Suggest a Manga

[notanordinarygirl]

in my opinion it is just a another way that christians are trying to ruin a good thing, by naming this comic after a popular following in the U.S.

I'm sorry, I didn't realize christians were trying to "ruin" anything. I don't remember the creators of Teen Titans, Avatar: The Last Air Bender and such to be christian folks, either.

But what shirono says is true: many people won't consider anime and manga to be real unless their creators are Japanese. And by "many", I'm including myself. >.>

I saw the preview of Serenity, and although the story was okay, the drawings, in my opinion, weren't. I'll see if I can buy it somewhere, though. I'm guessing it's probably healthier than most of my - er - less peaceful mangas.


Anyway....

I don't remember if I already recomended this, but for a 13-year old girl it might be good to read Azumanga Daioh, the manga about nothing. It might have some sexual humor here and there, but it is hilarious! The story is about a group of high-school girls and... Well, they just hang out, I guess.

 

[taboo]

Ummm.... not to burst your bubble, but that's not technically manga, just because it is drawn in a specific style doesn't mean that it is manga. this is just a manga-styled american comic book.

Manga is, by definition, japanese in nature and culture schemes. For a comic book to be a "manga" it has to have some type of japanese culture in it, gaijin (foriegners) can draw manga, but you need to study japanese culture and religion to really draw "real" manga. From what I read of this "serenity" when my mom dragged me to a christian bookstore the other day, it seems that the author thought manga-styled drawing was cool and decided to do a comic in that style, it has no relation to japanese culture and in my opinion it is just a another way that christians are trying to ruin a good thing, by naming this comic after a popular following in the U.S.

The problem I have with that is that you're limiting 'manga' to a certain group of people. What if an American draws a manga with Japanese themes? What if the Japanese make a comic with no Japanese themes? The thing that bugs me is that people link the stereotypical 'manga style' with manga it's self and never really look outside the box. Manga is a genre and not a category. (it also bugs me because when a Japanese artist has the guts to draw something other than 'lawlzOMGbishie style', people outside the culture won't even read it because they don't believe it to be real manga. )

One of my Japanese friends actually marvels at this. To him, manga simply means 'comics' which includes all forms. To him, Superman is simply 'American Manga'.

 

[shirono]

The problem I have with that is that you're limiting 'manga' to a certain group of people. What if an American draws a manga with Japanese themes? What if the Japanese make a comic with no Japanese themes? The thing that bugs me is that people link the stereotypical 'manga style' with manga it's self and never really look outside the box. Manga is a genre and not a category. (it also bugs me because when a Japanese artist has the guts to draw something other than 'lawlzOMGbishie style', people outside the culture won't even read it because they don't believe it to be real manga. )

One of my Japanese friends actually marvels at this. To him, manga simply means 'comics' which includes all forms. To him, Superman is simply 'American Manga'.

I'm not saying that manga isn't manga if it's not drawn in a certain style, I have watched several animes and read many mangas that were drawn in odd styles, for instance gankotsuou ( I hope I spelled it right, my dvd is at a friends house).
and while manga is a genre, it is also a category, and whether or not it's drawn with japanese themes or not, I haven't seen any americans pull it off by the way, it is still not manga. I also believe that a japanese person cannot write a story completely devoid of japanese themes, they have grown up in it and cannot effectively seperate themselves from it completely.
Super man is a comic, it is not even drawn in a "typical" manga style, and has no japanese culture in it. I'm not saying that americans can't write good things or draw cool comics, but they are not manga.
But of course I think the Tao te ching is a great book and I think Buddhism is a better religion than christianity and you can't trust us immoral heathens, right.

oh and forgive me, but what the heck is a "lawlzOMGbishie style".

Serenity is drawn in a manga style, but since Japan has a less than 1 percent christian population I don't think a christian manga has many "japanese themes". Even the manga that has a christian theme is mostly making fun of it.

I'm sorry if I like to keep my cultures straight and that offends you. America, to me, is simply a place that is full of pain for me and I will be leaving as soon as I can.

oh and last thing according to my encarta dictionary, a genre and a category are the same thing.

oh and Azumanga Daioh would be a good choice, Darn I can't remember what i came to reccomend any more, I'll come back when I remember.

 

[taboo]

I'm sorry if I like to keep my cultures straight and that offends you. America, to me, is simply a place that is full of pain for me and I will be leaving as soon as I can.

