Before you dive into the depth of things, you must know what manga is. Manga is graphic novels or comics, originating in Japan. Manga uses the Japanese language and strictly adheres to a style originating in the latter half of the 19th century in Japan. According to the Japanese, the manga is a comic, as well as a cartoon. It’s pretty popular in Japan, and people of all age groups read it. It covers various genres, including action, comedy, detective, horror, mystery, adventure, sci-fi, fantasy, romance, etc. Read on to know more about the spellbinding world of Manga.
History of Manga
According to tradition, fans read manga from right to left. Thus, to many people in the West, manga appears backward. You can trace this back to Japan’s Kamakura and Heian periods. The modern form of manga originated after World War II, was over. The Allied Forces imposed censorship during that phase. As soon as the lifting creativity made its way back, Sazae-san, written by Machiko Hasegawa, came out in the popular Fukunichi Shinbun newspaper in the year 1946. Astro Boy or Mighty Atom, as it is famous in Japan, has held on to its popularity even today. It was also adapted into a CGI film in the year 2009.
Manga, Anime, and Kawaii
It’s evident that a significant portion of anime and manga is all about cuteness. Takashi Murakami, one of the well-known contemporary artists specializing in this field, states that manga’s adherence to kawaii or cute status has its significance, which one can understand when they go back to its inception. Japan faced a heavy defeat during the war, and it had to endure a difficult time while coping with the loss. As per Murakami, the Japanese artists and the population, as the whole, transformed, and kawaii images were their only aid to escape from the harsh reality brought about by the violence and chaos of war. No one is quite sure if this had a role to play in the current form of manga that you see today. The kawaii culture probably witnessed an ascent in the 70s decade after the consumer culture got a boost.
Characteristics of Manga and Anime
Manga and Western comics demonstrate different styles, there’s no doubt about that. For example, you can see the detailed close-ups of faces quite often in manga. It tends to focus on the physical manifestations of human emotion. The characters in manga tend to alter shapes to communicate the current state of affairs. The focus on human emotions leads to paying a lot of attention to a character’s eyes. The large eyes that you see in manga helps the artists bring the characters to life. Generally, manga, which targets the female readers, happens to be cuter with a lovely detailing done to the eyes. The manga and anime that are catered for male readers happen to be grittier and more realistic. However, this might not be true all the time.
Themes of Anime and Manga
Western comics such as Batman, Spiderman, and Superman are famous for their costumed heroes. These heroes serve as the messiah of the world. However, such cartoons have never caught the imagination of the people in Japan.
Manga features heroes and heroines who are experience circumstances that are much closer to reality. If you take Pokemon as an example, Ash, the central character, is quite close to what a kid is in real life. The crux of the matter is that these characters are more realistic. The themes, as well as the settings of anima and Manga, know no bounds. The stories reveal that the human imagination has no boundaries whatsoever.
The Japanese Manga industry has won several awards. The list comprises the Akatsuka Award, the Dengeki Comic Grand Prix, the Japanese Cartoonist Association Award, the Shogakukan Manga Award, the Seiun Award, the Kodansha Manga Award, the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize, and the Tezuka Award. The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been giving the prestigious International Manga Award since May 2007 which just goes to show how much the country values the industry. There are a lot of intriguing facts about manga, which can arouse your curiosity. Go ahead and surf the internet to know more about Japanese Manga.