|
 But the first instalment of "Koguma's
Cake Shop", drawn as consolation for a tired
friend, attracted tens of thousands of likes.
Within a week, 40 companies had approached him
with offers.
"Publishing company editors have gone from
bringing up manga artists, like they are
farming, to hunting for them," said Kamentotsu,
who goes by his pen name and wears a mask in
media appearances.
By searching for talent online, publishers
squeezed by the rise of the internet can see an
artist's audience potential out in the open.
For Japan's striving manga artists, many of whom
toil in obscurity for low pay, that means going
viral can be life changing.
Kamentotsu's strip, which is published by
Shogakukan, has gone on to sell more than half a
million books. The titular bear, who wears a
chef's hat, has become a popular soft toy and
its image was used to promote frozen dumplings.
Japanese pop culture is piled with such cute,
memorable characters.
Industry observers say that a feel-good style -
known as the "iyashikei" or "soothing" genre in
Japanese - is particularly fitting online
audiences.
But other recent hits are quite a bit darker,
such as "Jujutsu Kaisen" and "Demon Slayer".
[to top of second column]
|
 HIGH CONCEPT
Kousuke Oono's "The Way of the Househusband" has
a high concept idea: a feared yakuza gangster -
tattooed, clad all in black but wearing an apron
- quits crime to take care of the home while his
wife works.
"A comedic story with easy-to-understand
characters and title is suited to the
internet... we thought about that from the
planning stage," said Arimasa Nishikawa, an
editor at manga site Kurage Bunch, which first
published the strip.
"Househusband", popular on manga apps and in
print, plays with gender stereotypes at a time
of social change in Japan. A line of aprons has
been a hit with fans.
The strip has been made into a TV drama, with an
animated version set to stream on Netflix this
year.
 (Reporting by Sam Nussey and Yuki Nitta; Editing
by Gerry Doyle)
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