Manga Studio 5
About this item
- Add power and flexibility to your design process. Specifically designed for professionals, Manga Studio combines a multitude of cutting-edge features that makes it the most powerful manga and comic drawing tool in the market.
- Save valuable time and effort. Speed up your workflow! With Manga Studio’s powerful feature set and intuitive, standard interface, you will quickly create and enhance your comic projects faster than if created by hand.
- Create professional level art from start to finish. Designed specifically for illustrating manga and comic art, Manga Studio’s specialized features provide a complete solution for creating standard black and white manga and comics.
- Draw naturally with a Tablet - Sketch, scan or import your inked artwork directly. Create original sketches using your mouse or draw naturally with a Pen Tablet.
- Screen tones & Patterns - Screen tones add dimension, depth and character to your artwork. Choose from tones of screen tones in Manga Studio.
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Product details
- Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
- Product Dimensions : 1.2 x 5.2 x 7.5 inches; 0.35 ounces
- Item model number : ALA31002327
- Date First Available : December 11, 2012
- Manufacturer : Smith Micro Software Inc.
- ASIN : B00ANH074Y
- Best Sellers Rank: #1,431 in Software (See Top 100 in Software)
- #6 in Animation & Anime
- #42 in Illustration
- #481 in Mac Software
- Customer Reviews:
Product Description
Product Description
Manga Studio, The #1 Comic & Manga Software Worldwide, is the most efficient and advanced all-in-one solution for drawing, laying out, illustrating and publishing manga and comics.
From the Manufacturer
Manga Studio 5
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The #1 comic and manga software worldwide
Manga Studio 5 is your all-in-one solution for stunning, ready-to-publish manga and comics. Quickly and easily create manga and comics with Manga Studio’s drawing tools, filters and special effects. Get started immediately with the intuitive user interface. Draw naturally with a Pen Tablet and Invigorate your artwork using the integrated color features. Express motion and moods with speed lines and focus lines while adding dialog with built-in word balloons. Choose from tons of screen tones and add dimension to your drawings. Manga Studio helps you create professional manga and comics from start to finish!
SPEED UP YOUR WORKFLOW
Amazing New Effects and Tools - Amazing updates to Manga Studio make it comparable to other popular graphic applications such as Photoshop and Painter. Manga Studio 5 provides several advancements over Manga Studio 4 to help you create a much more professional and polished look.
FULLY CUSTOMIZABLE NEW USER INTERFACE
Set up a Personal Work Flow - Manga Studio 5 was written with artists' workflow at the very top of the priority list. All of the most used tools - pens, pencils, erasers, rulers, pattern brushes and selection tools are all right at your fingertips. Customize your own brush shapes, canvas textures, paint expressions and more and then save those as your personal settings.
Power Coloring Tools
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POWERFUL COLORING TOOLS
Color your Artwork - Manga Studio is your all in one manga and comic creation solution. Save time and money by no longer having to use other applications to professionally color your artwork.
More Power and ControlView larger
MORE POWER AND CONTROL
3D Options - New support for 3D objects and figures allows for reference and background materials. Manipulate 3D objects directly on the screen or use preset poses. Drag and Drop other 3D objects on the canvas.
Draw NaturallyView larger
DRAW NATURALLY
Pencil and Ink Options - Manga Studio offers more versatility and flexibility than any other application when creating manga and comics. Create original sketches using your mouse or draw naturally with a Pen Tablet. Use scans of your existing paper artwork or import images or photos for use in your manga and comic creations.
Maximum FlexibilityView larger
MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY
Vector Toolkit - Speed up production using the built-in vector tools. Ability to view the centerline of vectors makes spotting trouble areas in need of smoothing a breeze
Simulate Real BrushesView larger
SIMULATE REAL WORLD BRUSHES
Paint Brushes Created Just the Way You Like - New dedicated air brush allows you to have multiple air brush effects. Use the tone brush to create a wider array of visual effects. Easily create and share your own brush pattern as well.
Reuse your ArtworkView larger
REUSE YOUR ARTWORK - BACKWARDS COMPATIBILITY
Import Your Manga Studio 4 Page Files - Manga Studio 5 allows you to import your Manga Studio 4 Debut and 4 EX .CPG page files.
