Answerman — Manga
Filters
All
Text-only Compact View
Text-only List View
Text-only Grid View
List View with Images
Grid View with Images
Answerman - Why Is K MANGA Not a Subscription Service?
Kodansha explained it opted for in-app currency because it better benefits manga creators.
― Earlier this month, the K MANGA app launched in the U.S. We saw your questions in the forums and social media and posed them to Kodansha. ANN readers asked:
In the U.S. market, a number of manga services such as the Shonen Jump app use a subscription model. What was the reasoning behind K MANGA using a coin ...
Answerman - What Kind of Content Restrictions Does Shonen Jump Impose?
Kim discusses the Youth Ordinance Bill and how a series of heinous crimes forever changed the popular manga magazine.
― Kyle asked:
With American TV and comics for kids, there's a pretty strict standards and practices, but it seems very lax in Japan. I've heard stories about PTA getting upset over anime and manga in the past, but I was wondering, typically for, say, something like Shonen Jump, what ...
Answerman - Why Do So Many Manga Artists Have Health Problems?
We hear about manga artists taking breaks due to poor health regularly; is there anything that can improve their work conditions?
― Jon asked:
I have been a long-time manga reader, and ever since the death of Berserk's creator Kentarou Miura I have been keeping a closer watch on mangaka that need to take breaks due to health issues and was shocked at how common these situations are. I was hoping you...
Answerman - How Much Of The Doujinshi Scene Is Porn?
Over 700,000 attendees visited Comiket this year, the mecca of self-published comics. But how much of it is Adults Only?
― Jake asked:
Comiket has become an institution of anime and manga nerd culture over the last several decades. But at a recent convention panel I attended, it was mentioned that is often overlooked or hidden in most media representations is the vast amount of 18+ erotic adult douj...
Manga Answerman - Is Translating 'Lolicon' as 'Pedophile' Accurate?
Deb Aoki tackles the Hensuki episode controversy
― There's been some controversy recently about an anime translating the world “lolicon” as “pedophile.” Is that what “lolicon” means and how it is perceived in Japan? For starters, “lolicon” or “roricon” is short for “Lolita Complex.” “Lolita” as a term for an under-age girl comes from the book of the same name by Vladimir Nabokov. It's about a man wh...
Answerman - Does Being Nominated or Winning an Eisner Award Impact Manga Sales?
Can a prestigious award drive up sales or do manga readers even care? Deb Aoki looks at the stats.
― So what's the deal with manga and the Eisner Awards? Does being nominated or winning an Eisner Award impact sales of a book? So first off, a little bit of background on the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards. It is named for legendary comics creator Will Eisner, who is best known for coining the term ...
Manga Answerman - Is the Word “Hentai” Misunderstood or Misused by Fans Outside of Japan?
When Western fans think "hentai" they think "lewd," but the word actually has origins beyond just cheesecake.
― Is the word “hentai” misunderstood and/or misused by fans outside of Japan? This isn't exactly an Answerman mailbag question, but one that came up thanks to anime producer and industry veteran Yoshihiro Watanabe. Watanabe happened upon an article from The Guardian, describing how a contest...
Manga Answerman - Why Aren't More Anime-Related Manga Published in English?
Each season we get tons of new anime to stream, but the original manga doesn't always make it to readers. Deb talks about the considerations publishers have to weigh before licensing a manga, even if it has an anime adaptation.
― A lot of anime series are based on manga, but why are so many manga that inspired anime series that have aired recently not published in English? It's certainly true that i...
Manga Answerman - Can Non-Japanese Comic Creators Call Themselves 'Mangaka'?
Deb weighs in on what it really means to be a "mangaka" and if referring to yourself as one is such a good idea.
― This week's Manga Answerman is slightly different this week – I saw an interesting conversationon Twitter from manga scholar and translator Rachel Thorn. Rachel is a professional translator (her latest translated work is The Poe Clan by Moto Hagio, which is due out in late August 2019 f...
Answerman - How Much Control Do Manga Artists Have Over Hollywood Adaptations?
The former Dragonball manga editor revealed how much it costs to be a Hollywood heavyweight, but what about the comic's creator? Justin revisits Dragonball: Evolution to find the answer.
