According to Tanaka, all Hashimoto did was write a very rough outline or summary of a manuscript, while Tanaka invented all of the remaining details. Hashimoto left all the commenting up to his lawyer, who isn’t quoted in the article.
-Akio Tanaka, illustrator/writer of Shamo, in regard to his lawsuit against original writer, Izo Hashimoto, over the copyright of Shamo.
When I first started writing “manga” I was told by a friend in Japan that mangaka would get an ‘idea’ from an editor – ‘we want a story about this, incorporating this and including that‘. The mangaka was then expected to submit an outline based on the editors wants and needs. The outline was then fleshed out with the editor [in other words] scenes that included dialogue and detailed subplots were written ‘with the editor’. I balked at this because…I’M A WRITER. I’d never write an outline and hand it over to an artist, and expect them to [do my job] come up with dialogue and detailed scene plans. 
That’s not a collaboration, and it’s not part of the creative process for me. I thought, wow–I’m glad I’m not in Japan.
When I submitted to Tokyo Pop, I was told ‘outlines only’ were preferred first–because [our editors] can best develop scenes and storyline with you; well– no. To me, handing over an outline is just a required courtesy to the submissions editor, [or artist] that tells them how my book starts, plays out, and then finishes; it includes subplots and key points of dialogue. The entire script is then available to the editor–if the outline is something they’re interested in. If the editor reads the script and then wants to change dialogue, cut some scenes, and remaster some minor plot issues–well, to me–THAT’S BEING AN EDITOR.
It’s not about ego or story control.
If I’m working on something without a publisher, and just an artist– the same rules apply. I always listen to artists if they feel characters will be more realistic if they act this way, or look like this… and this side-story might work better before this scene… I take all ideas and suggestions into consideration and most of the time, edit accordingly. Many artists I’ve worked with are surprised at the amount of detail my scripts have [some are put off by it--why I have no idea--while others just make changes and explain to me what will work better]. That’s true collaboration; but it has to be a 50/50 process or copyright means nothing. I’m a story teller and there’s hundreds of others out there just like me…but it seems that in manga [published stateside] they call themselves editors, and collect a salary from the company. How oddly Japanese of them.
I’m curious…was Izo an editor? Or were they both friends who got together on a project and Izo tossed an outline Akio’s way and let him do most of the work? I’m curious.