Dang, I think the question is whether or not I've offended you.

and while manga is a genre, it is also a category, and whether or not it's drawn with japanese themes or not, I haven't seen any americans pull it off by the way,

I'd like to stop here to say that you should broaden your view a bit. There are quite a few 'successful American style 'Manga' out there. (And if you ask me to name some, I won't hesitate to either.)

it is still not manga. I also believe that a japanese person cannot write a story completely devoid of japanese themes, they have grown up in it and cannot effectively seperate themselves from it completely.

What about an American born Japanese? Or a Japanese person who moves to America for x number of years and then decides to make a manga about America? And what exactly do you mean by Japanese themes anyway? If you mean kimonos and chopsticks and the sort, I think it would be quite easy to take them out if one really tried.

Super man is a comic, it is not even drawn in a "typical" manga style, and has no japanese culture in it. I'm not saying that americans can't write good things or draw cool comics, but they are not manga.

Do tell that to my Japanese friend then.

But of course I think the Tao te ching is a great book and I think Buddhism is a better religion than christianity and you can't trust us immoral heathens, right.

Seriously, where did this come from? I thought we were discussing manga, not religion. Save it for the apologetics thread kkthx.

Serenity is drawn in a manga style, but since Japan has a less than 1 percent christian population I don't think a christian manga has many "japanese themes". Even the manga that has a christian theme is mostly making fun of it.

So 1, your saying that it's entirely not possible for the 1% of Christian Japanese to not make comics, and 2, you're saying that a Christian manga could not contain Japanese themes because apparently every single Japanese thing that could be included is sinful and 'UnChristian'. I find that to be a bit insulting really. I do know that Japan is majorly a Buddhist country, but not every manga I've read has had Buddhist teachings in it.

oh and last thing according to my encarta dictionary, a genre and a category are the same thing.

Pardon me for not using an encarta when I write. I will attempt to clarify more for you. Manga = comics. Manga =/= exclusive to a style or theme.

oh and forgive me, but what the heck is a "lawlzOMGbishie style".

It means "laugh out loud oh my gosh Bishonen style", and what I ment by that was the stereotypical manga with pretty boys.

I didn't expect you to get so worked up over this. Seriously, all manga is is the translated form of comics. I don't hear about Komiker from Germany or комики from Russia. There is absolutely nothing different from American comics and Japanese comics. They're both simply juxtaposed sequential ink on paper. And don't think I don't know either, I'm actually a comic artist kthx.

 

[shirono]

ok first things first, you have very poor forum etiquette, I have no problem with you seperating my post to argue against each piece seperately, but please don't rearange my posts or any one elses. It confuses the arguement.

Dang, I think the question is whether or not I've offended you.

I'd like to stop here to say that you should broaden your view a bit. There are quite a few 'successful American style 'Manga' out there. (And if you ask me to name some, I won't hesitate to either.) What about an American born Japanese? Or a Japanese person who moves to America for x number of years and then decides to make a manga about America? And what exactly do you mean by Japanese themes anyway? If you mean kimonos and chopsticks and the sort, I think it would be quite easy to take them out if one really tried.

perhaps themes wasn't the right word, customs would have been better. and american born japanese has not grown up being so completely immersed in japanese culture so the parts of manga that are affected by that can not effectively be removed.

Do tell that to my Japanese friend then.

I agree that in Japan "manga" is a term that is used for all graphic novels and comics, but in America the term is used by a group of people to describe Japanese drawn comics.

Seriously, where did this come from? I thought we were discussing manga, not religion. Save it for the apologetics thread kkthx.

So 1, your saying that it's entirely not possible for the 1% of Christian Japanese to not make comics, and 2, you're saying that a Christian manga could not contain Japanese themes because apparently every single Japanese thing that could be included is sinful and 'UnChristian'. I find that to be a bit insulting really. I do know that Japan is majorly a Buddhist country, but not every manga I've read has had Buddhist teachings in it.

1. no I don't think that the christians are incapable of writing manga, but christianity in japan is veiwed slightly differently than it is in U.S.
2. maybe you don't notice them, but every manga that I have read and anime that I have watched has had some sort of buddhist or shinto undertones, of course in america they do a good job of editing it all out so no one gets offended. And I find that christianity is pretty closed-minded and likes to keep people from seeing other religions because it might make them question their own.

