While She Knits - Manga Version

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

We've talked for awhile about a post on manga.  But if the question deals with a graphic format it can't be in boring old regular text--it has to be visual.

Since I can't draw, only two graphic media come to mind. Legos and...

AN LOL CATS QUESTION ABOUT MANGA (done in a very hasty, lame, stealing-pictures-and-using-the-dinosaur-program-that-is-Paint way)

I know. Lame, lame, lame.


 

Comments

[peggy-2.livejournal.com]

hahaha!

*has not read magna and cannot comment on content*

but I like your post!

[nutmeg3.livejournal.com]

Look! I, too, have the kitten of cute. (Sorry. I don't read manga, either, so I can't weigh in on anything that actually has, you know, a point.)

[senri.livejournal.com]

Ahaha, love the post. X3 Here are some real answers for you?!

1. Yes, I read manga and other graphic novels, for much the same reason that I read books - because I like the stories. Since I have a lot of interest in the visual arts as well it's of interest to me to see how people integrate images and text to create a coherent work. If I don't like the story, I won't read it.

2. I watch a little anime, but I think it's sort of harder to do a really quality anime series than a really excellent manga series. Anime generally has to cater to a broader audience, with more people to offend, plus a lot of the intricate designs and scenes in manga have to be simplified or retooled simply because of budget costs.

Anyway, what I like best about anime is the same things I like best about some books. An interesting, complex plot, characters who are interesting and fun to read about, and in the case of manga or graphic novels I like it when the art is at least decent.

3. How is it different? Um... it's faster. I don't know.

4. My favorite series is Blade of the Immortal, hands down. Fabulously beautiful art, fabulous characters all with their own reasonable motives and actions, no easy answers, well researched... it's really lovely. It's a gory, sexy, thoughtful, beautiful manga. *points to icon* The manga-ka said that he wanted to write something that was really about the difficulty of living in the world, and I think he succeeded wonderfully. :)

[jade-sabre-301.livejournal.com]

Oh my God. I'll be back with a real response later, but for now, OH MY GOD CHECKERS YOU = WIN WIN WIN WIN ILU HAHAHAHAHAHA BRILLIANT.

[nekelele-one.livejournal.com]

1. I do, sometimes. Not so much anymore, owing to lack of time, money, and sources thereof. I read it for the plots (or sometimes the adorable lack thereof, in shoujo manga) and the arts, and I only VERY rarely will read a manga in which I don't like the art style.

2. I do watch anime. Mostly I enjoy the art, which is sometimes a nice break from some of the heavier things that I read for philosophy and such, and the simplicity of a lot of them. It's a nice break for my brain, and the arts are pretty and keep me from having to think too much. It's also a good way to pass the time at my Oyaji's house when my brothers have taken over the computers, because TV just irks me.

3. Manga are generally simpler, and span less time in less detail, though not always. The characters (at least for me) are identified more by their appearances than by their names. Also, I enjoy traditional fiction more in that I can imagine the characters for myself, how they appear and such, rather than having images given to me. It makes things more interesting, and more fun when I can imagine myself and my friends as characters.

4. I love Revolutionary Girl Utena, Tenchi Muyo, Inuyasha (he makes me laugh), Noir, and many others which aren't occuring to me so much right now, since it's been so long since I read or watched any.

5. Not at the moment!

[emmaco.livejournal.com]

This is the cutest Sounis post ever, I think :)

1. I rarely read graphic novels and never manga. But one of the best books I read last year was Shaun Tan's The arrival, which is the story of an immigrant in a strange land without any words. I also loved Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis, which is about growing up in Iran during the revolution of the early 1970s. Both of these books were so great that I'm willing to take more suggestions for graphic novels!

2. They were good stories told in a creative way. I have watched anime but am lame and can't remember the names. What counts as anime anyway? Do the (wonderful) Miyazaki films?

