Forum - View topicA common fan's take on the future of manga
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Vantos
 Posts: 102 |
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Here's something to think about. The following is not intended to be a joke:
Manga, as you know, sells quite well in bookstores. Though content from Japan eats up the lion's share of this (GN) market, there are some Original English Language Manga (OELM) popping out. Japan is serving us well at this time; however, if even one OELM reaches a success level comparable to that of Naruto when it was released in Japan, the resulting chain reaction would lead to the collapse of the Japanese import scene. First off, OELM, specifically American-produced OELM, does not invoke the perennial fear espoused by fans of Japanese manga: bad translation and/or misguided editing. There would be much less quibbling about using this word or that, calling this attack whatever, or babying audiences by doing whatever. If these advantages make themselves apparent in the form of, say, an OELM called Guzman's Journey that savages the sales charts and achieves widespread popularity, other artists will be encouraged, and there will be a much larger number of OELMs. New books eventually beget new fans. Assuming that companies will still be importing Japanese manga, the fans of said manga will scoff at Guzman's Journey and the tidal wave of OELMs it spawned, as they will remain faithful to Japanese-produced series for the simple reason that they have always been reading those series. The OELM fans, of course, will not want to have anything to do with Japanese manga, for it might have been censored during the editorial process. Why bother with that nonsense when Americans now produce quality product without being plagued by such uncertainties? Both sides have pledged unfaltering allegiance to their chosen manga form. Either side sees the other as idiotic. The result would be an "otaku war" that will be fought from the message boards to the anime conventions. This war would ultimately be futile, as the fate of Japanese imports had been sealed since the day Guzman's Journey became a megahit. First off, American publishers would repeatedly mention the editing practices of the importers in order to make their Japanese-distributing rivals look like they are cheating their customers. This alone would drive most uninitiated people towards domestic product, and leave the ranks of the J-manga faithful to remain stagnant. The unchanging ranks will age, but the OELM group will be guaranteed new blood. Most likely, Tokyopop will cease importation and Viz will continue so as to cater to the niche J-manga fans. In a desperate attempt to compete with the OELMs, they will make all of their content uncensored and as faithfully translated as possible. This will, of course, please the niche mightily but fail to bring in new readers. This will place J-manga fans in the same boat with Marvel fans: An old fanbase that does not like change. One would emphasize the fact that J-manga, by virtue of a business model that facilitates creator ownership (similar to what OELM publishers would enact), would not experience the troubled times that Marvel experienced, but keep in mind that Japanese manga is by and large published for Japanese people, who would be decreasing in number. This shrinking readership would lead them to study the OELMs and try and produce for the US market, but they would not succeed, as the J-manga that the fans had cherished so much would now become a craptacular imitation of OELM. The Japanese would then begin importing titles from THIS country because their domestic talent pool is drying up. The J-manga fans --- and Viz --- would have an ultimatum: adapt to the new conditions or be left out in the cold. Then again, things may not turn out so dreary for J-manga fans. While J-manga will definitely wither in about two decades' time, the fans may be willing to try OELMs. Some may even start DRAWING them! They would have successfully adapted to America's new position as a serious contender in the comics world. This can be accomplished only if American and Japanese GNs are not seen as diametrically opposed art forms. The future of manga is what we make it. |
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shadow_guyver
 Posts: 307 Location: Tokyo, Japan |
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It's an interesting point of view, but I think it's a bit drastic.
The first assumption I have trouble with is that fans would be turned off by translation and editing issues. While there will certainly be people put off by editing issues, I hardly think these issues will be enough to drive away potential fans. Especially the editing issue. Thing is, the edits are usually done to make the manga more acceptable to America's cultural sense of decency. I mean, so what if it's censored? Would the OELMs be any more gratuitously violent or sexual than the J-manga? Unlikely. So the end product would have little difference. The assumption has another problem with the idea that the uninitiated would be turned off by the edits. They're uninitiated, right? How would they know the difference? Eventually they would probably learn the truth, but I'll refer you back to the first half of this paragraph. Also, where is this decraesing readership among the Japanese people coming from, because that's confusing me. Unless something drastic happens in Japan, the Japanese will continue to read Japanese manga. Given that, I don't see their talent pool drying up anytime soon. And as for J-manga becoming a crappy imitation OELMs is ironic. Not because that's what OELMs are related to J-manga. Because manga as we know it today exists thanks to the influence of American comics after WWII. Well, just my 2 cents. |
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Kagemusha
 Posts: 2783 Location: Boston |
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Someone has what to much time on their hands. The idea that the Japanese import market would be whiped out by MICs (manga-influenced-comics) is ridiculous. Aside from the fact that MICs haveyet to rise to a level of quality to carve out a large share of the market, there's the simple fact that MICs will probobly never be as diverse as manga. Japanese comics are always going to offer a very diverse range of genres. Unless MICs can somehow appeal to virtually every age range, from young girls to middle-aged men, they aren't going to reach the diversity of manga.
