Do you love manga and want to learn how to draw your own characters, create manga panels, or even make your own manga story?
Today, you don’t have to live in Japan to learn manga.
With online manga classes, students around the world can learn character drawing, anatomy, poses, manga paneling, storytelling, and other techniques from home.
But with so many drawing courses and online tutorials available, you may be wondering:
What is the best way to learn manga online?
In this guide, we’ll explain what to look for in an online manga class, what skills you can learn, and how learning directly from professional Japanese manga artists can help you develop your manga skills.
At MANGA DOJO Online, we offer live online manga classes taught by professional manga artists in Japan, with live English interpretation for international students.
Whether you are a complete beginner or already drawing your own characters, there is a path for you to continue improving.
What Is an Online Manga Class?
An online manga class is a structured drawing course focused specifically on the techniques used to create manga.
Depending on the course, students may learn skills such as:
- How to draw manga faces
- Manga eyes and facial expressions
- Hairstyles
- Character design
- Human anatomy and body proportions
- Dynamic poses
- Clothing and costume design
- Manga paneling
- Storyboarding
- Speech balloons and sound effects
- Backgrounds
- Inking techniques
- Manga storytelling
Unlike general drawing classes, a good manga drawing class teaches students not only how to draw illustrations, but also how visual storytelling works in manga.
This becomes especially important when you want to move from drawing individual characters to creating complete manga pages.
Can You Really Learn Manga Online?
Yes.
Many manga skills can be effectively learned online, especially when classes are taught live and students have opportunities to practice and receive feedback.
You can watch an instructor demonstrate a technique, try it yourself, complete assignments, and receive advice about how to improve your work.
The key difference is how the class is structured.
Watching drawing videos can be helpful, but watching someone draw is different from actually learning how to improve your own artwork.
A structured online manga course should ideally include:
Learn → Practice → Submit → Get Feedback → Improve
This cycle allows students to gradually build their skills instead of simply watching tutorials.
What Should You Look for in the Best Online Manga Classes?
Not every manga course is the same.
Before choosing an online manga class, consider these five points.
1. Who Is Teaching the Class?
The instructor is one of the most important factors.
If your goal is specifically to learn manga, look for instructors who understand manga production rather than only general illustration.
Professional manga artists can teach not only drawing techniques but also the thought process behind creating characters, panels, scenes, and stories.
At MANGA DOJO Online, classes are taught by professional Japanese manga artists.
Our head instructor, Kazuo Maekawa, has more than 30 years of professional experience and is known for his work on the manga adaptation of Ace Attorney (Gyakuten Saiban).
Our curriculum is designed around techniques and knowledge used by professional manga creators in Japan.
2. Is the Class Live or Pre-Recorded?
There are many excellent recorded drawing courses online.
They are convenient because students can study whenever they want.
However, a live manga class offers something different.
Students can follow the instructor in real time, ask questions, and learn together with other manga students.
For students who find it difficult to stay motivated while studying alone, having a regular live class can also help create a consistent drawing routine.
MANGA DOJO Online classes are taught live from Japan.
3. Can You Receive Feedback on Your Manga?
This is one of the biggest differences between simply watching tutorials and joining a structured manga course.
You might draw a character and think:
“Something looks wrong… but I don’t know what.”
Maybe the shoulders are too narrow.
Maybe the pose looks stiff.
Maybe the anatomy is slightly unbalanced.
Or perhaps your individual drawings look good, but your manga page is difficult to read because of the panel layout.
These problems can be difficult to identify by yourself.
Feedback from an experienced manga artist can help you understand what to improve next.
Students enrolled in the MANGA DOJO Online 12-Lesson Course complete assignments and can submit their work through Google Classroom for feedback from professional manga artists.
4. Does the Course Teach Manga — Not Just Anime-Style Drawing?
This distinction is important.
Drawing a beautiful manga-style character is one skill.
Creating a manga is another.
To make manga, you also need to understand things such as:
- Panel composition
- Reading flow
- Story structure
- Storyboarding
- Character interaction
- Dialogue
- Speech balloons
- Sound effects
- Backgrounds
- Pacing
- Visual storytelling
If your dream is to create your own manga, choose a course that goes beyond character illustration.
5. Is There a Clear Learning Path?
Random tutorials can teach useful individual techniques.
But students often ask:
“What should I learn next?”
A structured curriculum gives you a roadmap.
Instead of jumping randomly between eyes, anatomy, backgrounds, and paneling, students can gradually develop their skills.
At MANGA DOJO Online, our learning program is divided into 3-month semesters, with 12 live lessons per semester.
Students can continue progressing through multiple levels over the course of a year.
What Do You Learn in a Manga Drawing Class?
If you’re new to manga drawing, you usually don’t need to start by creating a complete 30-page manga.
Start with the fundamentals.
A typical learning path might look like this:
Faces → Expressions → Hair → Anatomy → Body Proportions → Poses → Clothing → Character Design
Once you are comfortable drawing characters, you can begin learning how to put those characters into a story:
Characters → Panels → Storyboarding → Dialogue → Backgrounds → Inking → Storytelling → Complete Manga
This is why we offer different learning paths at MANGA DOJO Online.
