japan, states that manga has evolved into a global phenomenon, establishing a new visual language. The Brooklyn Museum promotes cosplay with a 'cos check' service. Curatorial chair Joan Cummins and photography curator Pauline Vermare organized the exhibition, ensuring collaboration with manga publishers, editors, and artists for authenticity. Key pieces include Hirohiko Araki's life-sized painting 'There is Always a Traitor' (2018) and original genga drawings like Chiba Tetsuya's final page of 'Ashita no Joe' and an unfinished self-portrait by Jiro Taniguchi. Rousmaniere hopes attendees will engage in discussions that reflect the collaborative essence of manga.