Secondly, just because one MIC was a huge hit doesn't mean people are going to suddenly jump on the bandwagon. Lets face it: a good percentage of manga readers are so single-minded that they only like something that's "Japanese". Plus, a good part of them are anime fans who dabble in manga, so the likelihood that they'll decide to only buy MICs is slim. While you have some good points, especially with Tokyopop pushing their MIC line so much, I just can't see the manga market being destroyed by MICs. Even if the quantity and quality of MICs somehow mangaged to match manga (which is virtually impossible), there's still going to be room for manga just like there was ten years ago. Right now, most MICs are being sold just because they use the "manga style", and not so much because they're good or original comics (though some of them are I'm sure). |
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Vantos
Posts: 102 |
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I suppose you are correct. Most of the post-megahit MIC market would most likely be in the style of Guzman's Journey (that is, shōnen). There may also be lame attempts at shōjo here and there, maybe a highly offensive book as well --- but there wouldn't be enough to wrest the mantle from Japanese manga.
But there is still this: new publishing companies would still include attacks on importers' editing practices in order to draw fresh blood (people who don't even read manga) over to their side, as it will imply that the importers regularly cheat readers. This can backfire, though, as importers and manga fans would counter that MIC artists emphasize shock value over story, especially if many MICs become that way. Perhaps the situation would not become as dire as I described it, but I really do think that the fledgling MIC market has a chance if it plays its cards right. Who says that the only people who look in the Manga section of a bookstore are the animanga initiated? |
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Kagemusha
Posts: 2783 Location: Boston |
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Perhapse, but don't forget that virtually 100% of MIC's fanbase are manga fans who are just buying them as a novelty, and many of them are being written as a novelty. If MICs stand a chance at becoming a serious force in the American market, they're going to have to produce works that are comparable to things like Naruto or Fruits Basket, and right now that isn't happening. |
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Vantos
Posts: 102 |
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D'oh! I forgot something: Manga is ingrained into Japanese culture more than comics are in American culture.
Because most Americans see manga as "that weird, cool thing from Japan" and regard American-produced comics as total crap, anyone hoping to carve out a market for MICs has to be consistently on top of their game. Despite the endurance of the manga market, Japanese manga are still considered a strange and foreign form, receiving attention mainly because of its national origin. It is not truly "American," so it is very difficult to replicate the style without being branded a cheap imitator by anyone, from the average layperson to the hyper-obsessed otaku. If a magahit does come into being, it would likely be a GN that tries its best not to copy Japanese themes, retaining an aura that can resonate with non-otaku Americans. |
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apple pro
Posts: 190 |
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the thread's name mentions yourself as a "common fan" and it shows. since you don't know inside info and do not possess personal experience as a professional in the industry, how can you make any theories on the future of comics?
here's a realistic take for the next 5 years: Manga gets more popular every year and the selection at bookstores get bigger and better. The american consumer will start to get picky as their experience with manga increases and the publishers will start to produce more quality and less crap. OELMs will have mild sucess. |
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Grieving Chaos
Posts: 99 Location: Winterpark, FL |
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I don't see a need for the market - even of the future - to draw such strict lines between manga and MIC or OLM.
As it is, the current audience of MIC are fans who are already exposed to manga or anime. Whether they originally became interested because of anime on TV, video games, or comic books would play an important role in what they're interested in and expecting. Take, for example, the comic book market. Not the MIC's, just the normal comics. People rarely JUST get interested in comic books. They have to be turned on to them, whether through cartoons, movies, or books. This is because the market isn't very well known. The same holds true for MIC. Manga fans begin to read manga either because they saw an anime (or anime esque show), played a strongly Japanese-influenced game (RPGs, thanks to cut scenes, I believe are the strongest), read comic books as is, or heard about from a friend who does. A brand new fan can become interested when browsing through a bookstore, yes, and even then MICs/OLMs are categorized with them anyways. The MIC market would have to have INCREDIBLE advertising to build a non-established fanbase (i.e. fans of only MIC/OLM as opposed to established manga/comics/anime/game fans). As it is, that's a near impossibility. American comics - established for YEARS, and doing the best they have in probably decades - are just NOW getting mentioned in respectable news sources. True, the MIC market would have some credit as being "manga", which will probably get them more and more noticed - manga generally getting more attention than comics as is - but still won't give them the sheer power necessary to dominate the manga market, or to build their own seperate fanbases. Myself, I see no need for distinction, as a reader or a buyer. If I enjoy a MIC/OLM - like I have Megatokyo, Van Von Hunter, or any other - I buy it. Does it inspire me to buy ONLY MIC/OLM? No. A good manga makes me want more good manga. A good MIC/OLM makes me want more of that. A good comic makes me want more. Why draw battle lines when you can enjoy all three? |
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apple pro
Posts: 190 |
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there was a similar thread in another forum betweeb manga vs. american comics
in the end, everybody agreed why not enjoy everything that is great regardless of the origin or format? if ken akumatsu wrote a comic on toilet paper translated from martian drawn by Jim Lee — i would pick it up if it was good. |
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Vantos
Posts: 102 |
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You're right. I don't know jack about the inside. It was all wild speculation. I do understand that "battle lines" are far from a certainty, or even that my drawn-out scenario might not even happen anytime soon. I wanted to see if anything I brought up there has any merit.
Grieving Chaos, I'm not in favor of battle lines --- I'd rather not see them. I was just guessing that they would appear whether I like it or not (I don't like it). I saw the locked thread on "American comics vs. Manga." This thread is not supposed to be about manga being innately better/worse than OELMs, it's supposed to be about the possiblity of a renaissance in the American comic industry, spearheaded by OELMs. Yes, I'm just some guy. Someone who knows stuff, go ahead and educate me. |
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