Jack and Jill at the Toxic Dump

Manga (Japanese Graphic Novels) vs. American Graphic Novels

quotes provided by the members of the Teen Advisory Board (grades six through ten), Princeton (N.J.) Public Library

• “American graphic novels are ‘cooler’ than Manga. They are more realistic and the superheroes are better.”
• “We’re talking apples and oranges here. Manga and American graphic novels are so different. The American works frequently started with little strips or individual comic books that were later collected together and published as a graphic novel. Manga are more like a novel. From the beginning the author has an idea of where the plot is going and follows along.”
• “You can get Manga that hasn’t been translated into English in some comic book stores (like the Japanese book store in New York City.) I like to do that, even though I can’t read Japanese. Because of the way the stories are written, you can follow along even though you can’t read the words.”
• “Do you really get to know the characters in American graphic novels? Because you really get to know them in Japanese manga.”
• “I don’t like the style of Japanese manga. There are too many straight lines. I prefer the more lavish treatment you get in American graphic novels.”
• “It’s a cultural thing. The Japanese are more formal. The Americans are more informal. You can tell the difference when you look at the artwork in the graphic novels from each country.”
• “There are several types of manga. SHONAN is more male-oriented, like DRAGON BALL. Lots of martial arts and male protagonists. SHOUJO or SHOOJO is more female-oriented. There are works like SAILOR MOON and RAYEARTH—girl heroines with a touch of romance.”
• “Everyone knows how extraordinary Neil Gaiman’s SANDMAN series is. These are works of literature in graphic novel format. The Japanese also have a literary equivalent—NAUSICAA. It has depth and darkness, like SANDMAN, and is beautifully written.”
• “Manga are the Japanese graphic novels. Anime are the Japanese animated films or movies. Frequently you can read the graphic novel and watch the movie—or vice versa. However, there are a few outstanding anime that have not yet been turned into graphic novels. These include:
• Princess Mononoke
• Grave of the Fireflies (English subtitles)
• Gatchaman
• Vampire Hunter D

Some comic books stores carry an assortment of manga and anime. The Suncoast Video chain here in New Jersey has subtitled anime and an occasional copy of two of Japanese manga. Check you local video and bookstores and comic book stores to see if they already carry or might be willing to order manga and anime for you.”

• “In Japan manga are extremely popular. There are even titles written just for adults. But now the manga craze has come to this country. And I am so very glad! I love to read manga!”
• “The most exciting part about manga is that the reader gets transported to a different country and culture which ends up feeling like a different world. The pictures and the story bring that world to life, in a way that cannot be copied in a normal novel.