Which Manga Class Should I Choose?
MANGA DOJO Online currently offers two main learning paths.
Character Illustration
This course is recommended for students who want to build strong manga drawing fundamentals.
You will learn topics such as:
- Manga faces
- Eyes
- Expressions
- Hairstyles
- Body proportions
- Anatomy
- Poses
- Clothing
- Character design
It is a good starting point if you’re a beginner or if you enjoy drawing manga characters but want to improve your fundamentals.
Manga Creation – Intermediate
Already know how to draw characters?
Then you may be ready to start learning how to create manga.
Our Manga Creation course goes further into topics such as:
- Character drawing and anatomy
- Manga paneling
- Reading flow
- Speech balloons
- Sound effects
- Story development
- Storyboarding
- Inking
- Backgrounds
- Character relationships
- Pacing and storytelling
This course is especially suitable for students who think:
“I can draw characters, but I don’t know how to turn them into an actual manga.”
Do I Need to Speak Japanese?
No.
You don’t need to speak Japanese to join MANGA DOJO Online.
Our instructors teach from Japan, and live English interpretation is provided in every class.
This allows international students to learn directly from Japanese professional manga artists while asking questions and communicating in English.
Do I Need an iPad or Drawing Tablet?
No.
You can learn manga using either traditional or digital drawing tools.
For example:
- Pencil and paper
- Manga pens
- Sketchbook
- iPad
- Drawing tablet
- Digital illustration software
You can use the tools you are most comfortable with.
The most important thing is to draw consistently and practice the techniques you learn.
Are Online Manga Classes Good for Beginners?
Absolutely.
You don’t need professional drawing experience to begin learning manga.
If you’re completely new, we recommend starting with fundamental skills such as faces, expressions, proportions, anatomy, and poses.
As your skills improve, you can gradually move into manga creation and storytelling.
More experienced students can start with our Manga Creation course if they already feel comfortable drawing characters.
Can I Become a Manga Artist by Taking Online Classes?
Taking a manga class alone cannot guarantee that you will become a professional manga artist.
Becoming a professional requires a combination of skill development, consistent practice, creating complete work, receiving feedback, and continuing to build your portfolio.
But online learning can give you structure and access to professional guidance.
A possible journey might look like:
Learn Manga Fundamentals
↓
Practice Consistently
↓
Receive Professional Feedback
↓
Learn Manga Storytelling
↓
Create Your Own Manga
↓
Build a Portfolio
↓
Enter Manga Contests
↓
Submit Your Manga to Publishers
And today, international creators have more opportunities to connect with the Japanese manga industry than ever before.
For example, some Japanese publishers now offer online manga submission opportunities for international creators.
At MANGA DOJO Online, our goal is not only to help students improve their drawings, but also to support aspiring creators as they take the next steps in their manga journey.
Why Learn Manga Directly from Japan?
Manga has become a global art form.
Artists around the world now create stories influenced by Japanese manga.
At the same time, learning directly from Japanese manga professionals gives students an opportunity to experience techniques, terminology, workflows, and approaches connected to the industry where modern manga developed.
And online learning means you don’t need to travel to Tokyo to get started.
At MANGA DOJO Online, students from around the world can connect live with professional Japanese manga artists.
MANGA DOJO also operates in-person manga experiences in Tokyo, where we have welcomed thousands of participants from around the world.
Our goal is simple:
Make authentic manga education from Japan accessible to aspiring creators everywhere.
How MANGA DOJO Online Works
MANGA DOJO Online is designed around a simple learning cycle:
1. Join a Live Manga Class
Learn directly from a professional Japanese manga artist with live English interpretation.
2. Practice What You Learned
Complete an assignment based on the lesson.
3. Submit Your Work
12-Lesson Course students submit assignments through Google Classroom.
4. Receive Professional Feedback
A professional manga artist reviews your work and helps you understand how you can improve.
5. Keep Learning and Level Up
Repeat the process throughout the semester and gradually develop your manga skills.
Our full learning journey is designed as a one-year program divided into four 3-month semesters.
Each semester includes 12 live lessons, and students who complete the semester receive a PDF Certificate of Completion before advancing to the next level.
Try a FREE Online Manga Class from Japan 🇯🇵
Still wondering whether an online manga class is right for you?
The best way to find out is to experience one.
MANGA DOJO Online regularly offers FREE online trial manga classes for students around the world.
You can experience:
✓ A live manga lesson from Japan
✓ Instruction from a professional Japanese manga artist
✓ Live English interpretation
✓ Real manga drawing techniques
✓ An introduction to the MANGA DOJO learning experience
Whether you are taking your first step into manga drawing or dreaming of creating your own manga one day, you’re welcome to join us.
Ready to start your manga journey?
Join a FREE Manga Trial Class | MANGA DOJO Online
Learn Manga from Japan, Wherever You Are.
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