Forum - View topicWhat do you guys think about the different sizes of Manga?
|
Goto page 1, 2 Next |
| Author | Message | ||
|---|---|---|---|
chichiriNoDa
 Posts: 532 |
|
||
|
I have noticed most of the old series that are getting these "omnibus" edition which is basically the 3 in 1 volumes are becoming prevalent. Like the reprint of most Clamp series from Dark Horse (X/1999, Chobits, Clover) and the VizBig (Kenshin, Fushigi, Hot Gimmick). These are thick & huge book that are almost the size of the standard Webster Dictionary! We also get other sizes of volumes from Viz, especially their Signature Titles as well as some series of Yen Press etc.. Although these are much more like the standard manga size except its bigger (Bokurano, Afterschool Charisma, House of Five Leaves). I personally don't like it, as it is very uncomfortable for me to hold these new editions while reading. It's annoying to flip the pages too! However the only advantage of these to the standard size is the quality of paper, (crisp/white/clear) and the ever so glossy attractive covers! I don't know if these new editions offers something that the standard one don't have. I don't have anything against the reprinting since its a great way to have new readers and a chance for others to collect some series that are getting OOP. I'm just saying that I still prefer and like the standard volumes as it is much easier to read, not as restraining and tiring. I also think that the standard volumes are much easier to store and carry on the go than the big ones.
So what do you guys think? And Do you guys think that in the near future instead of individual volumes we'll get these Omnibus edition for even the latest/new series? |
|||
|
|||
zawa113
 Posts: 7361 |
|
||
|
You make a good point, they can be quite uncomfortable to have in my lap and read the larger books. I think the VizSig sizes are fine, but if you get too much larger....but then they just look so damn glorious on the shelf and the image quality is usually gorgeous and awesome, making it worth it imo. But with standard trim, I do find it harder to find just the right position without changing, the hardcovers might dig into my legs a little, but when the cat shows up and I have to reorganize myself, I find it easier to find that sweet spot with the larger manga. And if I'm reading several volumes at once, I don't need to switch volumes as much with omnibuses.
Sometimes the omnibuses might have some new color pages and stuff, which is nice. I do prefer omnibuses to be a larger size though, because I feel like with standard sizes that I'm going to bend and destroy the spines. I don't feel that with the larger omnibus, so I do like it more for that reason. Now, organizing these all on the shelf is a royal pain. It's like no two companies have the same oversized trim size for anything. Organizing my standards is easy, everyone uses the same size, but the oversize? Yikes. That is probably my biggest complaint with oversized, I even had to make a special section for "ubersized" (currently the largest book there is the Avatar: The Last Airbender artbook). At least VizSig are all the same width, can't say the same for all my ubersized books. Also, you might've accidentally made the same topic 4 times... |
|||
|
|||
Tamaria
 Posts: 1512 Location: De Achterhoek |
|
||
|
Standaard size? As in dvd-size? They're not much of a standard size on an international scale. More like the odd one out, really
Even looking at just the English editions, only 50-60% of my new purchases are dvd-size. 30-40% is 'oversized'. The pre-2001 books are usually oversized as well. As for omnibuses, the Viz Bigs and the like are a bit unwieldly, but it's not as if dvd-size is a perfect fit for me either, so I can't say I care all that much. In any case, they look amazing and that's worth something too. The largest manga I own is Five Star Stories. They're even taller than BDs! Tiniest would be Limit from Vertical. Dutch Naruto, Detective Conan and so on are pretty small too - they're the same size as the original Japanese editions. |
|||
|
|||
st_owly
 Posts: 5234 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland |
|
||
|
The spines on the Dark Horse CCS and Clover omnibuses are way too breakable, but the content is gorgeous. They seem to have done better with the spines on the Angelic Layer ones though, which is nice.
