Hirohiko Araki, Mari Yamazaki Discuss 1st Large-scale Manga Art Exhibition in the Americas Being Held in San Francisco

By Yayoi Kawatoko / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

11:00 JST, January 16, 2026

SAN FRANCISCO — Manga art is finally reaching a museum in the United States! The first large-scale manga exhibition in the Americas, “Art of Manga” is being held at the de Young Museum in San Francisco through Feb. 1, displaying works by leading Japanese mangaka such as Eiichiro Oda, Rumiko Takahashi and Jiro Taniguchi together as works of art.

The event focuses on providing an immersive experience that draws visitors into the world of manga with exhibitions including about 700 original drawings and other items. Rough sketches and tools actually used by creators such as pens and paper are also on display.

The exhibition was planned by Nicole Coolidge Rousmaniere, research director of the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures at the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom. She said she hopes visitors will recognize the artistic quality and power of manga.

Hirohiko Araki and Mari Yamazaki, two of the featured artists, gave exclusive interviews to The Yomiuri Shimbun at the exhibition venue.

‘Breathing’ drawings

“I’m very happy that the works I drew that were meant for bookstores are being displayed in an art exhibition,” said Araki.

Araki was born in Sendai in 1960 and started serializing “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure” in the Weekly Shonen Jump manga magazine in 1986. Over 120 million volumes of the series have been released.

“Original drawings [known as ‘genga’] breathe in a certain way. I think this exhibition is intended to allow visitors to experience that.”

This exhibition is the first outside of Japan for a series of 12 large original drawings titled “There is Always a Traitor,” which Araki created for an exhibition of his original drawings in 2018.

These drawings feature large images of characters from the “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure” series along with manifestations of their abilities known as “Stands.”

“I made the eye levels of the characters the same height [as people] so my readers would feel like they were surrounded by them at their full size. I drew them posing like the ‘Stands’ of my manga,” Araki explained.

To showcase his typical bold use of color, such as making Mt. Fuji orange, many colorful original drawings are on display. He is particularly meticulous about color choices, carefully deciding on their combinations and arrangements before applying them to his work.

Araki usually spends about three to four hours on each color illustration.

“It’s a technique I developed to serialize my manga in weekly magazines. First, I shade in pen, then I simply apply colors. I can work pretty fast.”

His unique character poses stem from his original ideas.

“The more impossible the pose, the more fantastical it becomes,” Araki said. “It results from running on the edge of conflict with reality.”

The drawings have been lauded as refined works of art.

“I think drawing is essential for humans. There’s something spiritual about it,” Araki said. “It’s delightful to discover things by chance while drawing.”

He draws every day, inspired by artwork, movies, food and even the clothing worn by people walking the streets. In contrast, he often improvises the story.

This was his first visit to San Francisco. An anime adaptation of the seventh part of “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure,” known as “Steel Ball Run,” will be released this year. It tells a story about people crossing North America from the West Coast to the East Coast. Araki said, “It would be wonderful if Japanese manga spread across the American continent in the same way, from west to east.”

A life dedicated to drawing

Mari Yamazaki is known for “Thermae Romae,” which depicts the bathing cultures of ancient Rome and modern Japan.

Speaking about the exhibition, Yamazaki said, “I think it was designed to draw visitors into the world of manga. The exhibits were selected after deep consideration on how people in the United States would best understand the appeal of manga. Thanks to this concept, I’ve been able to see my own work with a fresh perspective.”

Yamazaki said she was inspired by the works of her senior mangaka on display.

“They feature delicate touches and uncompromising drawings. Manga readers flip through pages every five seconds. Although we are aware of this, we spend hours drawing a single page. Mangaka dedicate their lives to drawing. I see it in their lines. They are the brushstrokes of their lives. It’s incredibly moving.”

Yamazaki was born in Tokyo in 1967 and raised in Hokkaido. She moved to Italy in 1984 and studied art history and oil painting.

Her section at the exhibition venue includes works titled “Plinivs” and “Steve Jobs,” but the centerpiece is “Museum of Palmyra.” It depicts the ruins of Palmyra in Syria, which were destroyed by the Islamic State. The work presents drawings alone, without speech bubbles or explanations.

“I intended this work as a tribute to the archaeologist who was brutally killed by the Islamic State. I created this manga to convey how important intellect, education and art are to sustain peace. I’m delighted it’s being exhibited.”

Yamazaki also said, “Mangaka are treated as artists overseas. I’m a little proud of myself.”

This was her first visit to San Francisco, but she has an indirect connection to the city through her grandfather, who lived there for some time.