Manga is everywhere in Japan. Volume upon volume of these Japanese comic books fills books stores, kiosks and can be found in 24-hour convenience stores everywhere. Unlike in the US, comic books in Japan are not just children's fare. In fact, there is no demographic in Japan that does not read manga. Some stories are animated to reach a wider audience on television and movie theaters. Often visually lush, manga lends itself well to such adaptations and the world of the visual in Japan continues to expand and develop. The development of manga into the art form that it is can be laid at the feet of one man in particular: Osamu Tezuka.
