manga courses
Learn how to draw manga and improve your storytelling skills!
Beginner Level
What you’ll learn: principles of understanding figures as geometric shapes; body structure; hair designs; hands and feet; dynamic poses; facial expressions, emotions, and feelings.
Fundamentals of inking techniques with Japanese pen nibs applied to characters and patterns; basics of character design.
Layout and structure of yon-koma manga; colour balance on black and white pages; framing, angles, and standpoints.
Intermediate Level
What you’ll learn: Perspective and background design.
Aori and fukan perspective applied to characters. Different body structures. Clothing, accessories, and props design.
Page layout; higher-level inking techniques with Japanese nibs and fude-pen; lights and shadows.
Fundamentals of Japanese screen tones; basics of story telling and name-note.
BEST DEAL: Beginner + Intermediate Levels!
If you feel like one week of training is too little, why not stay two weeks instead?
You can attend both the beginner and intermediate levels within a fortnight!
Careful though: you might start arguing about the right ingredients for pasta carbonara like a true Italian once you’re back home.
Advanced Level
What you’ll learn: Analysis and application of framing and compositions. In-depth study of layout on multiple pages; development of an original story.
Advanced perspective and background design. Advanced inking and screen tones techniques for both backgrounds and effects.
Coloring techniques with alcohol and water-based colors.
Master Course
What to expect: A one-week in-depth production course with a Japanese professional teacher from Tokyo Designer Gakuin, dedicated to those who have completed the Advanced Level of our introductory courses.
The content of the master course changes every year, but is always focused on the production of original manga pages and illustrations. The starting prompt is sometimes decided based on a series of keywords, poetry, Japanese folklore tales or even take a more work-like approach and have the students try their hand at being a professional manga assistant.
Regardless, it’s an incredible experience to hone one’s skills and learn how to overcome the obstacles of a manga artist.
Trip to Japan
Once you’ve completed the Intermediate Level, you can apply to our study trip to spend three weeks in Japan with us!
The European Manga Academy is the only institution who offers a study program in Japan focused on manga technique. Our trip relies on experience, well-established relationships with the most prestigious Japanese academies, and the valuable collaboration of professionals in the fields of manga, publishing and animation.
All inclusive
The course fees cover all the tools and art supplies you will be using in class, as well as board and lodging (breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner).
They also cover the fees of our English interpreters / English-speaking teachers, keikogi to wear during aikido practice and additional workshops (that change depending on the level you’re attending).
Enrollment fee
- Beginner level: 860,10 €
- Intermediate level: 878,40 €
- Advanced level: 915,00 €
- Master course: 976,00 €
- Full (beginner + intermediate: 2 weeks): 1683,60 €
Schedule
Each course has a maximum number of 20 participants per week.
Active courses for summer 2026:
June 21 – 28: beginner
June 28 – July 5: intermediate
July 5 – 12: beginner
July 12 – 19: intermediate
July 19 – 26: beginner
July 26 – August 2: intermediate
August 2 – 9: advanced
August 9 – 16: master
August 16 – 23: beginner
CLOSER THAN YOU THINK
Direct daily flights from all over Europe and a private shuttle service connecting Pisa airport / train station to the school’s campus.