Blank Canvas: My So-Called Artist’s Journey (Kakukaku Shikajika) Series

LIFE LESSONS Akiko’s school days are long over and her work as a manga artist is keeping her very busy. Yet when Hidaka-sensei declares that he has four months left to live, it turns out he’s got one final lesson to teach her. The emotional finale of mangaka Akiko Higashimura’s dramatic memoir!

UNEXPECTED CIRCUMSTANCES Akiko has finally achieved her dream of becoming a manga artist! She’s almost ready to fully immerse herself in the wonderful world of shoujo when Hidaka-sensei approaches her. Just what does he want?

ONE STEP FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACK Akiko has graduated from art school—let the job hunt begin! But finding work is easier said than done. Will she have to return home to Miyazaki empty-handed?

A RUDE AWAKENING Thanks to Hidaka-sensei’s intensive training, Akiko manages to get through her art school exams. She’s one step closer to seeing her dreams come true…or so she thinks!

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! 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!