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Manga is a Japanese art form, but it is rapidly becoming a global industry, which is why Kadokawa has been actively looking beyond Japan for talented artists. At Anime Expo 2026, the Editor-in-Chief of the publisher’s Global Comics Department shared what he is looking for from potential mangaka, and it isn’t always what you expect.

Noboru Segawa has been in the manga industry for more than 24 years, much of that time being an editor to creators. He currently heads up the Global Comics Department for Kadokawa, one of the largest publishers of manga and light novels in Japan. Segawa recently revealed the things he looks for in a new mangaka, regardless of where they are from.

The first is don’t rush your first hit. It can take time – and multiple failures – before a mangaka can get their first hit. Segawa specifically cited Arata Aki, who didn’t achieve commercial success until her fourth title, A Destructive God Sits Next to Me.

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Second, Segawa stresses that a unique voice is key to creating manga. “Your unique personality, strengths, and what suits you best,” he explained.

“Prioritize compelling characters above all else,” Segawa stressed as his third key bit of advice. “Think about their background and upbringing, and also their flaws and complexities. People want to sympathize with them, so how can you make their flaws appealing?”

The fourth thing to remember is that it isn’t all on your shoulders. Every mangaka has an editor they work with who helps guide the work. “Build a relationship of radical trust with your editor,” Segawa said, which is more than just mindlessly implementing their feedback. “You can’t just fix something superficially because you were told to; you need to think about the ‘why’ and understand it yourself.”

Finally, Segawa stresses that manga is a creative business, but it is still a business. “Balance your creative dreams with the reality of deadlines.” Which is good advice for any creative person, regardless of the medium. Deadlines are a powerful motivator, even to successful mangaka like Kamome Shirahama, whose Witch Hat Atelier manga is both a critical and commercial success.

Each week, Popverse's resident anime expert Trent Cannon runs down the latest and, dare we say "greatest," in anime and manga in Popverse Jump. Some recent columns have included... 

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