Hangout Otaku Cafe Hangout

[Riku]

The Wind Valley of Nausicaä is really good ,did u see its movie made by the Studio Ghibley?

Yeah seen the film too, I even have the DVD on my collection. But I must say I prefer the manga version. It has just more depth to it. Doh, the scene which ended the film pretty much is starting point of the great quest in the manga.

Yeah, its funny how people are so impressed and touched by the drama of Naruto and Bleach and stuff. It's not bad what they have in those mainstream series, pretty good drama actually, but it is like light entertainment when compared with Barefoot Gen, or Grave of the Fireflies, or even Ashita no Joe.

 

[shaheer]

well can u name me some good one shot seinen mangaka

 

[eni]

well can u name me some good one shot seinen mangaka

Boichi

Particularly Hotel is superb.

 

[baboysai]

good seinen mangaka?

Naoki Urasawa


have you been to our MH seinen section, shaheer? Here's a link to the seinen hangout thread: http://mangahelpers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41132&page=17

 

[shaheer]

thanks guys(sorry gals ,honest mistake) ,all ur help is appreciated ,previously i was in OM forum but all they talk is shonen ,couldnt get a good seinen views from them .u guys r great.honto

 

[Meromorphe]

Pretty random thought, I have that in mind for a long time and reading a post somewhere else in the forum made me think of something else that I connected to this idea that I now want to post.

The reason why I like mangas so much and I got bored of european comics is linked to anthropology theories that explain that every society's goal is to produce symbolism. I feel myself attached to the production of symbols (art, etc.) and the understanding of their meaning. I am fond of myths especially underlying/founder myths. I think it helps me to understand the real world with abstract objects.
I also find this symbolism in manga characters, but the european comics seem only constructed around a scenario and a universe. It makes me feel the characters could be interchangeable, the story would be same, while the manga characters carry a real value through long adventures.

The personality of a manga character could be exaggerated, not in the norm or considered as unrealistic, I don't mind, since his or her symbolism can still bring me something to understand.
Actually, in terms of meaning it is not necessary supposed to be complicated and I also like reading manga where the symbolism of a character is simple and obvious, as long as it is not caricatural. That's why I like so much the character Naruto. I am envious of children that grow up with Naruto and the positive message that this manga brings to them. Myself, I grew up with Dragon Ball (anime). That was cool when I was young, but it is kind of void and now that I am a grown-up there is nothing left that interests me in DB. If I had Naruto back then, I would have been a good person now and I predict a bright future for these kids
I am also indulgent with "out-of-character" behaviors, sometimes the author wants to tell something, but gets lost and makes the things awkward and kind of unbelievable. It can be difficult to pass a message.

On a side note, I am not very fond of mangas that want to depict the reality. The mangakas don't really explore what their characters are supposed to represent and concentrate on situations supposed to be real life. Somehow, I know the reality too well to receive any interesting message from this kinds of manga. I gave up Solanin for example after a few chapters, it was hard to follow guys that kind of abandon their efforts to reach a better a situation (perhaps it is different later, but I could not continue).

 

[baboysai]

well it depends. to each his own, mero. I mean, I like exaggerated characters myself (ES 21...) but I also like reading josei and seinen, or other demographics that are slice of life.

To back that up, I like reading them because I can relate to the situations that are happening to the characters, and thus empathize. I digress that mangaka writing about reality don't explore.


I understand what you feel when you say that we are too much aware of reality to be reading about it. But here is where the really good/talented mangaka/writers differ from the mediocre. The thing with reality stories is that it's not that easy to write, if one is able to grasp the mundane and make readers read to the end, there is definitely talent required there. The ability to take everyday things and happenings and turn them into poetry (and art) is something that I really admire.

There are a lot of shoujo and slice-of-life shounen that are all too boring and predictable because they are too common place. But there are some that stand out even though they are as real as anyone can get. Take Nana for example, which IIRC you read. It's the everyday scene for a 20-something girl: getting pregnant, chasing dreams, etc. And a lot of shoujo (and josei) have plots like this. But what makes Nana a best-seller? It's because of Yazawa's way of writing, like other good mangaka who make hits with stories like this.

 

[Meromorphe]

Yo bb-chan,

Actually, I was only speaking about my own experience. I am relieved that other people like mangas in a different way.
A few comments though.

I was not trying to differentiate characters with a symbolic value with characters "close to real-life".
I think I read stuff that falls in slice-of-life category and where I sense some symbolism in them.
Maybe what I don't like is not mangas where I don't see any message, but mangas with a too negative message. There is Ushijima published in France. I tried to read the first volume, but every story ends up very bad for each "client" of the guy. There was no humanism or hope in this volume, it is not good for my little heart
Actually, there are a lot of stuff I don't like because of the too systematic denunciation of something, either political issues, environmental issues or to denounce how bad our world is (a lot of european comics are like that). I want hope, positive attitude and reasons to fangirl over

About empathy and exaggerated character, I really wonder how we can feel attached to them. If I remember right there are some cognitive mechanisms (mirror neurons) that make one subject feel the same situation of the other subject and thus can empathize with him (My memory is a bit fuzzy, although empathy is one of my favorite scientific subjects because of its implications, but I am too lazy to investigate more ). So, one can wonder if we really empathize because of the "situation" and feelings of the characters or because of the symbolic value of the characters we have recognized in them. Oh, screw that, it is because they are awesome

 

[tasuki00]

I think db's chars can be pretty positive.