― Skerlly asked:
With Kazuhiko Torishima stating how much money he'd have to pay to supervise the movie Dragonball: Evolution, and the infamy that's attributed to how Hollywood film adaptations of anime/manga fail t...
Manga Answerman - What's With All The Omnibus Releases?
American manga publishers seem to be leaning more and more toward collected releases - why is that? Deb digs in, with some commentary from industry pros.
― Why does omnibus volumes seem to be increasingly common for US manga publishers nowadays? Not that they don't ever release the individual volumes, but it seems like whenever there's a modern re-release, or a never-before-released English edition ...
Manga Answerman - Does Manga Need An Anime Adaptation To Hit In The West?
Is there any truth to the perception that a manga series "needs" an anime adaptation in order to seriously catch on in the west? Deb digs in deep.
― A friend of mine and I had an argument about this and I was hoping you had an opinion on it. Do you think it's true that outside of a few cases, most manga needs an anime adaptation in order to really catch on in the west? Hm. Let me preface my thoughts...
Manga Answerman - What Are The Best Digital Manga Services?
With an almost overwhelming number of places to read digital manga, it can be hard to sort out where to find everything you want to read. Deb does her best to sort it out!
― Where do you personally read digital manga, and with several apps now all competing for a similar manga-reading audience, which ones do you think are the most useful? Well, as you mention, there are many places where you can buy...
Manga Answerman - What exactly does a “manga editor” do?
Industry legend and Dark Horse manga editor Carl Horn joins Deb this week for a little enlightenment on what exactly a "manga editor" does.
― Editor's note: Manga Answerman is on hiatus this week, so we're republishing one of our favorites - please look forward to a new installment next Friday! What exactly does a “manga editor” do, on both the Japanese side and the English localization side? In my ...
Answerman - Why Are Most Manga Published in Black and White?
American comics are (mostly) published in color - but virtually all manga is published exclusively in black and white. What's the reason for the difference? Deb gets into it.
― Why are most manga published in black and white and not color, like American comics? The simple answer is that it's simply cheaper, faster, and easier to publish comics in black and white than it is to print in color. When yo...
Manga Answerman - Why are there so many sound effects in manga?
The pages of your favorite manga are often overflowing with unique onomatopoeia - Deb gets into a discussion about this phenomenon.
― This might sound like a simple question, but I've always wondered: why are there so many sound effects in manga? Sound effects are a part of Western comics too (e.g. Ka-Pow! Whoosh!), but Japanese comics are unique in that besides onomatopoeia (words for sounds that m...
Manga Answerman - How often do English manga publishers sell at a loss?
Not every manga series published in English will be a hit, but how often do the publishers themselves sell books at a loss? Deb digs in to it.
― How often do English publishers sell at a loss? Viz and Kodansha have so many different series and there has to be a good amount that they aren't making money on. Nearly a decade ago, Viz Media dropped Hitman Reborn, Gintama and a few others and I often sti...
Manga Answerman - Which forgotten or underappreciated manga do you think deserve a big splashy omnibus rerelease?
Which manga do you think deserve a lavish rerelease? Deb weighs in.
― Which forgotten or underappreciated manga do you think deserve a big splashy omnibus rerelease? Hm. This is a tough one, since a lot of terrific manga that would have otherwise not have had a chance to get an official release five or ten years ago are now getting picked up for publication. As a result, my “impossible dream” or “re...
Manga Answerman - What Makes A Great English Translation?
Do you prefer an extremely literal translation to a more "lyrical" one? What really goes in to a truly great Japanese-to-English manga translation? Deb's got a few ideas.
― This is more of a personal question, but what do you prefer: a “lyrical”, adaptive translation, or a no-frills one that goes for the very direct approach? Hm. That's an interesting question. Let me preface my response with a few ...
Manga Answerman - Do Comic Book Stores Still Hesitate To Stock Manga?
Deb and two experts from the field weigh in on an old stereotype: are traditional comic book stores in North America still reluctant to stock manga?
― Do comic shops still hesitate to stock manga or is that just an old stereotype at this point? I'd find it hard to believe they would still resist it. For this particular question, I decided to ask some folks on the front lines of selling manga in comi...
Manga Answerman - Why Do Publishers Sometimes Stop Publishing Manga Before They're Finished?
