The Manga Bible Helen McCarthy 9781840918830

Everything you ever wanted to know about manga. More than you expected to find.

The definitive guide to manga, from its earliest beginnings in 11th century Japan to the international 21st-century phenomenon it has become. Renowned manga historian Helen McCarthy provides knowledge-hungry manga fans with everything they've ever wanted to know, including the biggest series you've never heard of, profiles of genre-changing manga creators, and top tips for what to read next.


Praise for The Anime Encyclopedia: A Century of Japanese Animation
'Impressive, exhaustive, labyrinthine and obsessive - The Anime Encyclopedia is an astonishing piece of work.' Neil Gaiman

'... promises to do for anime what Halliwell did for film.' Mark Schilling, Screen International

Praise for A Brief History of Manga
'It is with such wonderful details that McCarthy's bullet-point history of the form really triumphs' Jasper Sharp, Manga UK blog

Praise for The Art of Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga
'... an absolute treasure trove for anyone who wants to learn more about the God of Manga and his varied creative output.' NEO magazine

Helen McCarthy was first introduced to anime and manga in 1981. With very little awareness of Japanese pop culture in Britain at that time, it took her over a decade to find a publisher for her first book Anime! A Beginners Guide To Japanese Animation, one of the first books to be published in the UK on the subject. In 1991, Helen co-founded the UK's first professional anime magazine, Anime UK. The magazine won an international reputation, was sold in Japan, and helped to create the market for her first book. She later edited Manga Mania magazine, and has written over 100 articles for European, American, Japanese and online publications, from Super Play magazine and Kyoto Journal to the Daily Telegraph Online, as well as being interviewed by many podcasts, websites and organisations.


Helen has written over a dozen books, including works on anime and manga superstars Hayao Miyazaki, Osamu Tezuka and Leiji Matsumoto. She is co-author of The Anime Encyclopedia, considered the pre-eminent research guide to the medium. Her work has been published in eight languages including Japanese, Chinese and Korean, and has won several international awards. A popular speaker at venues all over the world, Helen has curated and presented a number of film seasons alongside contributing to exhibitions including the British Museum's 2019 blockbuster exhibition Manga! In 2024, Helen is presenting a series of talks on Studio Ghibli all over the UK and Ireland, as well as writing two more books.