Blank Canvas: My So-Called Artist’s Journey (Kakukaku Shikajika)Vol. 1

Story & Art Akiko Higashimura

The autobiographical manga by Eisner-winner Akiko Higashimura, the creator of Princess Jellyfish and Tokyo Tarareba Girls, about her high school dream to become a comic book creator! Inspired the live-action movie. High schooler Akiko has big plans to become a popular mangaka before she even graduates, but she needs to get much better at drawing if she ever wants to reach her goal. Looking for an easy fix, she signs up for an art class, thinking all her problems will soon be solved. She’s in for a surprise: her new instructor is a bamboo sword-wielding taskmaster who doesn’t care about manga one bit. But maybe this unconventional art teacher is just what she needs to realize her dreams! “… a fun and personal chronicle of a girl’s coming of age and rise to prominence in the manga industry. It’s extremely entertaining and has just enough intelligence and self-reflection to resonate as a lived experience. It’s just really, really good.” – Anime News Network