In the last decade or so I’ve noticed that reading of manga has been on the rise.From elementary children to adults, I’ve loved watching people from all ages and all walks of life enjoy manga. Despite its popularity, it is still an unknown to many in the literary field and honestly, it is difficult to know where manga even fits in the literary world. Manga are essentially graphic novels, sitting somewhere between comics and traditional books. They are typically longer and more in-depth than comics, but because they have pictures, manga are often seen as books for children. Additionally, although they are seen as having little literary value, manga actually brings a great deal to the table of the literary world.
First, assuming that manga are only for children is the same as assuming that all cartoons are exclusively meant for children. Just as there are cartoons meant for adults, such as The Simpsons or Family Guy, many manga are actually aimed towards adults. These manga can be very graphic and mature with situations parents might not want their children seeing. I have read many manga that have dealt with concepts such as war, infidelity, violence, and more. For this reason many parents who become aware of manga are actually hesitant to allow their children to read them. For those unfamiliar with manga, it is difficult to tell whether a manga is appropriate for a child. However, manga typically have age ratings on their back covers. Similar to video games ratings, manga ratings can range from “E” for everyone to “M” for mature audiences. This is great aid for parents and those just starting to read manga. The rating help readers gauge what is appropriate for them or their children.
Manga also have plot devices not often found in traditional literature. Just as traditional books have many genres, manga have a multiple genres and subgenres. Some of these sub-genres do appear in traditional writing but they are not common such as the sub-genre “gender bending”. This is basically a plot where a main character is disguised or mistaken as the opposite gender or sex for one reason or another. I have seen it in works such as Shakespeare's Twelfth Night and in Greek mythology so it is not a completely new plot device but again I have found it is less common in traditional literature than in manga.
As for what manga brings to the literary world, I and others have found there are a range of advantages. The culture aspect is usually the most notable. Manga originally started in Japan and thus manga gives the reader a glance into Japanese culture and daily life. While some aspects are understandably exaggerated for story plots, many smaller details stay true to legitimate Japanese life. These include food, holidays, basic school and work behaviors, history, and so on. Some manga even include additional information about these in the back for non-Japanese readers. Growing up I and my friends learned a good portion of Japanese culture just from manga, though again, some things had to be taken with a grain of salt. This is also true for manga from other countries such as Korea which are called manhwa. Manga has sparked an interest in many to learn the languages of these countries too. While many may never be fluent in the language, readers do occasionally pick up bits and pieces. I have tried to learn Japanese myself, before I discovered I do not have much of an ear for languages.
Furthermore, I have seen manga evolving into instructional materials. While most manga still falls into the fictional realm, some mangaka, or manga artist, have started to create non-fiction manga. These are used to make topics such as chemistry, algebra, and classic literature like Shakespeare’s plays easier to understand for learners. The pictures appeal to visual learners and the mangakas try to write and draw in the clearest way possible for understanding. They can take a confusing topic and break it down into fun, simplified and visually stimulating learning materials. This could be useful for those that struggle with subjects or simply get bored with traditional teaching styles. I have read a few in order to get a better grasp of a few of Shakespeare’s more complicated plays.
Overall, though manga are becoming more and more common and popular within the world of literature, many readers, such as me, enjoy their interesting art styles, diverse plots, and enjoy learning about Japanese culture. While there are still many misconceptions about manga, this does not take away from their impact on the literary world. Nor does it mean that they are any less beloved by millions of readers all over the world.
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