Every now and then a manga being published in English will suddenly get canceled - what goes into that sort of decision, and is it possible to bring them back from the dead? Deb gets into it.
― Why do publishers stop publishing some manga before the series is completed? There are many reasons why a publisher might opt to stop publishing new volumes of a manga series in English before the story is co...
Manga Answerman - Who Decides Which Ecchi Manga Get Shrinkwrapped?
Any trip down a bookstore manga aisle will reveal that some manga full of boobs are shrinkwrapped while other manga full of boobs aren't. Who makes these decisions, anyway? Deb gets into it.
― Some ecchi manga gets shrink-wrapped for retail but some doesn't – how does that get decided? Is it entirely on the publisher to shrink-wrap certain types of content? Does the store handle it themselves? Is th...
Manga Answerman - Why Do Some Shojo Publishers Use The Same Spine Design For Every Series?
Spine design can make browsing the shojo manga shelves in Japan a little tricky for non-native speakers - Deb calls in book designer extraordinaire Fawn Lau for expert commentary!
― When looking at manga in Japan, I've noticed how lots of shoujo tankobon manga have their titles and spines in the same font and format, making for a super uniform look where it's hard for anything to stand out, especial...
Manga Answerman - How Many Manga Magazines Are There In Japan?
You hear about the breadth and depth of manga available in Japan, but how many manga magazines actually publish there - and has digital overtaken print at this point? Deb considers the angles.
― So how many different manga magazines are there in Japan, anyway? Is there one aimed at pretty much every demographic? Which ones generally produce the most anime adaptations? Hoooh. This one is a tough one ...
Manga Answerman - How Can I Preserve My Aging Manga Collection?
If you've got a big manga collection, preserving it can be a hassle - and staving off the yellowing of pages can be a little tricky. Deb has some tips for keeping your manga collection pristine.
― Hey Deb, I have a very expansive manga collection and lately when I browse through some of my older volumes, I've noticed the pages are starting to yellow - in many cases it's much worse than I thought. I'...
Manga Answerman - Why Don't More Japanese Manga Artists Come to North American Conventions?
While voice actors and anime production staff are common guests for overseas conventions, why is it so much less common for manga artists to make the journey? Deb Aoki has the answers.
― Why don't more Japanese manga artists come to N. American comic / anime conventions? It's largely a matter of time, availability and money. Most manga artists, especially those who have series that are published on ...
Manga Answerman - How Do Censorship Rules Work for Hentai?
When it comes to pornography in manga, who dictates what naughty stuff can be shown and when? Deb Aoki finds out with a little help from FAKKU's Jacob Grady.
― When reading hentai manga, I notice that the censoring in some of them is just black or white bars. Those bars are sometimes used intensely, and other times very mildly that they don't actually cover anything (mostly the old ones). Whereas so...
Manga Answerman - What Tools Does A Mangaka Use To Make Manga?
Do professional manga artists still use ink and paper to create their art, or has everything gone digital? Deb breaks down the common mangaka toolkit.
― When it comes to manga production, what's in a typical mangaka's toolkit? Are they still buying a lot of art supplies for work like this, or is literally everything digital now? Well, every artist has a different approach to drawing, and as such, th...
Manga Answerman - What Makes A Great English Translation?
Do you prefer an extremely literal translation to a more "lyrical" one? What really goes in to a truly great Japanese-to-English manga translation? Deb gets into it.
― This is more of a personal question, but what do you prefer: a “lyrical”, adaptive translation, or a no-frills one that goes for the very direct approach? Hm. That's an interesting question. Let me preface my response with a few cavea...
Manga Answerman - Is the Distinction Between Manga And "Manga-Style Comics" Going Away?
With the fully-fledged anime adaptation of Tony Valente's french adventure comic Radiant on the air in Japan, it makes you wonder: is the distinction between "manga" and "manga-style" comics going away for good? Deb has some thoughts.
― Do you think the distinction between manga made in Japan and manga-style comics made elsewhere is slowly going away? Do you think it should? This is an interesting a...
Manga Answerman - Can a "How To Draw Manga" Book Really Help You Become A Manga Artist?
"How to draw manga" books are everywhere - but how helpful are they? Deb gets into it, and offers a trove of resources for aspiring artists!
