Section · Manga and original manga art
Manga and original manga art
Hand-drawn pages, signed shikishi boards and first-edition magazines have become serious collectibles. Official replicas and fakes are everywhere.
What collectors buy
- Original pages (genga): the hand-drawn manuscript pages – pencil under ink, pasted screentone, white correction, editor's notes in the margin.
- Colour illustrations and cover art: the most sought-after originals, often painted in ink and colour.
- Shikishi: square boards with a signed sketch, drawn for fans, events or colleagues.
- First-edition magazines: the issue with a character's first appearance, in top condition.
- Official replicas (fukusei genga): high-quality reproductions sold by publishers – collectible, but not originals.
The market
For a long time, original manga pages were working material that publishers returned to the artists or simply kept. Since the 2010s, auction houses in Paris, Tokyo and the United States have held dedicated sales. In 2016 Sotheby's sold works by Osamu Tezuka for €1,750 to €8,750, while a drawing by Akira Toriyama reached €15,000 – five times its estimate. In 2023, a signed Dragon Ball illustration by Toriyama sold for 15 million yen, about $99,000.
Printed collectibles have followed: a near-mint copy of the 1984 issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump with the first Dragon Ball chapter sold for 3.8 million yen, about $25,600 – for a magazine that cost 170 yen.
Typical sizes
- Manuscript pageusually B4, about 25.7 × 36.4 cm – between A4 and A3.
- Shikishisquare card board, about 24 × 27 cm, often with a quick signed sketch.
- Tankōboncollected volumes, mostly small formats around B6.
- Magazineweekly anthologies such as Weekly Shōnen Jump, around B5.
What manga art and collectibles sell for
Public auction results show the range – not what a specific piece is worth.
Toriyama, signed Dragon Ball illustration, 15 million yen, November 2023.
Sotheby's 2016: Tezuka €1,750–8,750, Toriyama €15,000.
Weekly Shōnen Jump 1984 with the first Dragon Ball chapter, near mint.
How to check what you have
- Original or replica?: An original page shows pencil lines under the ink, glued screentone with cut edges, white correction fluid and notes in blue pencil. A replica is flat, printed paper.
- Screentone: Tilt the page against the light: real screentone is a separate film with edges you can feel.
- Shikishi: Popular with fakers. Check the signature against verified examples and ask for the story – events, dedications, photos.
- Magazines: Condition decides: spine, colour, stains, missing inserts. The issue with a first appearance is worth far more than later ones.
- Provenance: Pages from an artist's studio, an editor or an assistant are easier to trust than anonymous online offers.
Questions
How much is an original manga page worth?
It depends on the artist, the series and the page. Drawings by well-known artists have sold from about €1,700 upwards; famous colour illustrations have reached around $99,000. Pages from lesser-known series sell for much less.
What is a fukusei genga?
An official high-quality reproduction of an original page or illustration, sold by publishers or at exhibitions. It is a collectible, but it is not hand-drawn.
Are old manga magazines valuable?
Some are – above all issues with the first appearance of a famous character, in excellent condition. Most issues are worth little.
Do you own manga art or rare manga?
Photograph the front, the back and any marks, signatures or seals, and get a free estimate. For insurance, a sale or an estate, order an appraisal with a notarized signature.
Sources
- Otaku News – Tezuka and Toriyama artwork auction sale results (Sotheby's, 2016)
- FandomWire – Akira Toriyama's original illustration of Goku sells for $100,000
- Screen Rant – Shonen Jump with the first Dragon Ball chapter sells after fierce auction
Images: public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. This page does not offer works for sale.