My Experience Studying at Accademia Europea di Manga

If you’ve read my About page, you may have noticed that I mention earning a diploma from Accademia Europea di Manga. But what exactly is this school?

Located in Tuscany, Italy, Accademia Europea di Manga is where I learned the foundations of manga illustration and comic creation. During my four years there, I developed the artistic and storytelling skills that continue to shape my work today.

First Year – Life in the Countryside

The academy is divided into two campuses depending on the year of study.

First-year students stay in a rural area of Tuscany, where the school provides a small dormitory, dining hall, classrooms, and even a traditional dojo. Besides manga lessons, students also participate in aikido and theatrical classes, creating a unique learning experience.

I attended my first year there in 2017, and it remains one of my favorite memories. Every morning began with aikido practice before breakfast and our manga classes. Sitting in seiza for long periods certainly left our legs sore, but it was a wonderful way to wake up and start the day.

Students also shared daily responsibilities such as cleaning the classrooms, dining hall, and dormitory. These small tasks helped create a close-knit community where everyone contributed to campus life.

Second Year and Beyond – The Tower of Volterra

From the second year onward, classes move to the beautiful medieval town of Volterra.

Lessons are held in the academy's historic building known as the Torre di Volterra ("Tower of Volterra"), located on Piazzetta San Michele. Unlike the first year, students are responsible for finding their own accommodation. Fortunately, I was lucky enough to live only a short walk from the academy.

During my second year, classes continued as normal while we explored more advanced manga techniques. However, everything changed during my third and fourth years when the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the world.

Like many schools, the academy moved entirely online. Our lessons were held through Discord, allowing us to continue our education safely from home. Although it wasn't the experience any of us had imagined, the teachers did an excellent job adapting the curriculum to remote learning.

What You Learn

The academy's curriculum is designed to gradually build your skills over three to four years.

During the first year, students focus on the fundamentals of anatomy, perspective, and drawing. The second year introduces more advanced techniques such as inking, page composition, and storytelling. In the third year, students learn digital coloring and professional software, including Clip Studio Paint and Adobe InDesign.

Students who continue into the optional fourth-year Master's course complete a final thesis project, bringing together everything they have learned throughout the program.

Of course, this is only a brief overview. There is far more to the curriculum than can be covered in a single blog post.

Learning from Experienced Professionals

One of the greatest strengths of the academy is its teachers.

Many of them are professional manga artists who exhibit their work every year at Lucca Comics & Games, one of Europe's largest comic conventions. Since founding the academy in 2007, they have dedicated themselves to helping aspiring artists pursue manga as a professional career rather than simply as a hobby.

For someone like me, who had dreamed of becoming a manga artist for years, this environment was incredibly inspiring.

Another unforgettable opportunity was meeting visiting Japanese manga artists. Throughout my time at the academy, several professionals from Japan came to teach workshops and share their experience, giving students the rare chance to learn directly from working manga creators.

Would I Recommend the Academy?

Absolutely.

The teachers played a huge role in helping me become the artist I am today, and I remain grateful for everything they taught me. If your goal is to seriously study manga and pursue it professionally, I highly recommend considering Accademia Europea di Manga.

The only thing to keep in mind is that the academy is taught entirely in Italian. If you are not comfortable with the language, it may be challenging, as the staff and instructors do not teach in English.

If you'd like to learn more about the academy, I recommend visiting their official website for detailed information about their courses and admissions.

I hope sharing my experience helps anyone considering a future in manga. If you enjoyed this blog post, I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments. You can also subscribe to my newsletter to receive updates on future blog posts, new artwork, shop launches, and other projects.