Well, even though I wanted to update this biweekly it seems it’s going to be more of a monthly thing do to by busy schedule…oh well.

Continuing on from my last post. This post will focus on the other famous form of media. Manga. Or basically “Japanese comics.”
While people who watch a lot of anime are considered more of a distinct group known as otaku (anyone who obsessed over a particular hobby), manga in Japan is read by all ages, and is more widely accepted.

Being an avid manga reader myself, I’ve always wondered why that is, because manga for the most part focus on the same subjects and stories as anime and it’s easy to get hooked on.

Well according to my research and expirience manga is more accepted because of the enormous amount of subgenres. There is something for everybody, and so it’s not weird to find a lot of people reading it.

According to Answerman at Anime news network, people who like certain types of anime in Japan, are similar to people who like a certain kind of fantasy novel here in the U.S. ( you can read his articles at http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/answerman/2009-08-07)

While anime is popular worldwide it’s not as mainstream as us fans in the U.S. would think. Especially not more so than manga. In fact, anime fans are similar to people who are into Science fiction or Fantasy novels, or people who go to Renaissance fairs. While it’s not a secret that many people are fans of these things it’s a lot harder to find actual hardcore fans. In any case, supposing we could those hardcore fans would be considered different.

There is also the question of what is considered main stream based on what age group we are looking at. Generally manga is more mainstream in most age groups.

Let’s face it, no matter how wonderful it is anime is viewed as being for tweens and fangirls/boys. It’s the similar to the popular Twilight series (though 100x better!) U.S. it’s normal to hear junior high school/highschool girls openly squee about how much they LOVE LOVE LOVE Edward Cullen. That’s to be expected, but now think about a college or grad school student having the same conversation and it gets a little more awkward. It’s the same case if a fan girl like me goes on and on about how hawt Tooya from Ayashi no Ceres is. While I stand by that argument I wouldn’t be taken as seriously if I admitted that in any other circle besides my anime loving friends. Even then anime fandom circle is considered strange, even in the U.S. And admitting it’s easier for us anime fans to be viewed Twilight fangirls.

However, in the case of manga talking about a graphic novel you read is the same as recommending a really good book to someone, no matter how popular it is. Because there is such a wide range, it’s likely you’ll find someone who appreciates the same genre of manga you read than anime.

Another difference I noticed in my years of reading manga is that a manga version of a series is usually more violent sexually charged or more open with forbidden topics than the anime.

Very rarely is it censored. If you read the Sailormoon manga for example you will know that Uranus and Neptune were not merely “cousins”. There was a reason why Syaoran from Card Captors always ran away from Julian (Tooya’s “best friend”). If you watch the show there is definite hinting of course, but the manga spells it out clear as day. Also  incest, suicide and other really dark stuff is more likely to be found in manga. I’m sure that is because it’s more acceptable to stuff all the deep forbidden stuff in a book that people will read at their own discretion than in a show millions will watch. Not only that but the original manga is almost always more in depth than the show so for the purposes of the story it might have to trek into the forbidden.

Now another issue I really wanted to address is an anime series usually (not always) starts out as a serialized manga. If the comic is popular enough they make a series but that series doesn’t have to be the same as the manga. In fact some of the most popular anime series differ a great deal from their manga versions. For example Fullmetal Alchemist follows the manga up to episode 25 and then completely breaks off to do it’s own thing. My only guess for that is that many anime are made while the manga is still ongoing and so you can expect that the anime will either follow along as it can but cut out a lot of the original story or add stuff as it sees fit in order to buy time, or it will finish faster than the manga and have no choice but to go a different path.
We must also remember that ongoing manga series are usually a lot longer and more involved than anime. This leads to differences in what is considered canon, sometimes even seperate fanbases for the manga and anime fans. The way I see it is this: You can’t pack a whole book series into a TV show and expect the same results. Also considering the anime market is a business it wants release shows as fast as it can, so it can’t always wait for the author to finish. My advice though is if you really want to know what the author intended to do with a story read the manga, instead of watching the anime. If you’re going to watch both then watch the anime first. You might spoil yourself but at least you won’t have to yell at the screen and wonder why they cut out a certain character or totally ignored an important plot point.

So in conclusion I have layed out the difference between manga and anime. Here it is clear cut:
1. It’s a lot more widely accepted- There’s something for everyone so it’s a part of every day life.

