What is Manga Typesetting? A Beginner’s Guide to the Process

Comics have long been a beloved form of storytelling, with their unique blend of visuals and narrative. While Western comics, led by giants like DC and Marvel, dominated the market in the 1990s and early 2000s, recent years have seen a surge in the popularity of Asian comics — such as Japanese manga, Korean manhwa, and web-based webtoons — particularly among younger generations. This growing interest in Asian comics has fueled demand for translation and localization services. According to CBR manga outsells comics in the West, and around the world, which can be attributed to its more diverse range of genres, ability to appeal to wider audiences, and higher page count for a comparable price.

Ever wondered how comics get translated into other languages? In this Manga typesetting guide, we’ll cover the basics of the process to give you a comprehensive understanding of the workflow. Whether you’re a beginner, new to manga typesetting, or someone with some experience looking to refine your skills, this guide is designed to help.

Key Takeaways: 

• Asian comics are gaining more and more popularity among younger generations worldwide. Skilled manga typesetters are becoming increasingly crucial in bridging cultural and linguistic gaps.

• Manga typesetting is a complex art that requires preserving the original work’s cultural nuances, selecting the right fonts, and carefully integrating translated text with intricate artwork.

• Manga typesetting includes multiple rounds of quality checking to prevent any mistakes. 

• Successful typesetters must be both technically skilled, having a mastery of the programs they use, and attentive to details.

Table of contents:

• What is Manga Typesetting?

• The Manga Typesetting Process: Step-by-Step

• Tips to Improve Manga Typesetting Quality

Manga typesetting is the process of replacing the original text in speech bubbles and other areas of a Manga page with translated text, ensuring that the new text integrates seamlessly with the artwork.

While it might sound simple, there are many nuances to keep in mind: 

Translators must ensure that the text remains accurate while maintaining the context and cultural significance. Localization plays a crucial role, as certain elements of the original text need to be adapted, so they are clear and relatable to readers unfamiliar with Japanese culture. Additionally, typesetters must carefully select fonts that match the tone of the original work, use appropriate software for editing, and align the new text aesthetically with the existing art. 

These aspects, and more, will be explored in detail in the next sections.
While this is a manga typesetting guide, it can also be applied to other comics, including manhwas, webtoons, western comics, and more. You can also check out our article on Webtoon Translation and Typesetting.

Here are the steps we follow at CCCI to ensure the best quality when typesetting comics.

The process begins with translation. A native speaker or someone fluent in the source and target languages reviews the manga pages, writing out the translations for each segment. For this task they might use Excel, Word, Google Docs, Google Docs, LibreOffice alternatives, or their preferred software. For ease of use on every step of the process it is preferred to work with the file in a PDF format using various PDF editing pieces of software, such as Adobe Acrobat. This can simplify navigation and organization during the subsequent steps.

If you’re interested in how to translate a manga, you can also check out this article here.

In this step, another translator reviews the initial draft for mistakes, mistranslations, grammatical errors, and inconsistencies. Think of it as the quality check stage for the translation. Once corrections are made, the file is handed over to the typesetter.

For this stage it is important to pick the right tools. You’ll need an image editing program that gives you the ability to work with text and different fonts. The industry standards are Adobe Creative Cloud programs (Photoshop, Indesign and Illustrator).

The first task is cleaning the page by removing the original text while preserving the artwork. 

Fonts for the translated text are selected carefully to match the original design and tone. Depending on the language you’re translating into, you’ll need to keep some things in mind. For example certain languages, like German, require specific character support (e.g., “Ä, Ö, Ü, ß”), or in some Asian fonts part of the characters might be missing, while in case of less common languages it might be hard to find a fitting font altogether! Some fonts can be edited, if you are legally granted a permission to do so by the creators, in different software, but that’s a lengthy subject and requires its own article.

During their work, the typesetter needs to keep in mind the spacing inside the bubbles, different effects, overlays and bends on the SFXs, while making sure to submit everything in the scheduled time! 

After finishing the work they convert it into a PDF format and send it for a typesetting check.

At this stage the person responsible for the final Quality check goes over the PDF file, making notes of any mistakes, inconsistencies, misses or other issues and sends it to the translator for the Final Read process.

During Final Read, the translator gives one final look at the new version, double-checking to ensure that the translation is correct and conveys the original meaning accurately. Any necessary adjustments are noted on the PDF and sent back to the typesetter for revisions.

At this stage the typesetter is tasked with implementing the changes noted by the Quality Checker and translator on the PDF file. After revisions they send all the files to the Quality Checker for the submission.

After receiving all the files, the Quality Checker performs a final review to ensure that all the feedback from the notes left during the Typesetting Check and Final Read stages are implemented and the files meet the expected standards. With everything examined and necessary changes applied, the Quality checker submits the final files.

It’s fairly common to get feedback or request for some changes from the client, be it regarding the text, style or files themselves. Maintaining clear and efficient communication with the client is essential to delivering the best results. 

Any requested changes are usually managed by the Quality Checker.

While some organizations and teams might streamline this process, these are the steps we follow at CCCI to ensure top-notch manga typesetting.

Here are some comics typesetting pro tips to ease your work and improve quality.

At CCCI, typesetters start by creating separate folders for text, sound effects (SFXs), cleaning, and original images. This practice ensures organization and uniformity across all pages, making it easier to manage revisions and maintain consistency.

At CCCI, typesetters start by creating separate folders for text, sound effects (SFXs), cleaning, and original images. This practice ensures organization and uniformity across all pages, making it easier to manage revisions and maintain consistency.

Make sure to have at least one letter’s width of space between the text and the edge of the speech bubble. This creates a balanced appearance and avoids clutter. The text should neither be too large nor too small. Choosing the right text size for each bubble is essential for maintaining both aesthetics and readability.

Use a variety of effects to make your SFXs visually engaging.
If you’re working with colored manga or manhwa, experiment with colors, strokes, effects, and blending modes to make them pop. Just make sure that they follow the original ones stylistically and fit in with the scene. 

Create Actions of the picked fonts, with complete settings, to speed up the workflow and make sure that the fonts are consistent across all pages. This practice also simplifies the process of sharing settings and presets with other members of the team.

Manga typesetting is a meticulous process that ensures translated comics retain their original charm and readability, while reaching new audiences worldwide. From translation to final revisions, every step demands teamwork, creativity, attention to detail, and clear communication.

By following the steps outlined in this guide and continuously improving your techniques, you can ensure that your typesetting work not only meets but exceeds expectations, contributing to the seamless experience that readers cherish.

As the popularity of manga and other Asian comics continues to grow, so does the need for skilled typesetters who understand the nuances of this art form. We, at CCCI, strive to fill this demand by providing top class comic translation and localization services, from start to finish. 

Contact us today!