A Short Treatise on Manga

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A Short Treatise on Manga
On the back cover of his groundbreaking book, Mastering Manga, artist Mark Crilley declares: “There’s more to manga than big, shiny eyes and funky hair.” Yet many adults still write manga off as ‘junk food’ for the brain. While children and teenagers frequently play card- and video-games based off of manga, few appreciate it in its original form. Though most libraries have a good array of manga, many people in America are still woefully undereducated about the art form, which is a shame, since, as Eri Izawa writes on his website, “… Japanese manga come in all types, for all sorts [of] people. Unlike the US, which generally seems to believe that ‘comics are for kids’… Japanese manga-ka [authors]… write for everyone… (there is even a category for ex-juvenile delinquent mothers!)” There is literally a manga for everyone, though most adults, if they are exposed to it at all, have only seen manga such as Pokémon or Yu-Gi-Oh! that are meant for children. In reality, manga has many different genres, including action, drama, and historical fiction. If someone doesn’t like the looks of jagged hair and large, intense eyes, there are lots of alternate artistic styles. Many manga are educational – some would say even more educational than many textbooks – simply because they are so engaging. Authors incorporate detailed art, interesting characters, and intricate storylines into and art form that anyone can benefit from. Manga is truly too good to miss!
Since manga is either produced in or heavily influenced by Japan, it is filled with foreign terms that make some people shy away. Really, the Japanese terms are not too difficult to understand. First, manga, pronounced mäŋ-gə, can be singular or plural....

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Izawa, Eri. “What are Manga and Anime?”

Kishimoto, Masashi. Naruto: the Official Fanbook. Viz Media, LLC. San Francisco , 2002. First English edition.
“Monster (manga)” Anime News Network.com.web. April 2014

“Naruto (manga)” Anime News Network.com.web. April 2014

“Rurouni Kenshin”

“Shōjo” Anime News Network.com.web. April 2014

“Shōnen” Anime News Network.com.web. April 2014

Shonen Jump Publishers. “You’re Reading the Wrong Way!”
Warning written on back inside cover of all material published by Shonen Jump

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