iFanboy asked our audience what Manga books we should read and on this episode you hear our thoughts on Death Note, The Push Man and Battle Royale. Watch as the iFanboy guys struggle with the Japanese language and find that these comics are actually pretty good!
A few months ago, we asked you on iFanboy.com, what Manga books should we be reading. We got a tremendous response and went out and found and read your recommendations and come back to talk about it.
The Manga we read consisted of:
Death Note
The Push Man and Other Stories
Crayon Shinchan
Battle Royale
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Posted by Groundeyes on 10/11/2008 at 12:58:59 pm in iFanboy
"
In manga the excessive detail is always used to highlight a moment, whether particularly touching or horrifying. It is a common technique in their style used to create a singular, defined moment that defines some aspect of the character seeing or experiencing it.
"
Iihhh thats not true man.
The detail of manga varies based on the artist's technique, if they do a high detail manga or low detail manga the detail stays relatively consistent. It is not used especifically for highlighting moments. I've yet to read a manga where most of the book has toned down details and when an epic/significant moment happens the detail goes through the roof. Never happens man. Also, I didnt know that there was a certain amount of detail that would be considered "enough" and going past it would be "excessive".
Here is a list of manga that have great detailed art and are good examples of consistent detail. In some of these the art and detail actually gets better as it goes on.
Eden: It's an Endless World
Arm of Kanon
Battle Royale
Suikoden III
Akira
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
One Piece
Higanjima
Banya Explosive Delivery Man (S.Korean comic)
Shaman Warrior (S.Korean Comic)
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Posted by Zombox on 10/11/2008 at 08:48:32 am in iFanboy
TRust me, you are supposed to find these people deplorable. In the story they are representative of a totalitarian government gone far astray. So far that it sacrifices its young for the amusement and entertainment of the nation and appeasement of fear mongers. It encourages the young to become monsters, killers, rapists and destroy themselves. They are intended to appear as these chariactures of humans, because there is nothing human in what they do or accomplish.
In manga the excessive detail is always used to highlight a moment, whether particularly touching or horrifying. It is a common technique in their style used to create a singular, defined moment that defines some aspect of the character seeing or experiencing it. The moment you reference is meant to stick in your memory, to never be forgotten. That is disgusts you is the goal.
By contrast, I did not like the villains in the movie. I felt they were much weaker. The movie humanizes them and gives them motivations for what they are doing. This may have more appeal to you, however. I came away from the movie, after reading the novel, feeling as though it almost makes excuses for the evil bastards that create these horrific dramas.
I hope this helps to explains the reason for what you saw. I understand if it offends you. I understand if it isn't something you want to experience. Those are very legitimate feelings. However, I wanted you to understand it better before coming to final judgement on it.
"
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Posted by CammyKnoxville on 10/10/2008 at 10:35:12 pm in iFanboy
EDIT: oops
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Posted by ConorKilpatrick on 10/10/2008 at 09:32:21 pm in iFanboy
"
There's showing it and there's showing it.
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Posted by TheNextChampion on 10/10/2008 at 08:56:36 pm in iFanboy
"I have quite a bit of common sense, thank you very much.
It wasn't the mere existence of the (gang) rape scene. It was how it was very lovingly portrayed with a highly detailed two page spread.
Rape is horrible but it sometimes serves a dramatic purpose. In this case I got the distinct impression I was supposed to be getting off on it."
Well if you read the original novelization, the rape is also in it as well. It's not referenced for a paragraph or written in detail, it's just mentioned. I think the manga is just adapting from the novel and expanding the original source. Do we need to see it in full glory? Absolutely not, but I think the author just wanted to show it because it was in the book.
Still on your side though about the rape in general; trust me it made me just as sick as it did to you.
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Posted by Groundeyes on 10/10/2008 at 04:42:44 pm in iFanboy
Well the whole book is very detailed throughout so I dont think the rape scene was necessarily more detailed than any other scenes for sexual effect. Could it be that the length and detail was for anything other than pleasure? I rather have the detailed depiction of something rather than have it implied... even if it takes two pages. If one page, then why not two? Its all for the purpose of shock and well... emotion stimulation, boredom requires it.
The way I perceived it was from a perspective that accepted that world. If you get drawn into the story you begin to feel anger, sympathy, pity, disgust -and many other feelings- towards characters and situations by entertaining what goes down.
EDIT: Oh and yeah all this talk and I haven't said what i think of this episode. Pretty great that you guys went out there and got something new and different. Check out 'Claymore' and 'Higanjima'(not sure if this one is out in english yet), aside from those two I can't really think of any other that are printed in english and that you might like.
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Posted by ConorKilpatrick on 10/10/2008 at 03:05:51 pm in iFanboy
"
I have quite a bit of common sense, thank you very much.
It wasn't the mere existence of the (gang) rape scene. It was how it was very lovingly portrayed with a highly detailed two page spread.
Rape is horrible but it sometimes serves a dramatic purpose. In this case I got the distinct impression I was supposed to be getting off on it.
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Posted by Groundeyes on 10/10/2008 at 03:02:51 pm in iFanboy
Having an objective perspective and somewhat comon sense, helps in coming to an understanding about why a rape scene in a comic book about mass murder and survival would be "normal" when put into context.
When I first read Battle Royal I wasn't in the least surprise that there would be a rape scene and its not because I know that in japan sexual themes are overlayed on everything. But it was because BR is about what fucked up kids with skills and weapons that are leathal, would do to each other in order to survive. So, along with scythe decapetation, finger snaping, colander making, nose denting, killing while having an orgasm and more murder, rape isn't exactly a shocker.
Of course rape is no pretty thing but neither is murder infact correct me if i'm wrong but murder is somewhat worse no?
It is not as if the sex and the rape was done specifically for the purpose of erotic and personal pleasure. Sex can be used for other means not just for pornography and making ze babies.
The main purpose of manga and films like BR is to grab you by the nuts and make you feel something your never felt before, all you gota do is drop yourself into the shoes of a character and off you go.
Funny thing is that rape and murder isn't out of the scope of western media and yet the reaction is "shock shock horror horror" and "oh its so weird".
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Posted by Gravityman40 on 10/03/2008 at 09:51:09 pm in iFanboy
I read the first few volumes of Death Note and it was so good im going to start watching the show.
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Posted by picture reader on 09/30/2008 at 11:59:36 pm in iFanboy
I enjoy the major titles that have been said already but I think what really brings it closer to home in America are actually the less known titles. Such as Planetes, Gon, Kino No Tabi, or Suikoden 3 which was made after the game. title like these leave most of the inside jokes (aka manga humor and parodies) behind and take you to somewhere you havn't been before. Which is what i get out of both styles of books. I want to be see into someone else's world through their eyes.
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