The software requires Windows XP or Vista (no specs listed for the Mac users;) a 500MHz processor for XP (1.0GHz recommended) or 800MHz for Vista (2.0GHz recommended;) 256 MB RAM for XP (512 MB recommended) or 512 MB RAM for Vista (1.0GHz recommended;) 2.6 GB or hard drive space (3.1 GB recommended;) an XGA or SXGA 16-bit color display; and a DVD-ROM drive. A pen tablet (Wacom, Graphire, Intuous, etc), printer, and scanner are recommended, and probably necessary for most artists.
While I didn’t do a lot of complicated work on this program, my test system is an older model (as I still haven’t gotten around to migrating my data to my spiffy new computer), and thus far I haven’t had too many problems. Occasionally the system would freeze for a few seconds, but that’s not bad at all.
At $299, Manga Studio EX 4.0 is not terribly cheap. Add to that the additional expenses for a pen tablet, scanner and maybe even a high-quality printer, and one could be looking at well over $500. It’s a decent expense, and probably too big of one for just the casual artist.
The professional artist will get a lot of use out of this program, and it has the ability to make the drawing process a lot less tedious. However, this software is only for the adherents to the Manga style – for the Animé fans (or for folks who would prefer to use Vector-based methodology similar to Illustrator and Flash) Smith Micro has Animé Studio (which you can read our review of here).
There is hope, however, for the struggling artist who just can’t shell out the 300 clams – a scaled-down version called Manga Studio Debut for $49.99. It’s pretty basic, but seems like it’s still a pretty decent piece of software, at least for those who just want to get their feet wet or can’t justify the cost of the full version.
Manga Studio EX 4.0 has enough bells and whistles to get even a non-animator interested in the style of Manga. The software is a little complicated and can be intimidating for a first-time user, but the step-by-step guides are a lifesaver. While it’s on the expensive side for a piece of software that’s so specialized to only one style of illustration, for the professional it could be an invaluable tool.
