Unlike North American comics, manga uses more than just five or six basic colors. A typical set of Copic markers, the special markers used to color a manga book, contains 72 colors and as of May 2011 can cost as much as $400. Copic markers are double tipped, one for thick, bold strokes and the other for thin, finer work. They also blend with a very small amount of streaking.
Manga artists use two types of pens. One is an inkwell pen that has an interchangeable head so you can use different nibs, or pen tips. The other is a cartridge pen, which would have the same nib as an inkwell pen but would not need to be dipped in ink. There are several different types of nibs. For example, a smaller nib that can be used for details like eyes or clothing is the Maru. A Nihon-Moji nib, designed with a wide, flat bowl to give greater stability, is ideal for lettering and captions.
Plastic adhesive sheets called screen tones are used to to create a shading effect. A small knife and a cutting board are also used in this process. The sheets are laid on top of the original drawings, then the sheets are cut to fit the artwork. Screen tones can be used to add or remove shading depending on the scene. Some screen tone workbooks are available that include stock pictures from other artists.
A variety of software has been developed to suit the needs of manga artists. These programs have certain aspects in common, such as the ability to scan in artwork or draw it directly on the computer. Virtually any work that can be done with pens, markers or screen tones can be done digitally. Special effects that are typical in manga, like speed lines and big eyes, are available in templates on these programs.