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Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like the ease of use, software, and visual design of the video game accessories. For example, they mention the interface is really intuitive and user-friendly, the tools are easy to select and configure, and the program packs a punch. That said, they appreciate the hefty load of patterns, screentones, and other manga materials. As for performance, they say it works well for beginners and is functional. Overall, customers say the product is worth the price.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the program relatively easy to learn and use. They say the interface is intuitive and user-friendly, with easy-to-select and configure brushes. They also say the program is streamlined and easy to accomplish. Customers also say installation is easy and the general setup looks easy to work with. They find it perfect for beginners and easy for them to dive into coloring options.
"...The panel layout tool is a huge help as well, though you have to get creative if you've got characters overlapping/breaking out of panels...." Read more
"...TL;DR: Much more intuitive, cost-effective, and painting/drawing friendly than Photoshop ever was or ever will be...." Read more
"...The program is very intuitive...." Read more
"...editing, templates, digital inking and coloring options that are easy to dive into...." Read more
Customers find the software amazing, nice, and a great all-in-one program. They say it packs a punch and is the best piece of graphic software on the market.
"Great design software at an even better point!..." Read more
"...The software's very nice the layouts are familiar to me since I am a Adobe Photoshop user also Painttool SAI's. The brushes are nice...." Read more
"...have heard it's excellent for that as well, so it's really a great all-in-one program. Once you get used to the layout/menu system." Read more
"Manga studio is the best inking program available IMO. There is a bit of a learning curve when comparing it to Photoshop...." Read more
Customers like the performance of the tablet. They say it does an amazing job, is functional, and works well for beginners. They also say the program is super powerful and a delightful blend of SAI and Photoshop. Customers also mention that it runs smoothly and has no issues with the program when using the tablet in a video game.
"...A fantastic, robust upgrade from previous iterations of the same software. 5/5 stars, would buy again...." Read more
"...It runs Manga Studio really well, but as of now (v5.0.4 update) and as a top reviewer has mentioned, the Retina issue still isn't addressed...." Read more
"...is a bit more manageable as a subscription base, this program works just as well, perhaps even better as it is tailored entirely to digital art work..." Read more
"...Smith Micro site, I'm downloading the EX updates as the serial number code doesn't work for regular Manga Studio 5 update downloads...." Read more
Customers find the visual design of the video game accessories to be great. They mention that it allows them to draw more naturally, set up custom canvases, and customize the workspace are ridiculously simple. They also love the hefty load of patterns, screentones, and other manga materials. Customers say the tools are great for digital drawing and painting in general. They appreciate the preloaded brushes, which are very customizable, and the great selection of layers. Customers also mention that out-of-the-box, it has simple, no-nonsense vector line drawing that eliminates the process of creating manga.
"...Plus, it comes with five different smoothing/retouching options, including photoshop-normal fingertip and blur...and adding "color mixing,"..." Read more
"...'s default brush settings, and out-of-the-box it has simple no-nonsense vector line drawing which eliminates the process of importing/exporting from..." Read more
"...more affordable than any Adobe product, the Manga Studio series offers many design, editing, templates, digital inking and coloring options that are..." Read more
"...The option for multiple layers is a lifesaver for artists, but I still started to feel as though I'd paid for something I already had for free until..." Read more
Customers appreciate the value of the video game accessories. They say it's worth the price, quality work, and effort. Some say it’s a pretty good product for hobbyists and worth learning.
"...be a bad idea to look at Manga Studio Debut first, since it's VERY reasonably priced for any similar software (probably the cheapest for its class!)...." Read more
"...This program is NOT a poor man's Photoshop, it is excellent and I don't know how I ever lived without it...." Read more
"...I give 5 stars because of the combination of price, features, and brush engine far outshine software over 10 times its price...." Read more
"...It's cheap and very accessible.Update 12/25/2014:..." Read more
Customers like the appearance of the software. They say the layering and tools help give their artwork a great look. They also say the interface looks good and the tools assist in making strokes look less jagged and more natural. Customers say the work they produce is stunning and the program has lovely models, patterns, and effects. They mention that it's a delightful blend of SAI and Photoshop that supports both vector and painting.
"...between raster (aka non-vector) and vector is so similar and seamless that I often find myself drawing on raster layers by mistake without realizing..." Read more
"...works just as well, perhaps even better as it is tailored entirely to digital art work..." Read more
"...+Installable Materials+High Quality Color Blending..." Read more
"...has over 4 is an anti-aliasing tool that helps assists in making strokes look less jagged and more natural...." Read more
Customers find the features of the software helpful and cool. They say it brings together all the most useful functions of Paint Tool SAI and Photoshop while bringing its own. Customers also say the program has a lot of features and is very user friendly.
