In Toulouse, the madness of manga continues with Crossover
The “manga X comics” Crossover store was born in Toulouse, in July 2021, from the work of six enthusiasts, convinced that Occitan readers would continue to be enthusiastic about Japanese comics. The figures give their reason: according to GfK annual report, in France last year, more than one out of two comic books sold was a manga, ie one book out of eight. With 47 million copies delivered – twice as many as the previous year – 2021 broke all records; and carried by this extraordinary dynamic, the manga now occupies a place of first choice in the French literary landscape.
Why ? “Because manga is universal, timeless, multiple. It offers an incomparable diversity of characters and eras in totally fantastic universes. In short, there is something for everyone! », Analyzes Thomas Briet, one of the partners. “First, a child watches cartoons, then starts reading romance, action or adventure stories that match their interests. Growing up, he will turn to manga for adults, which would involve slices of life, deeper, complex and sometimes violent themes. »
In addition to adapting to all ages, manga retains its readership with long and regular series: a new volume comes out every two to three months… whereas a Franco-Belgian comic book reader generally attends a year to discover the latest opus from his favorite author. The success of the genre is such that creation is now developing in France and as far as Occitania: the Toulouse artist Tony Valente belongs to the very confidential circle of French mangakas recognized in the land of the Rising Sun, thanks to his series Radianttranslated into Japanese and adapted for Japanese television.
A mature market
In the shop, 6,000 comic book references are offered on the shelves, along with a wide choice of figurines for all budgets and a few snacking products. Sales control national trends: full house for the must-haves A piece, demon slayer and my hero academia but the classics naruto we dragonball remain safe bets. “New releases are doing just as well and production is very dynamic,” adds Benoit Mino, manager, who tries to offer around twenty new series to his customers every month.
Open crossover with the desire to address both the world of Japanese animation and that of comics, although American superheroes are losing momentum. “It’s a small niche of connoisseurs,” comments the manager. “Despite a loyal clientele, the genre struggles to recruit young audiences, because the universes are anchored in the society of an era. And new releases often revisit already known stories, even if we recently had some very innovative nuggets. »
As a result, the associates prioritize expanding their line of manga, one that remains flourishing. For the young shop, which has been successful from the first months, the last few weeks have however been difficult: “War, election, weather… In March, the inhabitants of Toulouse did not have the head to come to bookstores”, assures Benoît Mino . Not enough to discourage the partners, who are patient with philosophy. The team is teeming with projects to best satisfy its clientele of impatient enthusiasts: the development of an online store or the establishment of a pre-order system should see the light of day in the coming months.
Marie-Dominique Lacour
Pictured: Thomas Briet and Benoît Mino, co-managers of Crossover. Credits: Marie-Dominique Lacour-ToulÉco.