 

[Black Lagoon]

well can u name me some good one shot seinen mangaka

Inoue Takehiko, the author of Vagabond and Slam Dunk, IMO he is the best (art included)

 

[blai]

I have to agree with you on this one BL, especially on the art. It's special, it's not the "soft cozy" art, but the more "hard" art, but it fits and is really good. I loved both Vagabond and SD. Haven't read any OS by him. He's done a lot OS?

 

[Akiyama]

Does art quality really matter in manga as long as the story and plot are well done???

 

[Kaiten]

When I judge a manga I consider art to be one criteria. Obviously plot, pace, character, everything that goes into a prose story matter. But they are comics, art is part of the way the story is told. Can't be ignored. Even if everything else is perfect bad art can be held against a manga. Not to say the art has to be great the way a painting is, more that the it has to express what the mangaka is trying to say as eloquently as the writing. Of course great art doesn't matter if the writing sucks

 

[eni]

Manga is a visual media, so of course it does matter. If the artwork doesn't appeal to the eye, the story can hardly hold it up on it's own.

Plus, art style is a huge part of genre prejudices. How many don't read shoujo because of the 'big eyes'? On the other hand, I have an issue with many seinen manga on a certain and deliberately ugly style. The story can be as good as it want but it doesn't help me when I can't adapt to the characters at all. In a serious story at least. I do enjoy gag comics (Mort & Phil ) with weird character design as well but I can't stand it when the story is supposed to touch me in a dramatic, epic or romantic way.

 

[TitaniumChloride]

I didn't know where to put this so admins, please move this post if you see fit. I just wanted to point out that a mangaka had gone missing:

Source: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com

Spoiler: Crayon Shin-chan Manga Creator Usui Missing Since Friday

Yoshito Usui's family asked police to launch search effort on Saturday

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

51-year-old Crayon Shin-chan manga creator Yoshito Usui has been missing since Friday, and his family asked the police in his hometown of Kasukabe to launch a search effort on Saturday, according to the Sankei Shimbun paper's source who is connected to the search. Police in Usui's home prefecture of Saitama (northwest of Tokyo) have contacted the police in other prefectures to expand the search. Usui's publisher Futabasha told Sankei Shimbun, "He has not been in contact [with us], so we are very worried."

Crayon Shin-chan follows the exploits of Shinnosuke Nohara, a mischievous (fictional) kindergartner in Usui's own Kasukabe City. Usui launched the manga in Futabasha's Weekly Manga Action magazine in August 1990, and he has continued to work on the series after moving it to Manga Town and other Futabasha magazines. Shin'ei Doga has been adapting it into a top-5-rated television anime series since 1992, and the television series has itself inspired 17 anime films.

CMX Manga has been releasing Yoshito Usui's original Crayon Shin-chan manga in English in North America. Funimation has been adapting the Shin-chan television anime series into dubbed English, and the Adult Swim network used to run episodes every Sunday morning.

Update: More background information added.

Update: The Yomiuri Shimbun and Mainichi Shimbun newspaper report that Usui has said on Friday morning that he was "going hiking for a day in Gunma Prefecture" north of his home by himself, as he often did. When he did not return that night, his wife contacted the authorities on Saturday. His family called his mobile phone, but the calls went unanswered.

 

[Akiyama]

Hello everyone in the Otaku Cafe,

I'm the new mod for the Cafe and will be helping out my sensei Kaiten.Sama ! Since we have a second pair of eyes now I'm going to be watching your every post very carefully. . Expect to see more of me in the near future. Have fun, learn about manga, participate in discussion.

Play nice,
Akiyama

 

[Enma Ai]

Hey, does anyone know when chapter 67 and on of Alive-The final evolution will be released????

 

[shaheer]

Hello everyone in the Otaku Cafe,

I'm the new mod for the Cafe and will be helping out my sensei Kaiten.Sama ! Since we have a second pair of eyes now I'm going to be watching your every post very carefully. . Expect to see more of me in the near future. Have fun, learn about manga, participate in discussion.

Play nice,
Akiyama

late congrats (my defense) i was out of MH for a long time

 

[Mushashi]

can someone egg miuras house spelling hurry the f up

 

[Akiyama]

The Otaku Encyclopedia
Author: Patrick W. Galbraith
Publisher: Kodansha International
Sharpen your otaku I.Q. with this fun, savvy and fascinating guide to Japanese pop culture. Learn the origins and meanings of terms like moe, tsundere and NEET, visit otaku hotspots and events like Akihabara and Comiket and meet some of the idols, animators and creators who make the anime, manga, toys and music you love to love.

Sure you could find all this out on the web but I just wanted to let everyone know someone made a book on this.