'Manga Director' turns photos into cartoons

Aspiring cartoonists might want to give this new software package from Taiwan a whirl. Developers of the new software, dubbed "Manga Director," claim one can use it to automatically turn a photograph into a cartoon image. It will debut at Taiwan’s top research institute on Oct. 22 and be available for free public use through Facebook in three months, Taiwan's Central News Agency reported. Tu Yen-chen, one of the software’s developers at Academia Sinica, said users need only to load photos into the software, which will convert them into cartoon images. Once this is done, the user can choose from among the generated images and add dialogue to create an e-comic book. She said the software seeks to revolutionize the concept of photo albums and comic books. The CNA report said “Manga Director" is one of the highlights to be featured at an open house event this Saturday. Other activities will include research-related lectures, exhibitions, and parent-child activities such as treasure hunts and quizzes. — TJD, GMA News