― There are a ton of “how to draw manga” books – do you think those could really teach someone how to become a manga artist? What do you recommend for someone trying to develop their own manga style? For this question, I'll start it off with a story. Maybe it w...
Manga Answerman - How Come Only Some Manga Use Honorifics?
Some official English manga translations use common Japanese honorifics like -san and -kun but some don't - what's the reason behind this inconsistency? Deb breaks it down!
― Why do some translated manga use honorifics like -san, -chan, and -kun and some don't? First, a little background: the Japanese language commonly uses honorifics, or suffixes added to names in a way that's quite unique, in that...
Manga Answerman - How Come Some Manga Are Still Published "Flopped"?
There are still some manga in North America - like Lone Wolf & Cub and Chi's Sweet Home - that are still published "flopped", with the artwork flipped left-to-right. Why did this start happening - and why does it still happen? Deb gets into it.
― Why are some manga published in N. America flopped, while most are not? Well, let's get our definitions out of the way first: "flopped" manga refers to a p...
Answerman - How Do Manga Based On Original Anime Get Made?
Original manga often spawn anime series, but it doesn't go the other way all that often - how exactly does an original anime get a manga adaptation? Justin gets into the details.
― Nick asked:
The process of securing the rights to and then adapting a manga, light novel, etc. into an anime has been described in much detail. That being said, there are certain cases where the opposite happens--an origi...
Answerman - Since When Can Publishers Other Than Viz Publish Jump Titles?
It seemed like Viz had a monopoly on publishing Shonen Jump titles in America, but here comes Seven Seas with Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs. What gives? Deb's ready to explain!
― In the past, it looked like VIZ Media had an automatic license for Shonen Jump's manga. They were the only ones who released those (series). From Rurouni Kenshin, Death Note, Bleach, and others, if Viz didn't want to tr...
Manga Answerman - Digital, Print or Both? How Do Manga Publishers Decide?
How do manga publishers decide whether to publish new and catalog releases as physical books, as digital copies, or in some cases, both? Deb explores the many angles publishers take on this one.
― How do publishers decide whether to release manga in print, digitally, or both? My understanding is that a digital release is cheaper, so some titles that wouldn't be profitable in print can support digita...
Manga Answerman - Why Don't More Manga Publishers Use Kickstarter?
Kickstarter campaigns have helped quite a few manga see release in English - so why don't more publishers use it to release books that might otherwise seem kinda risky? Deb gets into the details!
― Why don't more manga publishers use Kickstarter to raise funds to publish manga? It's certainly true that Kickstarter has been a major force in comics publishing in the past few years. There are independe...
Manga Answerman - Why is Summer the Season for Spooky Stories in Manga?
In North America we usually bust out the skeletons and draculas in October, but in manga, it seems like summertime is a much spookier season. Deb is ready to explain why!
― Why is Summer considered the season for spooky stories in manga, not Autumn / October like it is in North America? Much as Halloween at the end of October is the holiday that anchors the season for spooks and ghouls in North Amer...
Manga Answerman - Do Foreign Manga Sales Matter to North American Publishers?
Let's say there's a manga artist whose work is a huge smash hit in, say, Finland, but not a single volume of their work has been published in America. Do American publishers take that success into account? Deb gets into it.
― It's well known that not all manga are smash hits in the US, but when a previously "unknown" manga starts doing well in another country, shouldn't that catch other countries pu...
Manga Answerman - Is It Common For Mangaka To Have A Lot Of Uncredited Assistants?
One reader wants to know if it's common in Japan for manga to be produced chiefly by one artist (named on the cover) along with a bunch of uncredited assistants. Deb pulls out the facts!
― We're now into August, and anime and comics convention season is in full-swing. I'm still digging through the transcripts from the various interviews and panels from SDCC and AX, but in the meantime, let's try to ...
Manga Answerman - Why Isn't My Favorite Manga Licensed In America?
Deb gets in-depth on a long list of some of the most common - and sometimes misunderstood - reasons why your favorite manga hasn't been licensed for release in America yet.
― Got back from San Diego Comic-Con, where I moderated a panel with a bunch of manga publishing professionals, including editors, translators and publishers. I'll try to share some of the questions and answers that came out of th...
