Manga Messiah
Cartoons that matter.
Mark Cutshall
By now, Roald Lidal has stopped counting the number of Christians who told him his idea of a cartoon Bible would never work, that it would cheapen the gospel, and that he should give up.
Lidal, general director of New Life League Japan, would have nothing of it. Drawing upon a handful of talented Christian Japanese artists, and armed with a vision to reach children who might resist traditional Bible translations and never attend a church, he has brought Manga Messiah to market.
The manga Scripture on the life of Jesus is 288 pages of full-color, eye-popping storylines. Manga (the Japanese word means "comics") has become a visible part of 21st century global pop culture and one of the fastest-growing segments in today's industry; 2006 U.S. sales reached $125 million, a 300 percent increase over 2002.
Tyndale House is publishing the English language version, while the American Bible Society will publish the Spanish version. Lidal says all editions of Manga Messiah (NextManga.com) are based on the Bible; a team that includes members of Bible Societies in the countries where the books are published reviews the narrative.
Lidal says Manga Messiah's inherent youth appeal makes it a great tool for evangelism. A 2004 U.S. study indicated that two out of every three born-again Christians (65 percent) accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior before their 18th birthday. "Clearly, the period of life between puberty and maturity, marked by a growing sense of self-identity," says Lidal, "is a key time of development for young people"
Lidal believes manga's inherent emotive appeal illustrates the fact that seeing is believing.
"You look in the eyes of Jesus, John the Baptist, or other biblical figures, and you feel what the character feels," says Lidal, who was moved to tears as he read an early edition cover to cover. "You become part of the story."
He may not be alone. Some 800,000 copies are now being distributed to Ugandan school children. Spanish, Tagalog, Indonesian, and Dutch and other versions of Manga Messiah are in the works, and four follow-up English-language biblical sequels are planned. Three other American publishers have come out with manga Bible products in the last seven months.
Recently, a church in a lower-income Chicago neighborhood used to welcoming 20 to 30 children for their Friday night youth gatherings offered a free copy of Manga Messiah, and 300 kids showed up.
Who could have ever pictured so much from a cartoon?
