Wednesday, October 18, 2006

I actually have a lot I could say now, but I'm so busy I don't really have the time. I've got so many tests to study for and a paper to write. So for now I will say sorry for not posting in so long I got sick and I will leave you the paper on manga I wrote for my english class. I made an A- on it so tell me what you guys think. Keep in mind that I had a lot of help from Ceekari on this one(really she helps me with almost of my papers I don't know what I would do without her.) Mindy Scott English 1010 Onstott 9-25-06 Essay #2 Final Copy Manga: Comic Books that Lack Heroes in Spandex Manga (pronounced 'mahn-gah') is a Japanese word that literally translates to cartoon or comic strip. However manga has become so much more than just comic books, both in Japan and around the world. It has become a common ground shared by people who may live just down the street as well as those who live hundreds of miles away. In my opinion, one of the things that separates manga from American comics is the unusual heroes and villains. Very rarely in these 'graphic novels' are lines between 'good' or 'evil' or 'right' and 'wrong' clearly drawn. Often the hero will have unpleasant traits- possibly a nicotine addiction or violent tendencies. Similarly, villains often have redeeming qualities, such as extreme loyalty or a sense of honor. Most importantly the characters are almost never portrayed as perfect and the heroes themselves often have to make tough choices, not only on the battlefield but in everyday life as well. These are usually choices that the reader can relate to and learn from, even if the reader has never had to make such a choice himself/herself. Another difference is the many genres of manga. Almost all American comics would fall into the action/adventure category, but a manga's storyline might contain any number of elements, ranging from comedy to horror, romance to science fiction, inspirational (often called Christian) to gothic, and everywhere in between. There are even some that combine the genres, such as comedy and horror, which is quite an accomplishment to my mind. Another important aspect of manga is that there are series made for all age groups and the age recommendation is clearly stated on most every volume. The situations, lessons and morals, language used, and events discussed are all age-differentiated. It is my opinion that manga may hold the key to helping youth learn to enjoy reading. In this year alone manga has seen crucial changes, both in image and popularity. Fewer people see manga as simple comics for children. The increasing number and size of anime(animated shows or movies usually based of a manga) and manga conventions, where fans gather to discuss series, buy and sell merchandise, and even dress up as their favorite characters, are further proof of the growing popularity. Some forty-two thousand people attended the fifteenth anniversary of Anime Expo in Anaheim, California, this year. In addition to all of the fun and games, Anime Expo 2006 teamed up with the Red Cross to encourage attendees to donate blood for such disasters as Hurricane Katrina. This growing popularity was seen most easily last year by simply walking down the halls of my high school. In my first three years of high school, I would have about been willing to bet that only my friends and I knew what manga even was. In fact, whenever I was asked what I was reading, I often had to explain the entire concept. It became a rather practiced speech. My senior year, however, was different. I often saw people I didn’t know walking down the hall with manga mixed in with their books or the all-telling binder covered in anime pictures. I would like to say that this increase in the interest of my peers had something to do with my and my friend’s monthly manga reviews in the school newspaper, but I honestly believe that my hobby simply grew in popularity as more people discovered it. If high school wasn’t enough to prove an increase in popularity, then the site TheOtaku.com- named from the Japanese word ‘otaku’, basically meaning ‘a fan of anime’- would definitely be proof enough that others were beginning to take an interest. Indeed this site is now the MySpace of anime, and has over 431,000 members from all over the world. When I joined just three years ago, there were only 10,000 or so. Along with allowing each member to make his/her own site, add friends to a friendslist, TheOtaku allows and encourages members to submit fan art- works based on a particular series of anime or manga-, wallpapers, quizzes, and e-cards. The site also provides daily news on the latest manga/anime releases as well as sales rankings, trailers and reviews of new anime and manga, and the schedules of anime that will be appearing on television. Anime is even considered a separate category in many entertainment stores such as FYE, both in music soundtracks and DVDs. There used to be only a select few titles, usually tossed in with the science fiction DVDs, but now there are shelves upon shelves of anime, and people have realized that it is not all science fiction. The same can be said for manga in bookstores such as Books a Million that now contain hundreds of volumes for the customer to choose from. Perhaps the most important aspect of manga, besides the entertainment of course, is what it can teach us. Manga like novels tend highly diverse and it is this diversity that allows manga to be such a great teacher. Manga, like all graphic novels, have a lot of pictures in a wide variety of styles. The writers and artists, who are usually the same person, though not always, are called ‘manga-ka’ and they have inspired people of all ages to pursue art both as a hobby and sometimes a career. Likewise, fanfiction, stories written by a fan using the characters, ideas, ect. of an author/creator, have inspired many people to become authors themselves. I have met or talked to people online who have achieved both, and I myself draw a little every now or then. At the very least these hobbies are healthy and can benefit you in later life whether they stay as hobbies or become a career. The fact that manga deals with a wide range of cultures and ideas means that there is a lot to be learned about other cultures. Anything from customs and dress, to history and language can be learned. Admittedly, since manga comes from Japan it is the country most often represented. However, I have encountered German cultures, Russian customs, plenty of Chinese language. When America is mentioned, one can see how other countries and cultures view us. Science and mythology also figure in many manga and I can honestly say that I have answered questions on tests or understood discussion topics in class better because it related to something I had learned in a manga or seen in a anime. In fact, I recognized one of the things we discussed in my biology and was able to understand it better because I had seen it in an anime. One can also learn pieces of a new language as well, such as the honorifics used in Japan- the suffixes added to a name to denote respect or sometimes affection- and I myself am studying Japanese as a result of manga/anime. Manga/Anime may primarily be entertainment but when looked at with an open mind, it is easy to see the benefits, and I am glad to see that both have taken root in our society.

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