3. I find reading graphic novels lots harder than reading plain text. I have to concentrate on reading everything in order and pay attention to the pictures rather than just hoovering up whole chunks of text like usual :)

4. see 2 re lameness

[cleo]

1. I read manga for the same reasons I read novels I suppose. If it interests me, I'll read it.
2. The artwork is the biggest draw for me. I tend to like stuff that's very detailed and stylized, and I'm also really drawn to the Manhwa style, which uses heavy lines. If the story sounds interesting, but I don't like the style of the art, I won't read it. Hellsing is an exception to this. There are times when I like the art and times when I don't (because Hirano is so inconsistant), but the characters are (or at least were at one point way back) compelling and now I just want to know how it ends. I don't necessaryily watch the anime versions of the manga I read. Watching the Gonzo version of Hellsing got me to read the series, which got me to watch the OVA. Generally, the stuff I end up reading is either too obscure to made into an anime or isn't hugely popular enough.
3. In a way, they are a faster read. Though, if you sit down to read an entire series (several volumes), it's like reading a small novel. There's just a different way of processing them. When I read a book, I'm looking at the text on several levels. When I read a manga, there's the visual element to process as well. There's also the consideration that the manga is in translations; so, sometimes things don't come across well or seem to match the pictures...depending on how good the translation is. Another thing to consider about reading manga is that a lot of people do it online. It's cheaper or free. I don't mind reading it online, but I can't read books on my computer. It's just weird.
4. Manga: Hellsing, Demon Diary, Boy Princess, Tsubasa Reservoir Chronacle. Anime: Trinity Blood, Hellsing (series and OVA), Witch Hunter Robin, Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex, Inuyasha, Fullmetal Alchemist, Speed Grapher, Gunslinger Girl, MoonPhase, Big O, Paranoia Agent, Trigun. There are more, but those are my favorites.

[traboule.livejournal.com]

I have a weird relationship with graphic novels and especially anime in that I will only read it if someone else gives it go me. This isn't entirely bad - I read Sandman because a friend hounded me and now look at me, running around annoucing my name is Thessaly. But I rarely pick them up myself; I think it's because there is a feeling that a book with pictures doesn't count as a "real book." I know this is ENTIRELY wrong for a multitude of reasons, but I think it is lurking at the back of my mind. Something in my head feels like manga is empty calories, or at least a little overwrought the way, say, Rome is overwrought.

I think part of it is that the little manga I've seen has been less well-plotted and executed than most of the reading I've done. Episodic, flat, occasionally poorly-written, repetative - all of it seems to be all right if the art is beautiful and the men are pretty. To some extent it is, and I do enjoy it because part of me just adores the overwrought. The first time I saw Escaflowne, I thought, "this is how I think! Where have you been all my life!" And Studio Ghibli can do no wrong; as far as I'm concerned, the world needs more oozing tenatcles.

I have seen a bit of Escaflowne and Revolutionary Girl Utena (I mostly laugh at it, but it does have its moments) and one episode from Laine. And I'm a huge, huge fan of You Higuri's Cantarella, which is absolutely beautiful. Although, again, I have trouble taking any of them seriously all the time. Like I said, empty calories. I love cotton candy too, but I can't live on it.

I realize this all sounds sort of snotty. It might be I've just seen the flat and poorly-plotted series, in which case, I'm willing to be convinced. Any recommendations? What should I be watching/reading?

[bluestalking.livejournal.com]

I love this comment! :)

[bluestalking.livejournal.com]

Miyazaki = Japanese animation = anime. :P

[bluestalking.livejournal.com]

OMG DEMON DIARY ICON I DID NOT KNOW ANYONE READ THIS? Although in the end it kind of made me sad, because the second writer clearly didn't go in the direction the first was planning to. :'(

[nekelele-one.livejournal.com]

Well, they're a faster read in individuals by a LOT. Half an hour to several hours, for the size of novels I normally read.

But when you have a 40 volume series, they can take a lot longer. I was reading Inuyasha for almost a month, I think, and I only stopped because I left my host family's house to go back home to the US. I would have read more, but they were in Japanese, which made things mildly challenging, considering I occasionally needed a dictionary.

[senri.livejournal.com]

AHHH MIYAZAKI. HOW COULD I FORGET HIS FILMS I'M SORRY. D:

[cleo]

twtd3

The first four posts are demon diary icons. I think she's done over 100 in the past few days (she's my girlfriend and we're playing Raenef and Eclipse in an rpg; so, we needed decent icons).

And, yeah, that makes me a little sad too...of course, the first author was in, what, MIDDLE SCHOOL. HOW DO I GET THAT JOB?

