a rendering of Manga Apartment VUY, for which occupancy will begin in March 2025
For many years, a model has existed in Japan in which subsidized housing supports manga artists who are early in their career and have not yet established an audience. One of the earliest was the Tokiwa-so Apartments in Tokyo which, from the 1950s into the 80s, was home to such luminary figures as Osamu Tezuka and Fujiko Fujio. And as manga translations find new audiences outside Japan, there seems to be a renewed interest in supporting the next up-and-coming manga artist.
a rendering of the individual apartments inside Manga Apartment VUY
Manga Apartment VUY is a new venture between Japanese tech firm Cyber Agent and publisher Shueisha. Currently under construction, the apartments, which will be located in an undisclosed neighborhood of central Tokyo, will house between 20 – 30 manga artists beginning in March of 2025. Artists who qualify will be allowed to live rent-free for at least 1 year with the possibility of extensions, allowing them to focus on their art without worrying about paying rent or utilities.
What’s more, residents will have access to resources like a community lounge and library, which will support bonding and the exchange of ideas. But perhaps the greatest resource will be Shihei Rin, editor of popular mangas like ChainsawMan and Spy X Family, who was the brainchild of this initiative and will personally dedicate time to mentor the young artists. Initial applications for the first wave of residents are open now (google doc form is here) and anyone can apply.
a rendering of the community lounge and library inside Manga Apartment VUY
And last year a similar initiative was born, thanks to real estate firm Miyoshi Real Estate, which launched Manga-so, dubbing it “Tokiwa-so for the Reiwa period.” The apartment’s offering is similar: up to one year of occupancy with free rent, utility and communication fees. The facility has eight apartments to house aspiring creators of “webtoon,” a form of manga read by scrolling smartphone and other screens vertically.
No. 9 Inc., a creator studio that distributes e-books, is providing editorial and art directorial support to the facility residents. With Manga-so, those who end up publishing are charged 5% of their royalties for two years since the day of occupancy, for a total of up to 500,000 yen (about $3,250).
Manga-so’s community lounge
all the rooms come with desks, beds and equipment such as pen tablets for graphical work
