“The Misconception That Strict Government Restrictions Make Manga Impossible” “Our country is a rigid and conservative society. With such strict government regulations and censorship, a manga industry or a creative culture simply can't develop.” I've heard this quite often. I've also heard people say: “My country isn't a free society, so…” And I've even been told that manga cannot develop in countries with strict religious traditions. None of these arguments are true. And there is clear historical evidence for this. Let me explain. For those of you overseas who are reading my posts, do you know that my home country, South Korea, was under military dictatorship for a very long time? Many remnants of that era can still be felt today. South Korea was already under authoritarian rule when the First Republic was established in 1948, and following the military coup in 1961, the country was ruled by military governments until 1993. During those years, there were even incidents in which the military and security forces massacred civilians. And yet, remarkably, the Korean manhwa industry continued to develop and grow. During those very years, South Korea saw the birth of its first dedicated manhwa magazines and its first weekly manhwa publications. Dragon Ball became a phenomenal hit, selling around 30 million copies, while Korean educational manhwa for children are estimated to have sold around 20 million copies. I also made my debut as a pro mangaka during that period. I remember the Korean manhwa scene of those days very clearly. It was an excellent comics culture, with many outstanding artists who had already built a remarkable history. And not only the artists—the readers were sophisticated as well. In 1993, when I made my debut, South Korea was still under military rule, and its GDP per capita was only around US$7,000. There was no full freedom of expression. The government, public authorities, media, and even private organizations would sometimes attack the Korean manhwa industry. I would very much like to say that the boundless and beautiful freedom of a society is the foundation upon which manga can flourish. I am someone who spent years fighting for freedom of expression in Korean manhwa. That was from 1995 to 2003. I know very well the pain caused by the absence of freedom. And I believe, perhaps more strongly than most, that manga needs freedom of expression. But history tells us something different. Freedom is not the first-stage engine that launches manga into the stars. Freedom is a powerful booster. When freedom exists, manga and the manga industry can fly farther, faster, and more beautifully, carrying many more things toward the stars. But even when freedom is absent—or when freedom of expression is restricted—the rocket can still fly. And sometimes, it can fly surprisingly well. Why? Because manga possesses something fundamental to human culture. It is deeply personal and local. It depends heavily on individual human creativity and ability. And it can grow within very small communities. So what is it that makes culture so remarkable? No matter the circumstances, culture can grow beautifully. Even in poor conditions. Even in painful lives. Even in difficult and misguided times. Culture can still grow, give people joy and laughter, help them endure life, and allow them to dream of a better future. That is culture. That is art. It can be beautiful because it grows out of hardship, and it can be beautiful because it grows out of prosperity. So even if the country you live in is authoritarian, even if freedom is limited, a manga market and a manga community can still emerge and grow. You can create manga with paper. And even without paper, you can find another way to create it. So yes, even when a country's political circumstances are difficult or its human-rights situation is far from ideal, a manga industry is still possible. But when society becomes freer, manga gets a booster. A very powerful booster! And when the country and people believe in manga and support it, another booster is added. So believe in the potential of your own country. And if freedom is something you do not yet have, dream of freedom. Because even without the booster, the rocket can still fly. And one day, when the booster is there, it can fly much, much farther.

#AkiraToriyama sensei #DragonBall Finally… it has arrived. It feels like a once-in-a-lifetime gift from the gods… 40th Anniversary Tribute “Dragon Ball Super Gallery Project” with a cover I illustrated!!! …And it’s part of a Dragon Ball box set where all the other covers were drawn by legendary manga masters (except me)!! YES!!! YEEES!!!! YEEEEEEEEES!!!!! Ah… I’m so happy. And right next to mine is the volume cover illustrated by Morita-sensei!!! But there’s just one serious problem with this overwhelming joy… It’s a box set. A box set that I only get ONE of!!!! I just can’t unwrap it. I simply don’t have the courage to remove the plastic wrap from that box.🥲

To my beloved fans, It is with a heavy and broken heart that I write these words. As many of you may already know, this decision comes from the newly updated feature on X. For the time being, I will pause the publication of my comics and illustrations on X. I want to be clear: I do not fear AI. In fact, I believe in its future and the possibilities it may bring. However, I cannot accept my works being used, learned from, or exploited without my consent or proper compensation. I care deeply about X. Together with my Canadian friend—who helps translate my words into English and shares with me the voices and stories of fans from overseas—we have worked hard to build something meaningful here. This place has given us precious experiences and memories. Precisely because I like X, and because I believe it can become a good place for the future of manga, I have shared my most valuable works here. For now, I will stop posting my comics and illustrations on X. Instead, I will begin sharing my comics and illustrations on Instagram. Please understand—this does not mean I am leaving X. I will remain here, continue sharing news, and continue talking with you. I simply will not posting my art works here for the time being. Please enjoy my comics and illustrations on Instagram. And I will wait— for the day when I can once again share my works on X. I sincerely hope that day will come. Boichi