The Undervalued Art of Paneling

Taking a look at manga, the most striking feature is the art style of the mangaka. It’s often quite impressive to see how some mangaka are able to put up with weekly/monthly publications while still keeping their art consistent. One aspect of manga, or any graphic novel, that is often overlooked is how a page is paneled, or laid out. Good paneling is striking, and it elevates what is being depicted in the art. I think of Tatsuki Fujimoto, author of Chainsaw Man. Despite only having a limited number of pages a week for part one’s run, he wasn’t afraid to dedicate so many panels to the mundane, which is ultimately the core of Chainsaw Man.