Pardon me for not using an encarta when I write. I will attempt to clarify more for you. Manga = comics. Manga =/= exclusive to a style or theme.

your just arguing about semantics and you haven't defined what you mean by style and theme, you could define those many ways.

It means "laugh out loud oh my gosh Bishonen style", and what I ment by that was the stereotypical manga with pretty boys.

the purpose of writing is to comunicate ideas, writing is such a way as to obfuscate what you are saying just makes your writing useless.

I didn't expect you to get so worked up over this. Seriously, all manga is is the translated form of comics. I don't hear about Komiker from Germany or комики from Russia. There is absolutely nothing different from American comics and Japanese comics. They're both simply juxtaposed sequential ink on paper. And don't think I don't know either, I'm actually a comic artist kthx.

If what your saying is true then wagner is just organized sound and silence, the three muskateers is just a bunch of letters organized on paper. In both cases there is emotion and ideas being communicated, there is more to any art form than just the medium used to create it.

 

[taboo]

ok first things first, you have very poor forum etiquette, I have no problem with you seperating my post to argue against each piece seperately, but please don't rearange my posts or any one elses. It confuses the arguement.

Again, sorry if I offended you. I normally dissect things and add ideas, that way I can address certain points that go together and add ideas as I go along.

I agree that in Japan "manga" is a term that is used for all graphic novels and comics, but in America the term is used by a group of people to describe Japanese drawn comics.

That is what's so ridiculous about it~ It's like saying there's a difference between novels by Japanese Authors and ones from other countries. While there may be different cultures in the books, it's because the authors put them there for a reason.

1. no I don't think that the christians are incapable of writing manga, but christianity in japan is veiwed slightly differently than it is in U.S.
2. maybe you don't notice them, but every manga that I have read and anime that I have watched has had some sort of buddhist or shinto undertones, of course in america they do a good job of editing it all out so no one gets offended.

Again, you need to expand your view. Manga like One Piece and Death Note are just two examples. In the entire 392 chapters of One Piece, the closest thing to Buddhism is in the way Zoro trains. And while it has happened before, he concept that ALL American editors cut it out is simply ridiculous.

your just arguing about semantics and you haven't defined what you mean by style and theme, you could define those many ways.

By style I mean artistically, and by themes I mean culture wise.

the purpose of writing is to comunicate ideas, writing is such a way as to obfuscate what you are saying just makes your writing useless.

Well, I was going with "I think bishies are overrated and over fangirl'd" but I suppose it was over your head. Think of it as 'writing with an accent'.

If what your saying is true then wagner is just organized sound and silence, the three muskateers is just a bunch of letters organized on paper. In both cases there is emotion and ideas being communicated, there is more to any art form than just the medium used to create it.

This is not a pipe.

That is what I've been saying all along. Comics/manga are just that. Simply ink on paper. The emotions you get from it and the styles and themes you create can be done by anyone. American or Japanese. That's why there is no difference.

And I find that christianity is pretty closed-minded and likes to keep people from seeing other religions because it might make them question their own.

Sorry for taking this out of your argument, but seriously. It seems that you're the one with a narrowminded view on Christianity here. Take this to apologetics because this is not the place to discuss it.

This discussion is getting boring. It doesn't feel as if we're getting anywhere.

 

[FireRock]

Before I knew they were termed "mangas" I just called them "graphic novels" because that's what they looked like to me. Perception is reality, it seems.

I feel as though I kind of started the whole 'what is and is not a manga' argument and I wanted to apologize. This was not the intent of the OP, so perhaps there could be a new thread started for debating that topic. I just feel like it's overshadowing what nekocat was asking.

Anyways, a friend of mine bought the manga "Fruits Baskets" for her 13-year-old sister today. I was reading through it and it seemed like a really interesting story. I thought I'd throw that one on the recommendation list. I can't remember if I saw it on this thread yet or not. There was another one that I saw, but I completely forgot the name of it. My apologies. Once I remember it, I'll post it.

 

[taboo]

I feel as though I kind of started the whole 'what is and is not a manga' argument and I wanted to apologize. This was not the intent of the OP, so perhaps there could be a new thread started for debating that topic. I just feel like it's overshadowing what nekocat was asking.

Nah, it's not your fault. The thread just got a little side tracked is all. ^^ I think a little dissenence is good now and then~ It spices things up. No need to start a debate topic over such a small matter.