Manga (pronounced maawng-guh) literally means “whimsical or impromptu pictures.” Typically associated with otaku “nerdy” tradition, it has a deep and rich history in Japanese artwork that performs a significant role in Japanese culture today. But how did manga start? And the way did it evolve to achieve the global influence it has right now? Although there are clues that manga originated back to the 12th century, we’re going to deal with hard details starting with the word “manga” itself. The…