"...especially considering the word balloons in MS5 are easy to use and very helpful...." Read more
"...It makes an excellent intro to the key features of its big sisters. However...you're going to want to upgrade at least to this version eventually...." Read more
"...The program has a lot of features, but so far, the tool menu shows the tools in Japanese even in the english instruction booklet, so I've been..." Read more
"...In addition to the program itself, there are lots of helpful resources for Manga Studio available on the web...." Read more
Customers find the story-boarding feature of the video game accessories program fun to sketch with and use. They say it's perfect for creative people who love to draw and has a lot of fun additional features. Customers also say the program is easy and intuitive, and has many creative uses.
"...It emulates an actual pencil well, and its actually rather fun to sketch with...." Read more
"...Honestly, story structure was cool, but I've found it absolutely unnecessary for what I'm doing...." Read more
"...This is one of the best creative programs I've ever used - easy and intuitive for the basic functions and not too steep a learning curve for more..." Read more
"...Other than that I love Manga Studio 5. It is perfect for a hobbyist like me and at a price I actually find reasonable...." Read more
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First off, I've been using Paint Tool Sai and Photoshop (7 and CS2) for ages now. I'm familiar with both of the tools, and when I heard about MS5 actually replacing them for some people, I was excited. Something to simplify my workflow and help me produce better comics? I was all for that. After using it for a month or so, here's what I've found.
Compared to Sai, I enjoy the pencil tool in MS5 a lot more. It emulates an actual pencil well, and its actually rather fun to sketch with. I feel like the brush tools and spray can settings are much more natural "out of the box", I've not had to modify them very much or dig too deeply into the settings for them. MS5 also has comparable Stabilization settings, so if that's something you use when inking in Sai (I know I do), you'll be pleased to see it here; beware though, it doesn't have as minute settings as in Sai for this. There's 5 different "levels", compared to the 13 or so in Sai.
Another difference: The eraser tool. I use a Wacom Cintiq, and I'm used to the tool switching to the eraser when I flip the tablet pen over. MS5 does the same thing, however the "brush tip" and other settings do not change to reflect that. I've dug around and done some research, and it seems to be by design, with no way to change it at the moment. This led to some frustration as I'd flip the pen over to erase something, change the brush tip size, and then not find it reflected in the eraser at all! It would instead change the size of the tool I was currently using on the pen side of the stylus. Better get used to keyboard shortcuts to change the eraser size while using it, as that's the only way to do so with this "temp switch" method MS5 uses.
There's only one major difference between Photoshop and MS5 that keeps me from switching over to it completely: the text tool. MS5 handles text strangely. You can't rotate it. This might seem like a minor issue, but when you're doing sound effects for comic panels, its a big deal. The text tools in Photoshop are infinitely more powerful than in MS5. Sure you can emulate strokes and text transforms, but you can't edit the text afterwards when you do so as you have to convert the text layer to a raster layer to do any of this. This is very annoying, especially considering the word balloons in MS5 are easy to use and very helpful.
I often find myself putting in the text and word balloons in MS5, then going to Photoshop to add in the sound effect text, or even redoing the text in the word balloons due to a strange quirk with some font types in MS5, where it cuts off part of the text. I have to add in a space before and after a block of text to keep it from cutting off part of the letter T, or W, or any other number of letters. This doesn't happen with every font style, only certain custom ones it seems. Never had that problem with Photoshop.
If you don't mind any of the above, I'd recommend Manga Studio 5 to anyone who works on comics, or even general illustration. The brush settings are a lot more customizable, and there's a "close gap" option with a few of the selection tools and paint bucket, which is a huge help when filling in large areas with color and there's a break in a line somewhere that you just can't seem to find. It has the easy rotation of the canvas found in Sai, along with a few other of Sai's features, and the vector controls seem comparable to Photoshop. Try out the mesh transform tool too if you get this, it can produce some nice effects. The panel layout tool is a huge help as well, though you have to get creative if you've got characters overlapping/breaking out of panels.
One final word of warning though! If you plan on saving your documents as .PSDs to switch between Sai/Photoshop/MS5, do not, and I repeat, DO NOT use Draft Layers. They DO NOT get saved as normal raster layers when you save as a PSD. I lost over a week of work on a project for a client due to this, it simply erased the layers and didn't bother to even export them as raster layers (like how Sai does when you import Text Layers into it, for example). They may be nice as they're treated as the sketch layer by the program (and not exported in the final, flattened image), but only if you use MS5's proprietary format.