Manga Answerman - Why Are American Manga Publishers So Coy About Licenses?
If you ask an American manga publisher about whether or not they're going to license a title you love, they'll be super coy and weird about it even if they have every intention of releasing it. Why is that? Deb digs in.
― Just got back from Anime Expo, and I'm at San Diego Comic-Con as you read this, where I'll be doing more of the same: going to the manga publishers' panels and reporting on what I ...
Manga Answerman - Do English-Language Publishers Ever Collaborate On Manga Releases?
One reader writes in with an interesting find - an old copy of Hellsing with both Dark Horse AND Digital Manga logos on it! Deb gets to the bottom of this mystery - and talks with Dark Horse about how such a thing came about.
― Today's Answerman question comes from Ara, who found a manga that had a curious quirk: I just came across a copy of the English Hellsing manga in the wild and was surprised t...
Manga Answerman - What Kind Of Raw Files Do Manga Publishers Work From?
Deb explains in detail - and with helpful diagrams! - exactly how manga printing works, and the difference between first-generation manga art and 3rd generation reproductions.
― Q: Hi there, after a while since the last time i bought some good old paper manga, and I noticed some very good editing, maybe even TOO good, so a question came up in my mind: when a manga gets officially licensed does the p...
Manga Answerman - Do's and Don'ts of Meeting Convention Guests from Japan
Now that the 2018 summer convention season is in full swing, fans will soon have the chance to meet manga and light novel authors and artists from Japan! Here are some friendly tips for how to interact with your favorite creator.
― Now that the 2018 summer anime and comic convention season is in full swing, North American fans are in for a treat – the chance to meet some manga and light novel author...
Manga Answerman - Can Mangaka Work With Multiple Publishers At Once?
It seems like an enormous workload, but is it possible for a mangaka to work on multiple series at once, across different publishers? Deb gets into it.
― Q: Can a Mangaka work with two to three (or more) different manga publishing companies at the same time, all with a different series? Yes. They certainly can, and some certainly do. The astounding work ethic (or back-breaking workload) of a Japanes...
Manga Answerman - How Do Manga Authors Get By When They're Not Publishing Something?
Let's say you draw manga for a living. How do you make ends meet when you're not yet successfully published, or if you're in between series? Deb has the answer.
― Q: How do mangaka get by financially when not publishing? Ah, the life of the manga artist…. While several manga creators hit it big and make a LOT of money, many of Japan's manga makers (much like the comics creators all over the world) d...
Manga Answerman - Why Isn't All My Favorite Manga Available Digitally?
A lot of manga series are available in both print and digital format - but definitely not all of them, which can be frustrating. Why isn't everything available in both formats? Deb gets to the bottom of it.
― Ah, the print vs. digital manga availability dilemma… let's see if we can sort things out for Ann, who sent in this question: I've found myself in a slight predicament now that I've been gettin...
Manga Answerman - Does Buying English-Language Manga Releases Support the Mangaka?
Deb Aoki checks in for her first installment as Manga Answerman! This week: how much of your manga-purchasing money actually gets back to the mangaka in Japan?
― Hi ANN readers – I'm Deb Aoki, and I've been writing about manga and the manga industry for quite some time. I'm here to take on your prickliest manga questions as Manga Answer(wo)man! Let's get started with this one from the Answerman mail...
Answerman - Who Are The Ainu People?
After a high-profile spotlight in the new spring anime Golden Kamuy, some readers are curious to know more about Japan's Ainu population. Justin is happy to oblige!
― Eric asked:
I'd watched the first episode of Golden Kamuy, and that anime and even its original manga had mentioned about the people of Ainu in Japan in which I know they're somewhat similar to the Native American Indians in the Americ...
Answerman - What Makes A Manga Shonen Or Shoujo?
It's the eternal question - is the manga I'm reading shojo, shonen, seinen, josei, or something else entirely? How am I supposed to know just WHO this thing I'm reading is for? Justin gets into it.
― Juno016 asked:
How are manga (among other media) classified into their respective genres like "shoujo" and "josei" and so on? Obviously, there is some overlap, but are there official genre classificatio...
Answerman - Why Isn't Manga Made In Color Editions?
Pretty basic question: manga is typically produced and published in black & white. American comics are typically produced in color. What's up with that? Justin gets into it.