[cleo]

When it comes to a series that is that's long, i just opt for the anime. Lol.

[emerald-happy.livejournal.com]

ahahaha, your post is darling, funny, informative and adorable.

I don't read manga

*offers uneated cookies*

[emerald-happy.livejournal.com]

or rather, I haven't read manga. I got lots of reccs off Bear a while back which I wrote down. When I have time, I will look up and read

[allthingevil123.livejournal.com]

agreed

i also dislike english dubbed anime because the voices are always awful, any anime i watch is english subbed with japanese voices *cough Bleach cough*

[allthingevil123.livejournal.com]

^^ i've read it too, the artwork was amazing, i wish it had continued longer

[avian-xj.livejournal.com]

Last summer, my friend kept sending me Inuyasha episodes so I kept watching Inuyasha episodes... which I soon became addicted to and watched the whole series of :P Since then, I've watched a bunch more animes, but as far as manga, I've only read bits and pieces of Fruits Basket, Fullmetal Alchemist, and Naruto. I guess it's just easier for me to get a hold of anime, and if I'm going to pick up a book, it just tends to be a novel and not manga. The biggest reason I read the manga is for the art (because some of it is pure gorgeous). If I read the manga for just the story line, I'd probably read it online, but because it's the art I love most, I hate to look at it on the compter screen where it's resized and doesn't always fit right on the screen.

[avian-xj.livejournal.com]

And I love the post, Super Check!

[cleo]

I absolytely adore the arwork. It's so detailed. It would be interesting to see where the series would have gone with the two sides of Raenef's personality having been put together...also the thing with Eclipse.

[cleo]

I usually watch dubbed because having to read the subs just takes my attention away from the actual animation. I don't think the dubs are all around bad. Like, as far as Hellsing goes, the Japanese voice of Alucard is much better than CF's dub, but Victoria Harwood's dub of Integra is better than the Japanese voice actress' work.

The dubs for things like YGO! are all terrible.

[nekelele-one.livejournal.com]

Well, yes, but you can't watch anime at school covertly under the desk, and it doesn't give you practice reading a foreign language which then allows you to get good scores on the SAT II's in said language.

Though I've watched a fair bit of the anime, too.

[allthingevil123.livejournal.com]

maybe they could do an alternative ending and get the original writer back in the write their version of the ending *wishful thinking*

[allthingevil123.livejournal.com]

maybe i should try watching the dubs, its was just i was put off for life by watching 15s of bleach dubbed, the most awful thing i've ever heard..just ever. jinta's voice was *dies from recollection*

though i don't watch much anime, my internet isn't especially fast so long series tend to put me off

[(Anonymous)]

Is there some helpful person with too much time on her hands who could post links to their recs? How do you find good Manga online?

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

some helpful person with too much time on her hands

*does her best Taxi Driver impression*
You talkin' to me?

Are you talkin' to ME?

Huh. No idea. Anyone?

[jerainne.livejournal.com]

I've been lurking for ages but this topic's really dear to my heart so I'll de-lurk *teehee* I love manga/anime~

You could try www.onemanga.com or www.mangahut.com for online manga. You can just read without having to download. And if I could put in my 2p to recommend some mangas with (I think) have good plots, you could try:
1) Emma, A Victorian Romance
2) Kare Kano (Kareshi Kanojo no Jijyou)
3) Neon Genesis Evangelion

ps. I think the Sandman's fantastic too~

[peggy-2.livejournal.com]

per Quark, by way of Jade ...

onemanga.com

[nekelele-one.livejournal.com]

Also on onemanga, Death Note. Rather brilliant concept, and even the dub of the anime is good, at least for most of the voices.

[gauroth.livejournal.com]

Blade of the Immortal is incredible! Some of the gore is too OTT for my taste, but the characters are amazing. It's not black-and-white: everyone is painted in shades of grey. And Rin is a sweetie! I keep wanting to mother her...

[gauroth.livejournal.com]

More squee for Demon Diary! My daughter gave it to me as a Mother's Day present a coupla years ago. Cute and funny, and beautiful people, too!