2.More in depth, and a lot more dark than anime at times.

3. Is a better reflection of the artists idea of what they want their story to be than the anime.

4. Is usually a lot longer than the anime.

So there you go, I hope this post makes up for my prolonged absence. I really want to start getting into reviews from this point onward since I’ve been watching some really good shows lately.

I think it’s safe to start with Gurren Lagann…look forward to it!

Well, considering this blog is about anime and manga I figured it be a good idea to look at what these terms actually mean. Tonight we will look at the first term.

Anime a popular word, heard in media and high schools worldwide. It is recognized by both fans and haters and yet can anyone really explain what it is?

Well here’s someone who’ll try. I, KageSakura have compiled a list of possible definitions according to my research and general fangirl knowledge in my search for an answer to this not so ancient question.

So…what is anime?

1.According to dictionary.com-–noun- a Japanese style of motion-picture animation, characterized by highly stylized, colorful art, futuristic settings, violence, and sexuality.

2. According to wikipedia- animation originating in Japan…. originated about 1917. [It has a large audience in Japan] and high recognition throughout the world. Distributors can release anime via television broadcasts, directly to video, or theatrically, as well as online.

3.According to an anime fan-” Anime is a cultural phenomena which has spawned an international fandom. This medium has garnered a loyal following of fans from every demographic and has even inspired massive conventions to celebrate it.” (1)

4. According to the haters: Cartoons for little kids and nerds that have never been laid. And fags. Because it’s gay. Oh and p0rn. (2)

6.According to someone in the business-”On Anime News Network, we define anime based on the origin of the animation. If it is primarily produced in Japan, it is anime.” Anime News Network (3)

7. According to my younger brother- Animation that is somehow different from American cartoons.

8. According to yours truly- The best thing sinced can tuna. Whether you like tuna or not.

Sources

(1)—TheAnimeBlog.com
Check out their great site here: //www.theanimeblog.com/resources/what-is-anime-and-why-should-i-care/

(2) According to google anime fans are one of the most hated internet groups out there. (-_-)”

(3)Anime News Network Editor in chief Christopher MacDonald–http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/lexicon.php?id=45

Well there you go!

btw: I found this awesome link to a pretty good essay on this complex question. Check it out here-http://www.mit.edu/~rei/Expl.html

Next week I’ll seek to answer the question:What is Manga?

Till next time this has been KageSakura with some stuff to think about!

Welcome!!!

Yes, welcome to my blog. A blog written by an anime fan for anime fans. I’d like to take a moment to write about what you can expect to see here.

Basically this blog will focus on all the realms of the wonderful world of anime and manga, and reviews and some information on the latest, and underground media in those categories. I’ll post as much accurate information as I can on the fandom and hopefully find new and interesting issues to discuss related to it. So you might see a post about the cultural references used in anime shows, as well as the issues regarding fansubbing and DVD rips one day and the next might be an in-depth look at the appeal of neko-mimi ears in moe pop culture.

I’d like to make it clear that while I do have my preferences I’m not going to just stick to talking about my favorite anime and ignore other categories. I think the best way to enjoy a fandom is to explore all aspects of it and that is what this blog is all about.

My goal is to update weekly. Hopefully I’ll be able to write a review on a show or manga series once a month as well as find some interesting information on this ever changing fandom.

Well that is basically what you can expect. Now I guess I’ll fill you in on why I am writing an anime/manga blog in the first place when there are already so many out there. The reason is pretty simple; as a fan of anime and manga I have a habit on researching my favorite shows as well as shows I have yet to watch.

Most information out there is based on the preferences of the author, and usually it is the well known shows that the attention while the most obscure ones disappear into the abyss. There are millions of sites dedicated to the hot stuff like Naruto and BLEACH while perfectly good anime such as Yakite Japan, Tsukuyomi Moon Phase and Rosario Vampire are overlooked.

Because of this I decided to create a balanced blog that deals with anime and manga fandom in general and doesn’t just focus on one aspect of it. This means character bio’s, silly rants on moe, fanfiction pairings, episode release date rumours and even tips on how to find and get the most out of an anime series. Whether it be, romance, action, loli, school life, yuri/yaoi, sports, underground or mainstream (so sorry, no hentai) I’ll make sure it has a place in this blog.

That being said I hope you enjoy the ride and please treat this fangirl kindly.

This has been KageSakura with another anime rant. Love and Peace, people!