However, I think my favourite omnibus release is Yen's release of the Betrayal Knows My Name. They're 2 in 1, so not too thick as to be unwieldy, A5 size, and stuffed full of lovely colour pages. I don't think single volume releases will ever go away though. To continue my above example, Yen have released 5 omnibuses of Betrayal Knows My Name (10 JP volumes) but from the next volume onwards, they're going to be releasing singles. Now they've caught up to Japan, it would take them nearly 2 years if they waited for the next 2 volumes to be available to make into an omnibus. |
|||
|
|||
marie-antoinette
 Posts: 4136 Location: Ottawa, Canada |
|
||
|
Well, as I mentioned in the Yen recommendation thread, I prefer what I call the "standard" size, which is what the majority of the manga you'll see are published at. I think it's a good size as it's very portable and can fit in my purse, whereas larger sizes cannot.
When a book is an omnibus, I don't mind it being a bit larger because it is already bigger than normal anyway. I actually have been very tempted by the X/1999 re-release, because the books are so beautiful, even though I have long given up hope of that series ever being finished. I also don't mind the thicker standalones like Solanin or Clover. But for your basic, one volume manga, I prefer the English standard. I'm used to it, it fits nicely on a shelf, and there's nothing, IMO, really gained by making a single volume any bigger. |
|||
|
|||
einhorn303
 Posts: 1180 |
|
||
|
I definitely prefer wider trim sizes, since it means more room for the artwork. At the same time, I don't like omnibuses as much. They're cheaper, and that's a plus, but on the other hand, they can be a hassle to hold...especially when reading in bed. My ideal size is something like the larger volumes that Yen Press has done for 4Koma comics. Some other publishers have used this wider trim-size for non-4Koma comics...like Seven Seas for "First Love Sisters."
|
|||
|
|||
Alan45
 Village Elder Posts: 10117 Location: Virginia |
|
||
|
I'm not fussy, if it is a manga I think I might like, I'll take it in what ever size it is issued here. If I had a choice, I'd say that larger is better. The larger the trim size the better it shows off the artwork. The best example of this is, as stated, The Five Star Stories. It came out here in a 11 5/8 inches by 9 1/4 inches trim size which is the size of the magazine (NewType) that it originally came in. Of course that title is from Toy Press. I think that comany was formed for the purpose of putting out this title. I havn't found any other manga from them.
You should keep in mind that what is referred to as the "standard size" (7 1/2 inches by 5 inches) only dates back to the early 2000s. It showed up when manga moved to bookstores and they wanted a standard size that would shelve easy. Before that manga came out in comic book size (10 inches by 6 1/2 inches) from Dark Horse and CPM and in digest size (8 inches by 5 1/2 inches) from Viz. When it comes to omnibus versions, it is obvious that they are here to stay. I agree that they can be cumbersome when they get to the size of three of the original volumes. Interestingly, I find that, for me, they are easier to read in the larger trim sizes, (and yes it is possible to read CCS with out creasing the spine). Omnibus volumes are not a new thing. In 1996 Viz brought out "Mai the Psychic Girl" in a three volume perfect collection. It was originally six volumes in Japan. The length of a volume is not set in stone even in Japan. When they bring out a new edition of a popular series they often change the length of each volume. For instance, I have the hardback edition of "Kimagure Orange Road" in ten volumes. The earlier soft bound version was in 18 volumes. If we include art books, the largest I have are several books that are 13 inches by 10 inches. With art books there is no question that larger is better. |
|||
|
|||
|
kookykonata
Posts: 31 |
|
||
|
In my opinion, I am not a fan of the omnibus' much at all. They are huge (the Inukami ones are enormous!) , they're hard to read with just one hand, and they look out of place on the bookshelf next to all of the other regular size manga. The only time I normally buy them is when you can't get that particular series in normal books, or I just want to complete the series in the cheapest possible manner.
I also don't like the various heights/lengths of some mangas being released. I started collecting back when Tokyopop was thriving, so I have a bunch of their manga, and they are all the same size, but now-a-days other companies are releasing different, more awkward manga sizes (i.e. Viz Media's Biomega). It just makes the uniform look of my bookshelf less uniform. |
|||
|
|||
thenix
 Posts: 265 |
|
||
|
As far as being easy to hold I can hold whatever size fine. The large 3 in 1 books are cool but usually they release them for series after I've already paid for each individual book in the series hehe
|
|||
|
|||
Dessa
 Posts: 4438 |
|
||
|
For the most part, I don't mind various sizes as long as they fit on my shelf. I prefer individual volumes to omnibus, but the one series (and the one volume of another) that I collect are only in omnibus size (Uraboku, and the final volume of Rave).
