Co-founder of Belgium's first manga production studio, Hamid Ouaïch has contributed to creating the first album of its kind, inspired by Muslim culture. Since establishing Studio Karama with his partner Fahem, the videographer has succeeded in bringing to life a project close to his heart, offering a story that combines Japanese-style artwork with spiritual references. Born in Liège in 1979, Hamid Ouaïch is the eldest of three siblings, in a working-class family who immigrated to Belgium from the Moroccan region of Ras El Ma. During his school years, the aspiring videographer struggled with concentration. «I was often lost in my thoughts, and what I preferred to classes were my first experiences in front of a camera», he tells Yabiladi. He maintains vivid memories of these times, which he shares: «I was 7 or 8 years old, and my grandfather had a camera. We would occasionally capture family moments, and I would enjoy playing the clown. I also greatly enjoyed watching these sequences that I grew up with». A passionate follower of sports and animated cartoons, Hamid cultivated these two interests throughout his adolescence and into adulthood. Growing up in the generation of Club Dorothée and youth programs of the 1980s, he discovered the world of anime early on, after being immersed in the universe of well-known characters like Tintin, Lucky Luke, and the Smurfs. An Activity Combining Work and Personal Fulfillment In Japanese animated cartoons, Hamid Ouaïch found his attraction to characters who embodied certain heroism, charisma, and superpowers, in fascinating universes built through powerful stories. «I found these characters very inspiring, and that was the strength of Japanese animated cartoons, unlike American comics or Franco-Belgian comic books. There was a distinct cultural and spiritual imprint, with references to Asian cultures», says the videographer, who particularly admires Captain Tsubasa (Olive et Tom). «I always found that these stories succeeded in giving a spiritual dimension of invisible force to simple everyday things, sublimated through the power expressed by heroes and drawn from different cultures of Buddhism and Shintoism», explains Hamid, who had the idea to draw inspiration from these concepts to co-create the first Belgian manga inspired by references to Muslim culture. Before this, Hamid Ouaïch followed a conventional professional path after studying international commerce. He worked for automotive groups for over 11 years, then founded a transport and logistics company, which he managed for four years. However, he never lost sight of his enthusiasm for the world of drawing. «I was approaching forty and realized I wasn't doing what I loved. I was doing what I had to do to fulfill my responsibilities, but I wasn't fulfilled», he confides. After accumulating capital, he joined his brother-in-law, Fahem, in 2019 to develop a production aimed at young people. The stages of conceptualization, writing, and production followed. In June 2024, the two partners founded Studio Karama, following a crowdfunding campaign. They conceived and produced the manga album «Hidaya». «Fahem is our studio's mangaka and my partner. We are fortunate to have complementary personalities that we put at the service of this project», Hamid explains. «The idea came from his talent and gift for drawing that he's had since childhood. We grew up with this Muslim culture, but also with animated cartoons and manga. We told ourselves there was something to be done here. People talk about Islam often, frequently in negative and false ways. We thought about building something authentic, and the manga format lends itself well to this». Hamid Ouaïch
Within the studio, Hamid primarily manages the audiovisual content. «I'm often the one who appears on our social media platforms to showcase our work, raise awareness about it, provide giveaways to our subscribers, grow our community, and bring them along with us on this journey because without our audience, we would not have been able to accomplish all of this», Hamid tells us. A Manga with Muslim Cultural References That Speaks to Everyone Today, «Hidaya» is not solely intended for the Muslim community. It is addressed to «all people interested in manga culture, anime, and those who want to discover an original universe». Through Volume I, the co-founders offer an artistic approach that allows them to tell a story using local references, ultimately building a narrative that holds universal appeal. This is what has made successful what Japanese animation enthusiasts call «japanime», translated into many languages worldwide and broadcast on television across all continents through the decades. «This is indeed an inspiration for developing this project and distributing it globally, to be able to share this hero's initiatory tale, which is about the spiritual journey of a human being», Hamid Ouaïch tells us. «We're talking about the depth of human beings, according to each individual's uniqueness. It's a journey between the material world and the inner world. These are universal values that are primarily human. Every human being is endowed with virtues and can aspire to develop their qualities, the good within them. This philosophy is unifying since all humans share the same qualities and flaws. We discover all of this through the story of our two heroes». Hamid Ouaïch In continuation of this inclusive approach, «Hidaya» features a pair of characters. «We position ourselves in the shōnen manga category, which is aimed at youth. But this category is primarily oriented toward boys. Here, the originality lies in having created a brother and sister who are both protagonists, allowing girls to identify with the story as well», Hamid explains. The story follows the evolution of both characters as they navigate through adolescence into adulthood throughout the narrative. «We'll see that their characters will change through this form of power that is the light within them. It's the light of virtues», the videographer describes. Since the launch of Volume I, the co-founders of «Hidaya» have received numerous positive responses from both Belgium and France. «We've received thousands of messages from readers saying they're really happy. They say that for once, we have a work that represents our culture in a positive way», Hamid says with satisfaction.
