This fall, watch for a landmark exhibition coming to Golden Gate Park’s de Young Museum. Titled “Art of Manga,” it will be the first exhibition in the U.S. to delve into the art form, known for bold storytelling that transcends language with images and characters that hark to our shared experiences across the world.
If you’re unaware, manga is the art form of Japanese-style graphic novels akin to comic books (you may be more familiar with anime, which often employs a similar style but through the medium of animation). “Manga” comes from two words: “man,” which means whimsical or impromptu, plus “ga,” which means pictures, according to most translations. (The museum also notes that it literally translates to “pictures run riot.”)
The exhibition provides the chance to see more than 700 original drawings, including from popular properties like JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and One Piece, and some of which have never been on public display before. The museum’s press release promises that, “Visitors will become fluent in reading manga after viewing the exhibition.” It adds that although manga seems like a contemporary art form, it actually has roots in Japanese painting, 18th and 19th-century woodblock prints and Western comics.
Thomas P. Campbell, director and CEO of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, says, “San Francisco has long been a gateway for Japanese cultural exchange in the United States, and we are delighted to honor this legacy by showcasing the artistry and power of contemporary Japanese narrative art in ‘Art of Manga.’”
The museum highlights the connection between Japan and the Bay Area by mentioning the arrival of the ship Kanrin maru, which brought over Japan’s first delegation in 1860. A few decades later, the 1894 Midwinter International Exposition was planned by M.H. de Young, whose name lives on in the museum which now stands on the exhibition’s site. The exposition had a Japanese cultural area which brought Japanese arts and crafts to the city—and the Japanese Tea Garden still stands in Golden Gate Park as a remnant of this exposition as well. After the horrors of the World War II internment camps, the Treaty of San Francisco was signed in 1952 to signal peace between Japan and Allied forces—preceded by a 1951 exhibition of Japanese treasures, held only at the de Young, arranged by the Japanese government. The connection between the de Young and Japan via artwork has been long and of great value.
Artists whose work will be featured include Akatsuka Fujio, Araki Hirohiko, Chiba Tetsuya, Oda Eiichiro, Tagame Gengoroh, Takahashi Rumiko, Tanaami Keiichi, Taniguchi Jiro, Yamashita Kazumi, Yamazaki Mari and Yoshinaga Fumi.
The Art of Manga opens September 27 and runs through January 25, 2026. Pricing has yet to be announced, though base admission to the museum costs $20, plus additional charges for special exhibitions (the current Paul McCartney one costs an extra $15).