That's all I've got.
The biggest difference between Manga Studio and other image programs I've used is the pen correction and smoothing feature. Wondering why your lines are shaky when you're using a tablet? It's because your tablet is extremely sensitive to every little shake of your hand, in a way that pen and paper isn't. Many people on the internet will tell you the answer is "practice." I disagree, because Manga Studio has proven that it isn't necessary to change your drawing technique when you move from traditional to digital. Manga Studio will smooth your lines forward into the shape you intended - not the squiggly mess that Photoshop leaves you with on the same stroke. Photoshop does sort of have a line smoothing feature - a checkbox. This isn't enough, because it's so minimal that I can't tell the difference. Manga Studio's line smoothing is a slider, so you can customize the strength of the smoothing to suit your needs, whether you're drawing long sweeping capes or scruffy fur that needs lots of sharp points.
Manga Studio has another feature Photoshop lacks - vector rendering. You can draw with vectorized lines as though you're in Adobe Illustrator, but without the painful learning curve that comes with Illustrator. (For those unaware, having vectorized lines means you can resize and even manipulate the shapes of your lines without losing any quality.) Manga Studio doesn't allow you to create large fill areas in vector. Still, the drawing experience between raster (aka non-vector) and vector is so similar and seamless that I often find myself drawing on raster layers by mistake without realizing it... :) And then I realize my lines aren't as smooth as I'd like them to be, and immediately switch over with a single click.
All in all, Manga Studio is also just more user friendly than any image program I've ever used. It doesn't have all the features used for photo manipulation...and chances are, a digital painter or cartoonist doesn't need them.
More features:
Easily create your own brushes with images you've drawn in the program...right in the program. The brushes can be smooth "paintbrush" images, random sprays or effects, or even long ribbons that track the direction of your pen, such as lengths of chain or pearl strings or barbed wire or even waving music staves. I personally use it for long hair braids (no one wants to ink all that every time), but it's easily used for ropes, fences, vines, or anything long and repeating. Unlike other programs, you can also use multiple colors in these brushes, so you can even add shading or photorealistic textures to a brush. You can also use as many separate random images as you like to create a spray brush (I use this for leaves, branches, and grime). I used the brush creation feature to re-create Dan Luvisi's set of Photoshop brushes for my own use in Manga Studio. It wasn't that hard.
All of your brush materials and custom images are kept in a Materials folder that's easy to back up and edit from inside the program. This feature inside the program is slightly glitchy, but a program restart generally fixes it. I'm one of those heathens who will keep programs running for days at a time, so I'm not surprised.
I've never actually had Manga Studio crash, though. Food for thought. It's a robust piece of software. Also, it loads in SECONDS. Read that, GIMP users. Seconds.
Guess what ELSE can go in your materials? 3D models, that's what. This is more of an "extra" or "just cool" thing than something you want to rely on, but it seriously helps for drawing things you're not used to at weird angles (for me, read "anything with an internal combustion engine" ... ). It also comes with several positionable "mannequins" that you can trace over if you need help getting that weird action pose just right - sort of like a digital wooden joint doll. But more flexible, and more useful.
Oh, and those who've worked out an entire 20-step method for getting legitimate-looking speech bubbles out of Photoshop (like I have)...look no further.
FOR PAINTERS: For those who think this program is only for cartoons, think again. It comes with tons of natural brush options (and, as said before, the ability to create as many custom brushes as your heart desires with virtually no overhead). Plus, it comes with five different smoothing/retouching options, including photoshop-normal fingertip and blur...and adding "color mixing," which gives you a more natural, realistic blend without looking blurry. Each brush can use several different blending modes that mimic watercolors, oils, inks, or graphite.
And don't worry - it still comes with all those Photoshop-necessary features like render modes (Subtract, Add, Multiply, Screen, Burn, Dodge...), opacity, levels, HSB, Bright/Contrast, Masking, etc.
FOR UPGRADES:
From Manga Studio Debut (AKA Manga Studio Lite):
I had Manga Studio Debut 4, so this may not apply to MS5D, but Debut was missing one vital component: an eye dropper. If you ever want to work with color, this is essential, so beware. You're also not going to get the brush creation features or the 3D. Treat Debut as a cheap trial version of this program.
