Manga vs. Comics

Apparently we don't have to post this week, but oh well - why not? Talking about Japanese popular culture is an enjoyable pastime if your computer is too bad to play Osu (and the such.)

When translated literally, "manga" means "whimsical drawings." They are very, very different from Americanized comics, where there are generally heroes with some sort of super powers saving the day.
Pieces of Japanese culture and history often appear in manga, and although many manga series do have characters with superhuman powers, just as many are "slice of life," which is basically akin to "realistic fiction." Japan's collection of manga are much more diverse than America's collection of comics, and most Japanese anime are either based off of manga or light novels (Some are based off of manga based off of light novels). I also find comic books a lot more inconsistent than manga, as is the case (huge problem) with Superman. In all the different movies and comics that superman has appeared in, he has been portrayed with such greatly varying degrees of strength that you could take him for a superhuman with augmented abilities form one comic/movie, and almost a literal god from another comic. ( Just read this Wikipedia article and you'll see how inconsistent Superman is. It's basically like fanfiction: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powers_and_abilities_of_Superman#Golden_Age_Superman )

In a lot of the manga/anime series where there are superhuman characters, the main character usually starts out relatively weak, which allows for a much more interesting storyline where the main characters generally either grow in strength and triumph over the antagonists, or grow in strength before one dies in order to save someone or something - usually most of humanity or just someone they're in love with. (There are also excellent series that deviate from this, but there are too many different types of storylines to list.)
I don't particularly enjoy the second kind of ending though, because it's usually pretty sad and involves the main character being separated from their beloved. There are also series in which there arguably turns out to be no concrete villains, such as Shakugan no Shana (Shana of the Flaming Eyes) or Shiki.
In both of these series, the people who are initially presented as the antagonists turn out to just be doing what they need to survive (or more accurately, following an irresistible primordial urge.) Shiki however, was much more dark as a whole than Shakugan no Shana, which is also a serious series, despite having a happy ending with a less ominous mood overall.

Shakugan no Shana

http://zonimex.blogspot.com/2013/05/shakugan-no-shana-movie-subtitle.html

http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-647851/anime-motivational-posters-read-first-post?pg=3295

They do share some themes however; in Shiki there are vampire-like creatures (called Shiki) who must feed on humans in order to survive. This creates an endless cycle where more Shiki are created from humans against their will, and eventually, the villagers rise up and ruthlessly slaughter the Shiki while they are helpless during the day. In Shakugan no Shana, there are beings called denizens, who feast on human essences, and view humans in a way similar to how humans view livestock. In this series though, there is a happier ending where
(***spoiler alert***)


a new world is created for the denizens, who also no longer have to feast on humans in order to survive.

(*********************)


It's complicated to explain it all, so just watch all 3 seasons if you're actually interested. I promise it'll be one of the most important 28.5 hours of your life (probably.)

(3 seasons of Shakugan no Shana: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0F4122EF99AF212B, http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwazKLaN7rLiU2F9BXr3Hn2YEe74hxwtM, http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC30883D1D7F83A7B)

Shiki

http://xly15.wordpress.com/2011/01/02/shiki-22-finale/#jp-carousel-7155

http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/shiki/images/24189361/title/sunako-kirishiki-screencap?ir=true

(Shiki: http://www.animeonhand.com/iam/shiki)

Both of these series present the moral dilemma of killing humans. If killing is required for survival, then how can you justify condemning another sentient higher life form for killing members of your species in order to avoid death themselves? After all, we kill many animals daily in order to keep ourselves alive.

Manga really has become part of Japanese culture much more than comic books have become to American culture. I presume this is because manga/anime have plot lines that are much, much more dynamic and nonlinear than American comics. It's not odd in Japan to see a high school kid or even a young adult reading manga in public; reading manga is not considered childish at all because of the serious stories and themes that they contain. Manga and anime have also more or less integrated all the elements of everyday life into them as well, albeit in a more exciting and interesting way.

Hahaha. That's a laugh.
http://www.comicvine.com/forums/battles-7/superman-vs-goku-deathbattle-742049/#