Manga Script Format, With a Template and a Full Example
A manga script breaks down each page into panels. For each panel, you write the shot, the action, the dialogue and the sound effects, in that order. Here is the format writers use, a template to copy and a 3-page example.
How to Write a Manga Script in 7 Steps
Start with the Synopsis, Not a Blank Page
The script comes after the story. Before writing the first panel, you need the chapter synopsis, a few sentences outlining what happens, who experiences it, and what changes by the end.
- The story covers the plot, characters, and arcs.
- The script describes what the reader sees and reads, page by page and panel by panel.
If the story isn't yet defined, start with the guide writing a manga story, then come back here.
Divide the Chapter into Pages
A magazine chapter is typically 16 to 20 pages. List the scenes from the synopsis and assign a page count to each before writing a single panel.
- Pages 1 to 3, the hook, the hero, and their problem.
- Pages 4 to 14, the main scene and its complications.
- Pages 15 to 18, the chapter's climax.
- The final page, the cliffhanger that makes readers want to continue.
A revelation should appear at the top of a newly turned page, not at the bottom of the facing page where the reader might see it too soon. Detailed breakdown is in structuring a manga chapter.
Break Down Each Page into Panels
A panel depicts a single action. Aim for 4 to 6 panels per page on average.
- Few, large panels, for a powerful moment, an appearance, or a landscape.
- Many small panels, for fast-paced action or a rapid dialogue exchange.
- A panel without text, for silence or a reaction.
Manga is read from right to left, and panels are numbered accordingly. To practice, the free tool break down a script into panels will distribute your text into panels that you can then adjust.
Write Each Panel in the Same Format
A script is quick to read when all panels follow the same order. Here's the template to copy.
PAGE 1, 5 panels
Panel 1. Shot type, wide shot, medium shot, close-up, high-angle, or low-angle.
Setting and action, what the character is doing, their expression, what's visible around them.
CHARACTER NAME - Their line.
NARRATION - The narrator's text, if any.
SFX - Sound effect, in all caps.
The character's name is written in all caps, followed by their line. A thought or whisper is specified after the name, for example KAZE, thought.
Write Dialogue That Fits in a Bubble
Space is limited. An overflowing bubble obscures the artwork.
- 25 words maximum per bubble, two or three bubbles per panel.
- One idea per bubble, break long lines into two bubbles.
- No dialogue that describes the image, if the dojo is burning, no one needs to say the dojo is burning.
Read each page aloud. If you stumble over a sentence, the reader will too.
Manga Script Example, 3 Pages
Here's the beginning of a shonen chapter, written in the format presented above. Use it as a base and change the hero.
PAGE 1, 4 panels
Panel 1. Wide shot. A rainy fishing port at night. Lanterns sway at the end of the docks.
NARRATION - The night the sea gave back the chest, no one at the port slept.
Panel 2. Medium shot. MIO, 14, her hood soaked, pulls a rope with both hands from a rowboat.
MIO - Come on, just a little more.
Panel 3. Close-up on the rope slipping through her fingers.
SFX - SHHRRK
Panel 4. Medium shot. An old iron chest emerges from the dark water, covered in seaweed. Mio, mouth agape.
PAGE 2, 5 panels
Panel 1. High-angle shot. Mio has hauled the chest into the boat. She sits beside it, breathless.
MIO, thought - No lock. No name.
Panel 2. Close-up on her hand lifting the lid.
SFX - KLAK
Panel 3. Large panel. A blue light emanates from the chest, illuminating her face. Inside, a compass floats above a cushion.
Panel 4. Medium close-up. The needle spins and stops, pointing at Mio.
MIO - It's pointing at me?
Panel 5. Small panel. On the dock, a figure in a long coat watches the boat.
PAGE 3, 4 panels
Panel 1. Medium shot, on the dock. The man in the coat descends the steps towards the water. His face is hidden by a hat.
THE MAN - That chest doesn't belong to you, child.
Panel 2. Close-up on Mio clutching the compass.
MIO - The sea gave it to me. It gave nothing to you.
Panel 3. Low-angle shot. The man smiles. His left hand is made of metal.
THE MAN - The sea always takes back what it gives.
Panel 4. Wide shot, no text. The boat, the man on the steps, and behind them a huge wave rising.
Three pages are enough to introduce a hero, a mysterious object, an antagonist, and a threat. Each page ends with a panel that makes the reader want to turn the page.
From Script to Pages with Bulle
Your script is ready, now it's time to draw it. With Bulle, the AI draws the pages from your scripts, keeping the same characters from one panel to the next.
- Create the project, 500 credits, then your characters, 15 credits each, who maintain their likeness from page to page.
- Paste the script for each sequence, the AI will suggest the panel breakdown and dialogue for each page, 5 credits per page, which you can then correct by referring back to your script.
- Generate the image for each page, 10 credits per page.
The account is free, no credits are given away, and credits are purchased in packs without a subscription. The Beginner pack, 19.90 euros for 2,000 credits, is sufficient for a complete first chapter. The step-by-step guide is in creating a manga with AI.
Mistakes That Make a Script Impossible to Draw
Two Actions in One Panel
He stands up and opens the door, that is two panels. The artist can only depict one moment.
Describing an Invisible Thought
He remembers his father cannot be drawn. Write what is visible, a glance at a photo, or use a thought bubble.
Forgetting the Shot Type
Without wide shots or close-ups, all panels look the same. The shot type sets the page's rhythm.
Bubbles That Are Too Long
Beyond 25 words, the bubble eats into the artwork. Cut it, or spread the line across two panels.
Questions About Writing a Manga Script
Start with the chapter synopsis, break it down into 16 to 20 pages, then divide each page into 4 to 6 panels. For each panel, write the shot, action, dialogue with the character's name in caps, and then sound effects. A 3-page example is provided earlier on this page.
The story outlines the plot, characters, and major plot points. The script is the working document for the artist, detailing page by page and panel by panel what the reader sees and reads. You write the story first, see writing a manga story.
The name, or 'nemu', is the rough sketch of each page that Japanese mangaka create after the script. Panels are laid out, characters are sketched, and dialogue is written in speech bubbles. This draft is reviewed by the editor before the final artwork.
A word processor is enough, Word, Google Docs, or LibreOffice. What matters is maintaining the same format for each panel. Copy the template from this page into a document and duplicate it for each new page.
A one-shot is often 30 to 50 pages, a series chapter is 16 to 20 pages. For a first project, a 16 to 24-page chapter is a good goal, long enough to tell a story, short enough to complete.
Yes. With Bulle, you write the story, and the AI draws the pages with your characters. A 24-page chapter with 4 characters and a cover uses 930 credits, including the project, which is about 9.25 euros at the rate of the Beginner pack, 19.90 euros for 2,000 credits. The account is free, no credits are given away.
Script ready? Move to the panels
Create your account, paste your script, and generate your first chapter with the Beginner pack, 19.90 euros for 2,000 credits, no subscription.
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