What I more have a problem with, is when the manga are larger than my hardcover novels. Yen Press' site lists Way of Shadows to be 7"x12". My Night Angel Trilogy omnibus (WoS being the first book in the trilogy) is only about 6"x10" (yes, it's paperback, but my other two Brent Weeks books are hardback and the same dimensions). My roommate has Thermae Roma out from the library, and it's the same hugeness size. |
|||
|
|||
|
st_owly
Posts: 5234 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland |
|
||
|
UraBoku is switching to single volume releases as of volume 6. The trim size is staying the same though. I read that either in their comments section or on Twitter/Facebook.
|
|||
|
|||
TsunaReborn!
 Posts: 4713 Location: Cheltenham UK |
|
||
|
I personally don't mind now as I had to buy a new bookshelf so I could adjust the height for Wondering Son and Akira.
I have a similar view point to Dessa regarding omnibus editions - I avoid them wherever possible unless they are dramatically cheaper I.e Battle Angle Alita, FLCL etc or originally that size like Doubt. |
|||
|
|||
|
chichiriNoDa
Posts: 532 |
|
||
Not to mention its hardcover! I dislike reading manga in hardcovers. Its pretty annoying as it is reading huge softcover. They're more like school textbooks! |
|||
|
|||
|
Alan45
Village Elder Posts: 10117 Location: Virginia |
|
||
|
If a manga is only available in hardback, or omnibus or in a larger trim size what are you going to do? If it is a marginal title, I can see passing on it. But if it is a title I want to read I'm not going to pass it up just because it looks odd on my shelves.
If something is now available as an omnibus, it is probably out of print in singles or never was issued that way. Yes, the three volume size can be hard to hold sometimes, but if it is the only format available are you going to deprive yourself of the fun of reading it?? |
|||
|
|||
littlegreenwolf
 Posts: 4796 Location: Seattle, WA |
|
||
|
I like manga hardcovers generally. The new Nausicaa and the Adolf series stand out in my mind, and I did buy that oversized hardcover of CLAMP's Shirahime and enjoy it. Perhaps I don't mind because I regularly read hardcover books.
In generally though my biggest complaint with the ombibuses has been address: I hate that the spines are easy to break, and how uncomfortable they feel in my lap. If a series is only available in omnibus, I'll get it, but if it's been available in singles I'll spend months hunting those down before giving in to an omnibus. As to the size of our manga, and in comparison to those in Japan, I've noticed a lot of the manga I import are actually smaller, and the paper quality can sometimes be fantastic, boardering on thick almost cardstock/watercolor paper-like, or damn near newsprint. Because of this the quality of American releases has never bothered me, even when Tokyopop started using the thinner paper. I have to say though I do NOT like glossy paper in my manga. It's ok for color pages, but black and white on glossy does not work with me. Maybe it's because I'm an artist myself and black and white just looks so wrong on gloss, but it feels unnatural to me. Another reason I don't much like the Darkhorse releases, or whatever sort of paper the Clover release was on. I like paper that has a bit more thickness to it, and that feels like paper. Something I can tell the ink is taking to. Maybe I just want something that looks more like an actual art/ink print? My background is probably what makes me prefer this though, and I don't expect anyone else to have this preference. If I had to pick a comic as the ideal manga release format/treatment it's the Japanese release of XXXholic. Fantastic paper, fantastic dustjacket design, edge of the ink was colored, etc. The Del Rey stuff just looked cheap and ugly if you had already started importing the volumes from Japan. It doesn't feaure a glossy binding, and has really thick glue binding so you don't feel like you can damage the book at all on your 100th re-read. |
|||
|
|||
 |
All times are GMT - 5 Hours |
|
|
|
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group