― José asked:
I do realize manga is (was?) supposed to be a cheap production and that manga magazines are printed on extremely cheap paper, so there wouldn't be any real use printing in color there, but couldn't publishers put o...
Answerman - Why Does Manga Turn Yellow?
You've probably experienced it yourself: you buy a bunch of manga, and over the years, the pages slowly turn yellow. What's up with that? Justin gets in-depth.
― Ivan asked:
Something i've noticed over the years is how manga (more than modern American comics) tend to yellow over time. It is so rapid that I notice brand new issues from major publishers begin to change from white to yellow within a ye...
Column - Why Don't Manga Publishers Announce When Books Go Out Of Print?
Manga volumes go out of print all the time with no warning - why does it work that way? Justin gets into it.
― Bill asked:
Why are manga licensees so cagey about when books are close to going out of print? Usually theres no way to tell If something is on its way out, or even fully out of print, until it's only available for jacked up prices on eBay. As consumers we tend to think of physical media --...
Answerman - Why Is It "Wrong" To Buy Digital Manga From Other Countries?
Let's say you want to buy digital manga from another country because it isn't available in yours - what's the problem with that? Justin breaks it down.
― Anonymous asks:
Why is it legal to import/buy english translated print copies of mangas in a foreign country (e.g. Switzerland) through my local bookstore (normally per order only) or via bookdepository or on Amazon "Region xy" (e.g. Germany) or an...
Answerman - Do Salarymen Really Read Manga?
Most anime may not be as mainstream in Japan as we would like to believe, but what about manga? Does the average working adult really read comics on the train?
― Vithuyan asks:
I have heard that manga is very popular among salary-men in Japan, is that true? Yes. Although most of them are not reading Shonen Jump. Seinen manga magazines ("seinen" literally means youth, but in terms of manga demographi...
Answerman - Why Do Manga Artists Prefer To Stay Anonymous?
Famous mangaka for series like Death Note can be famously withdrawn from the public eye, rarely granting interviews or even pictures. What's with that?
― Federico asks:
Why in recent years are manga artists so obsessed with privacy, to the point we know next to nothing about them? Decades ago they had no problem in being interviewed, filmed, photographed, and mostly anyone who was interested in thei...
Answerman - Why Are Some Manga Printed In Such Limited Quantities?
If you're a fan of lesser-known manga (or in some cases, middle volumes of popular long-running series) tracking down copies can be a nightmare. Justin explains why.
― Melissa asks: I've been a longtime fujoshi and now that I've got a stable job and can really expand my yaoi manga collection, I've noticed that many series are out of print, making it hard for me to track them down. I know a lot of ya...
Answerman - Why Don't We Have A Subscription Manga Service Yet?
One reader wants to know why "The Netflix of Manga" doesn't appear to exist yet, and Justin digs into the many possible reasons why.
― Matthew asks: What's stopping an English language manga distributor (Viz, Yen Press, etc.) from incorporating an all access subscription model to their online libraries? Unlimited access for a monthly or yearly subscription fee seems to currently work well for the an...
Answerman - Are Manga Sales Increasing in the US?
Things seem pretty great in the world of manga publishing, but just how well is the industry doing? Justin breaks down some numbers.
― Cody asks: With book stores increasing their manga sections last year, and the amount of new series being picked up from different companies, is this a sign that people buying more manga is increasing? and if so do you think we'll reach a point where the price of man...
Answerman - Why Did Shonen Jump Succeed In America?
It has a sizable percentage of the most popular manga in the world between its pages, but what exactly was it that made Shonen Jump hit in America the way it did? Justin has some thoughts.
― Agni asks: In Japan, a huge amount of manga is serialized in magazines. But in the west, the only such magazine was Shonen Jump. Why did Viz and Shueisha take this chance, how did it manage to keep running for n...
Answerman - How Did American Manga Releases Become Right-To-Left?
Justin recalls exactly when and why manga releases in the US became "authentic", reading right-to-left.
― Carlo asks: When I first started reading manga in the late nineties, a lot of the books were printed in left to right format instead of right to left. What was it that made US companies decide to change to the Japanese style? Prior to 2002, the vast majority of manga released in English was "flo...
For all articles, see the archives