historical figures are drawn in the same hip style as fiction manga.nd battle scenes come alive in graphic detail. in his first month on sale, this series sold 700,000 copies, an unprecedented figure for this type of book. but style alone doesn't explain their popularity. creators of history manga are stressing substance. this publisher has done extensive research on armor and helmets. each period has a different style and the artists are required to portray that reality in their drawings. >> translator: characters are shown from the side other from behind. the artist will have a difficult time unless they know how to draw them from different angles. >> reporter: and it's not just armor. publishers scrutinize each frame to ensure the work is historically accurate. >> translator: the most difficult thing about manga is to be faithful to the facts and entertaining at the same time. >> reporter: that kind of attention to detail gives this genre of manga a broad appeal. this 41-year-old homemaker is one fan. she was bitten by the history bug after buying a