Queen in manga & doujinshi

Manga, or Japanese comics, are an indelible part of Japanese culture. Unlike in the West, where comics are often either viewed as a relic of the past (newspapers) or somewhat nerdy (superheroes), Japanese citizens of all ages and backgrounds read manga. Most schools have manga clubs, and many manga become so popular as to enter broad popular culture. Many anime series start out in printed form as manga.

Queen in manga

Doujinshi, on the other hand, are independently-produced comics, often derivative—that is, building on an already existing or established fandom or work. They run the gamut from extremely obscure and amateur to well-established, and are often printed as a labor of love rather than business. They bear a resemblance to the (often more text-based) Western fanzine, but with more cultural cachet. The Japanese Queen fandom's relationship with doujinshi is quite interesting and unique.

Queen and doujinshi

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