Student voices

I wanted to get better at coloring with pencils and pens, and learn to use an iPad so I could freely draw what I like. I can draw cute pictures now, and I was happy to win a prize with a picture I made myself.

— Mone Kawaba (Grade 1, Higashiosaka)

I wanted to improve my coloring and thought something might change if I attended. Chatting with the instructors is fun and gives me a change of pace. I want to draw like the artists I see on Twitter.

— S.K. (Grade 6, Osaka City)

I worried whether she could keep attending because it is a little far from home, but after the trial she said she absolutely wanted to come. She was not very confident before, but being praised for her art has helped her gain confidence. I hope she keeps doing what she loves with confidence.

— K.N.’s mother (Shijonawate)

There are many things I am glad I learned here, including drawing full figures and practicing sketching. Above all, my drawing ability has improved. My goal is to create a long-form manga.

— K.A. (Junior-high year 1, Osaka City)

The atmosphere lets her draw in the style she wants, and she liked the school at the trial, so we decided she should attend. More than simply improving, what matters most is that she looks forward to coming every week.

— K.N.’s father (Yao)

I struggled with manga paneling and how to structure a story. I also hope to attend an art-focused high school, so I started coming here to learn sketching and coloring for that goal.

— B.K. (Junior-high year 2, Osaka City)

I dreamed of becoming a manga artist and showing everyone the ideas in my head, but I did not know how manga was actually made or how to reach that dream. Since joining, I have met more people and sharpened both my skills and my knowledge.

— T.Y. (High-school year 2, Osaka City)

I expected it to be like an art class where everyone draws an assigned subject. At the trial, I found they instead teach around what I want to draw. The regular student exhibitions also motivate me to put more energy into my work.

— T.S. (High-school year 2, Osaka City)

I wanted to improve, but I did not know what else to change in my work and felt too embarrassed to show it to friends. I later switched to art-university exam preparation, where feedback from many instructors helped me push my abilities as far as I could.

— Asuka Maeda (High-school year 3, Osaka City)

There are instructors with expertise across many genres, and I felt I could keep attending comfortably. I value receiving advice from many different perspectives and seeing other students’ work at the exhibitions.

— Rino Matsuzaki (University year 2, Sakai)

I had always been interested in manga and illustration, but in my late thirties I wondered whether I could really do it. Another reason I wanted to attend was the instructors’ educational knowledge and the way they draw out and guide each person’s individuality.

— Yuri Kono (30s, designer and company director, Osaka City)

I visited several evening vocational schools, but their fixed schedules were hard to fit around my life. What I value here is having somewhere to ask questions about making manga and to hear feedback on my own work.

— Tsunehito Watanabe (20s, company employee, Suita)