Australia has gone completely mad Japanese manga comics, according to Caroline Hugall. Here’s why and what that means for you in this latest edition of Culture Bites.
As chief strategy officer at Spark Foundry, I spend a lot of my time trying to spot trends that shift how we connect and consume. While I’d known manga was big, I didn’t fully grasp the power of Japanese comics until my seven-year-old son, Ralph, received Dragon Ball as a birthday gift.
He wasn’t sure what to make of it at first, with its back-to-front reading direction and bold, surreal images, so different from the superheroes he knew. But soon, Dragon Ball became his world.
Suddenly, Goku drawings were everywhere, and I couldn’t have a conversation without hearing about power-ups and legendary battles. This isn’t just a comic genre; it’s a movement capturing imaginations and transforming the cultural landscape.
The Manga Boom: From Niche to Global Phenomenon
To give you a sense of just how big this trend is, according to Grand View Research the global manga market size was estimated at USD $13.69 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18 per cent from 2024 to 2030. To put that in context, Japan’s manga and content exports now rival the country’s other major exports like steel and semiconductors. In Australia, local bookstores have dedicated entire sections to manga, with retailers like Dymocks and Kinokuniya stocking hundreds of titles.
Manga’s contribution to Australia’s book industry has rapidly increased, with total manga sales reaching $24.5 million in 2021. This equates to a five per cent market share of the entire Australian book business. In the 12 months leading up to this, manga’s share tripled, as overall book sales remained relatively flat. And while teenagers and young adults are leading the wave, kids are finding themselves captivated by manga’s world-building and engaging storylines.
Why Manga, and Why Now?
What makes manga universally appealing is its diversity. While Western comics largely centre around superheroes, manga has a genre for everyone. Shonen stories like Dragon Ball bring action, Shojo offers romance and Seinen focuses on mature themes. Manga treats readers as complex thinkers, handling topics like perseverance, struggle and resilience.
As Professor Susan Napier, an expert on Japanese pop culture, observes, manga doesn’t rely on Hollywood’s ‘happily ever after’ formula. It confronts darker realities with honesty, which appeals to audiences tired of predictable endings. In today’s world, manga respects readers of all ages by giving them stories that feel true to life.
Opportunities for Brands
For brands, manga’s popularity offers a huge opportunity. What was once niche has become a major cultural movement, and companies across fashion, food, and gaming are finding ways to engage these fans. Uniqlo’s Dragon Ball and Demon Slayer collections, for instance, let fans express their love for manga with style. But this trend goes beyond logos and images; it’s about understanding why these stories resonate.
Brands that capitalise on manga’s rise need to tap into it authentically. Bubble tea shops and restaurants are creating limited-edition items inspired by manga characters, and social media has amplified these experiences with younger audiences. Manga represents an emotional touchpoint, and brands that approach this audience with authenticity can form deep connections.
Manga’s Cultural Power
Manga’s explosive popularity signals the potential for a generational shift toward content that’s layered and unpredictable, resonating with audiences who crave honesty and complexity. For brands, this means moving beyond simple optimism to connect with consumers through rich storytelling and diverse, realistic characters.
For those of us watching this trend with fascination, it’s exciting to see manga’s impact on Australian culture. It’s creating a shift in how we approach storytelling, with each manga series offering readers an invitation to explore, reflect, and imagine. For brands, businesses, and creators, now is the time to lean into this trend and connect with a growing audience.
In my household, this phenomenon is unfolding one Goku drawing at a time.