If you're REALLY iffy on the program, it may not be a bad idea to look at Manga Studio Debut first, since it's VERY reasonably priced for any similar software (probably the cheapest for its class!). It makes an excellent intro to the key features of its big sisters. However...you're going to want to upgrade at least to this version eventually. I find myself not wanting for the features of Manga Studio EX, but Debut was missing many of the things that make my life 1000x easier in the "real" version.
I also think Smith Micro has a very affordable upgrade system for those who get Debut and find themselves needing a more feature-rich version, so fear not! Do what works for you.
From Manga Studio 4:
Remember when Manga Studio was still trying to be a digital version of the traditional manga creation process? No more. It's a full-blown image editor now, and uses the same workflow as all your other image editor programs. Its default mode isn't "Add/Multiply", and tones aren't your only legitimate way to put gradients into your images. In fact, tones aren't your default. Also...if you don't need print comic draft guides (hello fellow web artists/e-book artists), you don't have to have them by default.
Unfortunately, this version does NOT allow you to import your old MS4 files, because the file type has changed. It's no longer an enormous file folder with ten different files in it for each page. It's now a single .lip file per canvas. All in all, this is a thousand times better than the old system, though I do wish I had access to my old files in MS5 without exporting them to .psd or something. Even though I had a large-scale comic going in MS4, however, I found I never ACUTALLY needed to import those files to MS5. It just wasn't necessary. If it is essential to you, you'll want Manga Studio 5 EX instead.
Another thing MS5 doesn't have is the story structure. Honestly, story structure was cool, but I've found it absolutely unnecessary for what I'm doing. My personal favorite image viewer works just as well for viewing previous and coming pages, since I always export to a flat file copy for previewing anyway (MS4 did that FOR you automatically, but the folder structure made viewing in sequence horrible without story structure). I can organize single files all by myself. If you need to label your pages with print metadata, you'll want Manga Studio 5 EX, but if you just need your files to be organized, this version will be just fine for you.
FOR THOSE LOOKING FOR A PHOTOSHOP ALTERNATIVE, who are looking for home use or non-professional use and not to be the next great starving artist:
...Sure! Why not? Most of the Photoshop features you'd be using anyway are here. Keep in mind that it doesn't have a whole lot of "easy photo filters" like red-eye removal. But as for color correction, easy instant shapes, marquee selection, all kinds of text options, and anything else you'd want for light use...Smith Micro has you covered just as well as Adobe. If you anticipate doing a lot of photo work, Photoshop Elements may be the way to go in this price range. But I use Manga Studio for web graphics, print materials, logos, etc. just as much as I use it for artwork. In fact, working in the vector layers will make your print graphics higher quality without resorting to full-blown Illustrator.
And YES, you can import/export Photoshop files here.
***Note: A pen tablet is not NECESSARY to use this program, but that's kind of like saying an internet connection isn't necessary for a computer. Sure, you can do a ton of awesome things with a computer offline...but the internet opens up a world of possibilities!
TL;DR: Much more intuitive, cost-effective, and painting/drawing friendly than Photoshop ever was or ever will be. A fantastic, robust upgrade from previous iterations of the same software. 5/5 stars, would buy again. Try it, fall in love, and leave Adobe Creative Suite in the dust.
Top reviews from other countries
je ne peux plus me passer de lui
et je ne parle pas de l’intérêt pour ceux qui font de la bd ...
For inking there's nothing better than this program that I've personally used-you have a choice between 5 different pen tools and each of them have different functions and uses, the program is compatible with touch sensitive tablets(as is to be expected), and comes pre-loaded with various screentones, page layouts, and even brushes to easily create background objects such as lightpoles. Adding elements to your canvas is as easy as simply dragging and dropping the desired tone or page layout onto a blank canvas and there is the ability to edit a page by panel without having to use a lasso tool.
All in all, Manga Studio is highly recommended for artists who are either working on a comic or simply would like a new program to play around with.
After 3 weeks of using it, I must admit that I created some of my most quality work of my life. May I add that even after one week the results are stunning and learning curve was not as bad as I imagined that it would be, especially considering I spent maybe few hours in total drawing on tablet before I purchased this program.
Biggest pro is colors and painting tools. You have all the brushes you'll ever need and all it takes is finding ones that suit your technic.
Cons? After 3 weeks I don't have any. I'll sure post them when I find them. Maybe that after 30 hr of work and research, as a total nuby I just discovered maybe 40% of it's capabilities?
Thank you Smith & Micro.