Citi Manga exhibition at the British Museum.

According to the blurb this is the world’s largest exhibition of manga art outside of Japan. I’ve read reviews in newspapers saying it wasnt that great and I’ve also read comments on forums saying it was a waste of money.

I disagree entirely.

If you love manga and the culture that has exploded around it then this exhibition is a fitting celebration of the art form.

I loved seeing the many examples of original hand drawn art displayed next to blown up facsimiles of the printed comic pages. There are also videos showing some of the artists actually drawing their pieces. It was surprisingly very satisfying to see someone draw a single line in really time or speeded up until eventually you could see the finished face or character being depicted.

Given the huge depth of manga content over the past several decades this exhibition can only cover a tiny small percentage of the genre. But all the big well know studios and publications are referenced, yes including a little bit on Studio Ghibli.

This exhibition is a chance to immerse oneself in the world of manga artistry. But bear in mind this isn’t comic con. Despite the cool artwork, it is still a rather static museum exhibition and the bulk of your experience will be shuffling from display to display observing art while scratching your chin and nodding quietly in appreciation.

At the centre there is a dummy manga store loaded with various titles and it’s fun to just browse through the books without fear of a shop owner telling you off for not buying anything!

One tip: come alone, my kids got a bit bored after a while. A lot of the art is black and white and while a few blown up posters and giant Attack On Titan head offered a few colourful diversions, the vast bulk of the exhibition will require you to stare at small a3 sized drawing and then reading the description. It is very much designed as a learning and information experience.

Finally, the choice of a character from the Golden Kamuy to promote the exhibition is a great choice. I didn’t know who it was but I love the artwork so now I want to read the manga and watch the anime. Curiously the museum shop did not sell his title despite its prominence throughout the promotional material.

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