The manga kissa of Japan sits as a distinct combination of vast manga (comic) library, internet café, and semi-private oasis nestled in the urban sprawl of cities such as Osaka and Tokyo. In the United States the concept of the “third space” (recently promoted by Starbucks) is a close parallel to the embodiment of the manga kissa idea as a home-away-from-home; though the Japanese version notably lacks most of the prominent social aspects found in Oldenburg and Brissett’s conception. Instead it is a sober and silent refuge from the noise of the city, and social pressures that regulate one’s daily life in Japanese society.
The aisles of manga are neatly kept, and each book is individually unassuming, yet visually staggering in their collective totality. Despite having been read dozens if not hundreds or even thousands of times, they show little to no signs of abuse or neglect. Courtesy for others is shown more solemnly through action, and verbal posturing is rarely necessary. Patrons are predominantly men, both young and old, student and office worker alike. Women too are a part of the manga kissa, and a substantial selection of shoujo (girls’ comics) targeted at young women is available as well. Their emphasis on interpersonal relations contrasts with the dominant action and humor themes of shounen (boys’ comics). These are gendered themes in the arc of Japanese life, prominent even in early education.
As a cultural icon, manga in Japan is ubiquitous and considered by many an important aspect of Japanese culture. The manga kissa is, however, only a single element of that larger pop culture phenomenon. While it creates a liminal space in which visitors may escape social reality, it simultaneously reinforces that reality (culturally) through parody and emulation in stories. Patrons may for a brief moment escape society in order to view it from a distance, to distort it and reshape it, before rejoining it once again.
