Manga comics for social change launched in India, Japan

New Delhi: Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on Friday said that it has launched a Manga comic titled "India Calling Me Now," aimed at raising gender awareness, simultaneously in India and Japan, in collaboration with publishing company Kodansha.

The comic series is published on Manga Planet India. It will cover themes such as women’s education, social participation, and gender disparity, to promote discussion and improve comprehension of gender-related matters.

"As the collaborative publishers of Manga, a cherished cultural asset of Japan renowned for its captivating storytelling and artistic flair, we aim to enable further awareness and understanding of gender-related issues in India," SAITO Mitsunori, Chief Representative of JICA India, said in a statement.

"This collaboration also plays an instrumental role in promoting cultural exchange between India and Japan to bring a systemic change in achieving gender equality," he added.

As per the agency, the comic series aims to captivate the young generation with its unique approach of captivating storytelling and expressive characters.

"We aim to address social issues in India and worldwide through Japanese manga," said KOGA Yoshiaki, India Project Director, Kodansha.

In addition, the agency mentioned that the comic series serves as an effective tool to inspire positive attitudes and behaviours towards gender bias, thereby increasing awareness and initiating societal change.