[allthingevil123.livejournal.com]

bleachexile.com

you have to sign up but their online manga reader has got loads of series, and are normally incredibly up to date on them all

[allthingevil123.livejournal.com]

agreed with above, deathnote is great, i've only just read it and though its slow to start once it gets going it quite fantastic

also fullmetal alchemist, the humour throughout with the slightly over the top approach makes it easy to read (i feel) though it can also be serious at times

Immortal Rain is another good series, the artwork is lovely, and the storyline is very sweet and funny

however neither of the above is a finished series (just a warning) but i'm not sure if the site mentioned has these series, i know bleachexile.com has them though

[allthingevil123.livejournal.com]

sorry when i said sign up, you just register as a user, its all free ( i realise i made it sound like it wasn't)

Comics

[aged-crone.livejournal.com]

I don't even really know what manga is, so I can't comment.

I do, however, read comic books. The older ones, mostly; DC. I used to buy several different series, but the Crisis on Infinite Earths made me really cranky because they completely destroyed the multiverse that had built up over decades; and it didn't help that they decided that comic books should now be more for adults than for children, and they got all dark and soap-opera-ey and dreary and R-rated and sleazy. And they messed up the origin stories of quite a few characters. And the artwork went from fairly simple to overwrought. Far too much detail - yes, yes, let us shade every muscle so that you can see it, even if in real bodies that muscle is buried deep within and completely invisible. Also, let us dress all the female characters in such a way that large portions of their anatomy are hanging out.

The one saving grace of late years were the Batman Adventures and Superman Adventures - the TV shows came first, I think, and then the comics. The artwork was sort of Art-Deco-clean-lines, and the stories were intended for kids again. The Justice League ones were also okay (though I quite watching after they started in on the whole stupid political intrigue thing). Teen Titans and Legion are done in a really ugly style, and I don't like them much.

So, instead I buy the DC Archives, with the old stories reprinted on good-quality paper and a lot cheaper than buying the originals would be.

Studio Ghibli/Miyazaki

[nj-librarian.livejournal.com]

I've heard a lot about Miyazaki, but the only film of his I've seen was what I considered to be a truly WRETCHED adaptation of Diana Wynne Jones' Howl's Moving Castle. The anime version deleted most of DWJ's plot, and shoehorned what little remained into an anti-war parable. Not only was it not the real Howl and Sophie -- the anime presented their relationship as a shmoopy romance, and got rid of all the hilarious bantering -- it wasn't even coherent toward the end. Are the other films better?

Re: Studio Ghibli/Miyazaki

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

Ha, I agree about the Howl movie, but you are brave saying you didn't like it because I know that a lot of people here really did. OTOH, I loved Miyazaki's Spirited Away. Lovely and very well done.

Re: Studio Ghibli/Miyazaki

[traboule.livejournal.com]

You know, I actually quite enjoyed Howl's Moving Castle. Of course it's nothing like the book, but I'm willing to take them both as they are. I have a couple of problems with the book (it is, on re-reading, noticeably better than the film, natch, but still - I'd argue that even DWJ's book isn't terribly coherent at the end either), but I tend to be very gentle on Miyazaki because I like his pictures so much.

I've seen Princess Mononoke, which is good but better if you see it subtitled, and Spirited Away which is, as checkers attests, excellent. That's the one to see!

Re: Studio Ghibli/Miyazaki

[emmaco.livejournal.com]

Agreeing with these recs! My current favourite is My neighbour Totoro. It's really sweet and lovely.

Re: Studio Ghibli/Miyazaki

[traboule.livejournal.com]

Right now I'm holding out for Tales from Earthsea which, no matter how mangled the plot may be, appears to have fabulous dragons.

I think I may be holding out for a long time, but it's always good to have a goal...

Tales from Earthsea

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

Wait, wait, wait--is this movie out?? I love the Earthsea books. Dragons are good.

Re: Tales from Earthsea

[traboule.livejournal.com]

I think it depends on where you live - if you're in Australia, Spain, or Japan, yes. In the US, no, because the Sci-Fi Channel still has a copyright on televised Earthsea material until 2009.

...if we believe Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tales_from_Earthsea_%28film%29

The plot description here makes Howl's Moving Castle look like a pedantically faithful adaptation, and the reviews from critics and Le Guins are mixed, but I still want to see it.