Indian Manga Nirvana Aims to Take Readers on a Dark-Fantasy Adventure With Local Flair
The manga is currently in the works, with the first chapter slated to release in July.
Manga, the renowned comic art from Japan, has captured the hearts of many in India and abroad. Known for its distinct way of storytelling and captivating black-and-white artwork, manga is also a significant contributing factor in the creation of anime. Now, an Indian comic book titled Nirvana is set to make its mark on the global stage of manga-inspired storytelling.
Created by a team of passionate Indian artists and writers, Nirvana blends elements of action, dark-fantasy, supernatural, and adventure genres. This blend tells a story that many manga and anime lovers in the country are familiar with in terms of the style. Here is everything you need to know about Nirvana.
Nirvana - Chapter 1: Karma
Nirvana - Chapter 1: Karma serves as the debut instalment of this new series. Crafted by the duo of Abhishek Verma and Gaurav Verma, two 17-year-olds who go by the pen name Abhirav. They are also anime YouTubers in their own right with over 2,00,000 subscribers.
The story of Nirvana follows the life of an ordinary boy as his existence takes an extraordinary turn. Details of the plot remain under wraps for now to maintain the element of surprise.
The manga experience
While Nirvana is heavily influenced by Japanese manga, the reading format has been adapted to suit Indian readers. In Japan, manga is read in a unique way, from right to left, which aligns with the country's vertical writing style. While Japanese text itself is not read from right to left, the panels and speech bubbles in manga follow a right-to-left progression.
However, in India, left-to-right reading is the standard practice for most languages. Indian comics also adhere to the standard left-to-right format, which prompted Nirvana creators to present the manga in the same format.
The creators acknowledge that their choice might deviate from the traditional manga reading order and apologise to hardcore fans who may prefer the original right-to-left approach. However, they emphasise that manga is not solely defined by its reading direction but encompasses the amalgamation of art and storytelling. Nirvana aims to provide a more accessible and immersive reading experience to a wider audience, including those new to manga.
The creative team behind Nirvana
At the helm of this project are two individuals who have poured their passion and talent into bringing Nirvana to life. Abhirav have been ardent anime and manga enthusiasts and aspiring creators from a young age. Collaborating with them is Animesh, who contributes illustrations to the manga. Ankit Mishra takes charge of lettering duties for Nirvana.
“I have been diligently working on this project since August 2021, alongside my talented friend Animesh, who is the artist of the manga, and Cosmics,” said Abhirav. The duo always wanted to create a comic book, but weren’t proficient in drawing. It decided to focus on creating stories instead. However, they were drawn to creating a manga after being captivated by anime and manga.
“In 2020, when I was 14 years old, a story idea took hold of my imagination, and I began to earnestly write it down. I approached several artists for collaboration, with the aim of participating in the Tezuka Manga Contest 2020. Regrettably, progress on these endeavours was not as fruitful as I had hoped. Faced with an ardent desire to materialise my manga, I decided to take matters into my own hands and start drawing myself. However, my artwork did not meet the desired standard. Additionally, I faced a lack of necessary digital devices and equipment, which impeded my ability to achieve my goal of creating a manga to submit to the Tezuka Manga Contest.”
In 2021, Abhirav was approached by Ankit, who presented the chance to write a story for a burgeoning comic book publisher called Cosmics. Behind the scenes, Mohammad Shahbaz, the founder of Cosmics, plays a pivotal role in supporting and shaping the Nirvana project. It is a bootstrapped comic book publishing start-up, that is backing Nirvana and bringing it to the forefront of the comic book industry.
Filled with eagerness, Abhirav expressed their desire to create a manga-style comic, and to their delight, Shahbaz was intrigued by the idea of an Indian manga in the market and granted approval. Thus, Abhirav embarked on this manga project, joined by the artistic skills of Animesh. Both Abhirav and Animesh were venturing into the realm of comic creation for the first time, and their shared passion and excitement served as the driving force behind their progress. However, due to their academic commitments, the completion of the project extended beyond 1.5 years. Abhirav remains committed to continuous learning and eagerly seeks feedback to enhance their writing skills.
“This was my first time being part of a project like this where I had to illustrate a comic, nonetheless a manga at that!” said Animesh. “It was a learning experience for me to play a very important role in the comic-making process, which is a very sensitive and lengthy process that has to be followed with great care. Overall, it was a long but rewarding experience. As an artist, I have tried not only to translate the author's thoughts onto paper but also to illuminate the world they have spent time developing and nurturing, with visuals that provoke thoughts and inspire introspection.”
‘Indian manga’
The team behind Nirvana believes that by labelling Nirvana as a manga, they can effectively capture the essence of its unique artistry and narrative approach. They also want to connect with enthusiasts of this distinct genre in India.
Nirvana creators said, “The term ‘Indian manga’ has been coined to describe Nirvana and other similar creations emerging from India that draw inspiration from the Japanese manga tradition.” They continued, “While some may question the use of the term 'manga' outside of Japan, labelling these works as such allows creators to acknowledge the profound influence of Japanese storytelling techniques, artistic styles, and cultural nuances. It also bridges the gap between the Indian and global manga-loving communities, fostering a sense of familiarity and appreciation.”
The creators of Nirvana acknowledge that, ultimately, it is up to the readers to interpret and label their work as they see fit. They have no qualms about how people choose to refer to Nirvana. “Our main goal is to share our story and art with the audience, and we hope they enjoy and appreciate it.”
