ARTS & ARTS & CULTURE CULTURE
C. Jacqueline Wood owns Manga Manga. P H OTO : S E A N M . P E T E RS
Manga Manga Is Cincinnati’s New One-Stop Manga Manga Is Cincinnati’s New One-Stop Shop for fans of Japanese comics Shop fans of Japanese comics With a focus for on art and community, the College Hill store fills a gap in Cincinnati’s fandom scene. BY M AC E N Z I Eon MA N L and EY With a Kfocus art
C C
BY M AC K E N Z I E M A N L E Y
community, the College Hill store fills a gap in Cincinnati’s fandom scene.
. Jacqueline Wood likes to say that manga found her––not the . Jacqueline Wood likes to say other way around. that manga found her––not the After years of working in the art other way around. nonprofit and freelance world, she was After years of working in the art searching for a career change. That nonprofit and freelance world, she was change came this spring in the form of searching for a career change. That Manga Manga. change came this spring in the form of Located in College Hill, the small Manga Manga. bookshop, which shelves manga, or Located in College Hill, the small Japanese comics, opened in April. bookshop, which shelves manga, or According to Wood, it is the first Japanese comics, opened in April. brick-and-mortar space in Cincinnati According to Wood, it is the first dedicated solely to manga and fills what brick-and-mortar space in Cincinnati she saw as a void in the city. Her OTRdedicated solely to manga and fills what based experimental film and video hub she saw as a void in the city. Her OTRThe Mini Microcinema, whose physical based experimental film and video hub location closed in late 2019, showcased The Mini Microcinema, whose physical local and independent filmmakers. location closed in late 2019, showcased And during the pandemic, she briefly local and independent filmmakers. worked at a chain bookstore, where she And during the pandemic, she briefly learned how dedicated manga’s fanbase worked at a chain bookstore, where she could be. learned how dedicated manga’s fanbase “Manga Manga is a celebration of could be. Japanese creators who have brought “Manga Manga is a celebration of universal stories to a global audience,” Japanese creators who have brought Wood tells CityBeat. “I am learning universal stories to a global audience,” every day about the culture from which Wood tells CityBeat. “I am learning these stories originate, and I have so every day about the culture from which these stories originate, and I have so
20
C I T Y B E AT. C O M
|
much more to learn. I am not an expert, but I am endlessly fascinated by the art much more to learn. I am not an expert, form.” but I am endlessly fascinated by the art Wood, who has a master’s of fine arts, form.” says the shop carries nearly 5,000 books Wood, who has a master’s of fine arts, from an array of genres targeted toward says the shop carries nearly 5,000- books specific age groups, including shonen from an array of genres targeted toward (teen boys), seinen (men), sho-jo (teen specific age groups, including sho-nen girls), josei (women), and kodomomuke (teen boys), seinen (men), sho-jo (teen (young children) series. In slice-of-life girls), josei (women), and kodomomuke to science-fiction, LGBTQ+ issues, (young children) series. In slice-of-life horror, non-fiction and more, readers to science-fiction, LGBTQ+ issues, of all preferences can find titles. Manga horror, non-fiction and more, readers Manga also carries titles from the of all preferences can find titles. Manga book publishing arm of Japan’s weekly Manga also carries titles from the Sho-nen Jump magazine, including book publishing arm of Japan’s weekly One- Piece, Naruto, My Hero Academia, Shonen Jump magazine, including Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen, ChainOne Piece, Naruto, My Hero Academia, saw Man and Bleach. Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen, ChainAlong with manga, the shop carries saw Man and Bleach. a few manhwa (Korean) and manhua Along with manga, the shop carries (Chinese and Taiwanese) series. There a few manhwa (Korean) and manhua are also DIY or underground titles, like (Chinese and Taiwanese) series. There Bubbles, a fanzine devoted to alternaare also DIY or underground titles, like tive comics from both America and Bubbles, a fanzine devoted to alternaJapan. tive comics from both America and Wood says that having a variety of Japan. titles, artists and styles is vital. Wood says that having a variety of “In the shop, too, it’s not just the titles, artists and styles is vital. “In the shop, too, it’s not just the
J U LY 1 3 - 2 6 , 2 0 2 2
popular series,” Wood says. “It’s very, very important to me to have art books popular series,” Wood says. “It’s very, and theory books. You can find books very important to me to have art books about the history of manga and comics. and theory books. You can find books To me, as a person who studied art, it’s about the history of manga and comics. very interesting. It’s important to proTo me, as a person who studied art, it’s vide context for the art form that you’re very interesting. It’s important to proengaging in. Those books have been vide context for the art form that you’re quite popular.” engaging in. Those books have been Wood says that she considers Manga quite popular.” Manga much like The Mini MicroWood says that she considers Manga cinema and her home studio in that Manga much like The Mini Microeverything needs to make sense and be cinema and her home studio in that geared toward user experience. Though everything needs to make sense and be the store has a clean, airy feel, parts geared toward user experience. Though of Wood’s personal history are placed the store has a clean, airy feel, parts intentionally: the chalkboard from The of Wood’s personal history are placed Mini, on which customers can answer intentionally: the chalkboard from The questions or leave doodles; a floral vinMini, on which customers can answer tage couch from her studio perfect for questions or leave doodles; a floral vinreading or chatting; and a small section tage couch from her studio perfect for dedicated to Studio Ghibli, an animareading or chatting; and a small section tion house of which Wood has long dedicated to Studio Ghibli, an animabeen a fan. Walk into Manga Manga on tion house of which Wood has long any given day and you may meet the been a fan. Walk into Manga Manga on store’s unofficial mascot, Dottie the any given day and you may meet the shop dog, an adorable Shih Tzu. store’s unofficial mascot, Dottie the “[Opening the store] felt like a really, shop dog, an adorable Shih Tzu. really big risk in some ways because I “[Opening the store] felt like a really, really big risk in some ways because I
am so new to the industry,” Wood says. “But at the same time, there was great am so new to the industry,” Wood says. comfort in everything that I would read “But at the same time, there was great and the people that I would meet––I comfort in everything that I would read specifically have two friends I reached and the people that I would meet––I out to who are manga readers––thought specifically have two friends I reached it was the greatest idea.” out to who are manga readers––thought One of those friends was Chris it was the greatest idea.” Simmons, a longtime manga reader. One of those friends was Chris Woods sought Simmons’ advice about Simmons, a longtime manga reader. planning the initial inventory as well Woods sought Simmons’ advice about as getting a feel for what fans might planning the initial inventory as well expect. Having a physical store dedias getting a feel for what fans might cated to manga adds a level of comfort expect. Having a physical store dedifor fans, Simmons says, explaining that cated to manga adds a level of comfort it gives younger, newer readers a safe for fans, Simmons says, explaining that space to engage and explore the hobby. it gives younger, newer readers a safe Older, more established fans can walk space to engage and explore the hobby. in knowing what titles are available Older, more established fans can walk without the worry of feeling awkward, in knowing what titles are available he adds. without the worry of feeling awkward, “Basically, anyone on the spectrum he adds. of the fandom or the hobby is going to “Basically, anyone on the spectrum be embraced,” Simmons says. “That is of the fandom or the hobby is going to just a super meaningful, super big shift be embraced,” Simmons says. “That is for our city. A lot of cities have somejust a super meaningful, super big shift thing like this and we don’t specifically for our city. A lot of cities have somefor manga.” thing like this and we don’t specifically Simmons explains that the for manga.” Simmons explains that the
