The manga industry has always had a dark side, with endless days and salaries that often do not reflect the effort behind each page. But it seems that something is changing, in this case with the same Weekly Shonen Jumpthe magazine that brings the manga One Piece y Taste inter alia.
From Shueisha have announced a series of measures that seek to improve the quality of life of their creatorssomething that probably marks a before and after in the industry.
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A considerable salary increase
From November 18, 2024las minimum rates for mangakas who publish in Shonen Jump will increase. Until now, they were paid 18,700 yen ($115) per page in black and white and 28,060 yen ($172) per color page. With the new adjustment, these figures will rise to 20,900 yen ($128) y 31,350 yen ($192) respectively.
Furthermore the new authors They will have help that will provide them with more economic stability. Mangakas who debut in the magazine will have a advance of 500,000 yen ($3,000) to help them develop their first deliveries.
Improvement of contracts
Another of the big changes is in the contracts. Until now, authors were required to sign a one year exclusivity clausebut this will no longer be mandatory. They will now be able to negotiate better deals with other publishers if they wish, and that gives them much more freedom to decide the direction of their careers.
This move not only benefits the mangakas, but also puts pressure on other publishers to take example.
According to Shueisha, these measures are possible thanks to the excellent performance commercial of Shonen Jump. Manga is more popular than ever globally, and the magazine has decided reinvest part of its profits to support those behind it of the stories we love so much.
Although there is still much to do, it is an important step to dignify a profession which is often seen romanticized, but it is tremendously hard for those who live it. Surely you know more than one mangaka who has faced serious health problems, and not especially due to age.
A well-known case is that of Eiichiro Oda, since weekly breaks from work are becoming more and more frequent. One Piecebecoming delayed another week or so, as is currently the case.
It is true that we are still far from all authors reaching the figures of Odawho wins around 19 million dollars per yearbut these changes are a good start. The increase in rates and the elimination of exclusivity are advances that mark a path towards a fairer industry.
