Misako Rocks!
Misako Rocks! is a Japanese manga artist based in Brooklyn, NY. At age 19, she won a scholarship to come to American as an exchange student. Her first break came when The Onion decided to use her illustrations for their “Savage Love” column.
Since then, she has published seven books in both the United States and Japan, and teaches manga students privately and at several schools throughout New York City.
What do you love to do for fun?
Kickboxing! Everyday!
Why did you leave Japan to America?
When I was a kid, I watched a movie Back to the Future and got a huge crush on Michael J Fox. I wanted to be his girlfriend. That’s the main reason why I moved to America. Hahaha!
Awards and honors:
NYPL Best Teens Book List, 2007
Selected as one of 5 Japanese artists to meet Japanese Prime Minister Abe, 2015
Texas Little Maverick Reading List 2023 – Bounce Back
Texas Little Maverick Reading List 2024 – No Such Thing As Perfect
Specialties:
Action-adventure, Advertising, Animals, Black & white, Board books, Book Covers, Branding, Character design, Coloring, Concept art, Editorial, Fantasy, Graphic novel interior art, Humor, Illustration, Indie comics, Inking, Lettering, Manga, Middle Grade, Non-fiction, Packaging, Penciling, Picture books, Sci-fi, Slice-of-life, Spot art, Storyboarding, Typography, Young Adult
Location:
Brooklyn, NY
Mediums:
Copic markers, digital
Art Process:
If I’m working on comic books, I like to start with a finished manuscript first. It’s easier for me to work this way. My thumbnails look like a bunch of eggs are talking. Once I complete the entire thumbnails, then I can move to the “pencil” process. I normally use awesome manga paper from Japan. I start drawing carefully on these papers. Meanwhile, I draw backgrounds like cities or streets separately. Then I move to the “inking” process. I use Japanese calligraphy brush pens and Copic ink pens to trace the pencil lines. Once it’s done, I scan every page to color them with Photoshop. That’s my favorite part!
Available for School Visits:
I’ve been teaching manga at so many schools! I offer a Manga Drawing Workshop for all ages, where I teach students how to create their own manga characters step by step. I also offer a motivational talk aimed at middle and high school student called “How Misako became a manga artist in America!” I use a slideshow with photos of Japan and comic books to talk about why and how I left Japan and became a manga artist in America.
Forthcoming books:
Let’s Color Kawaii Manga (Quarto, TBD)
Published books:
Biker Girl (Hyperion, 2006)
Rock and Roll Love (Hyperion, 2007)
Detective Jermain (Henry Holt, 2009)
How to Find a Gaijin Boyfriend (Discover 21, Japan, 2014)
New York Life Style: How to make your life fun and exciting (Discover 21, Japan, 2015)
How to speak English with Misako’s method (Ascom Publisher, Japan, 2015)
Bounce Back (Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan, 2021)
Bounce Back: No Such Thing As Perfect (Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan, 2023)
How to Draw Kawaii Manga Characters (Quarto, 2024)
How to Draw Kawaii Manga Fashion (Quarto, 2024)
Bounce Back: Sew Totally Nala, (Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan, Fall 2025)
How to Draw Kawaii Manga Chibi Big Emotions (Quarto, 2026)
Bounce Back: Double Trouble: Lost in Japan (Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan, Fall 2026)
How to Draw Kawaii Manga Pets (Quarto, 2026)
Visit Misako at:
Published Books
