Manga Therapy

Two Years of Manga Therapy - Where To Go From Here

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 15:53:52 -0500

This week marks the 2nd year of Manga Therapy. I don’t know what to say, honestly. I’m very amazed at myself for keeping at it for so long. Though right now, a few things bother me.

I’m wondering whether I should change my writing style, move the blog to a Wordpress.org account, and how to promote my blog further. At times, I do look at my site analytics and say “Well, damn” to some of the numbers. Sometimes, the numbers don’t bother me since blogs can take a while (two years may not lead to instant success) to become successful.

Guest posting will be on my agenda. I have only guest-posted only a few times, mostly for Ani-Culture.net. However, they were just reposts from my blog. I want to focus on stuff that I usually don’t have time to talk about on my blog and thrown to the side. I have received a few offers to guest post and I think I should take up on them. The problem is that I’m afraid of what to talk about at times and whether my writing is good enough.

Another goal is to possibly create an e-mail newsletter where I add thoughts to certain happenings around the anime/manga industry and also add some inspirational quotes from the characters. I know many blog advice sites suggest that creating a email subscription database can do wonders, but I wonder how useful it may be for my blog since I am not selling a product and a service. Any thoughts about this?

A fun idea that I thought about was video blogging. The problem though is that doing psychological analyses of characters can sound boring if dragged out too long. I’ve been on camera before, so I think this could be an interesting venture. Video content is going to be even relevant than before and if I can create a professional-looking manga video blog, perhaps I can get a bigger following. Of course, this all depends on how the manga industries handle themselves in these crazy economic times.

I have been thinking about putting advertisements and affiliate banners on the site. I’ve had some interesting discussions with a friend about making money from blogging. The traffic I get is isn’t always consistent though. I do wonder about using ads/banners on Tumblr, when it seems like I can do it much better on another service like Wordpress.org.

Speaking of Wordpress, the future of Manga Therapy might be at that platform. As much as I love Tumblr, I’m starting to seriously think that Wordpress will greatly help my blog even more. I will still use Tumblr though to post up wacky pictures, along with my Pinterest page. When writing for Shoryuken.com during a trial period, I really began to see the beauty of Wordpress.org.

I think that’s all I have to say. I want to say “Thank you” to everyone who follows my blog. One of the best blog comments I read was from an old lady who said my blog was good and that she’ll always be a loyal reader. It’s very nice of her to say such a thing. I learned many things from blogging that I plan to apply to my job and my future.

If you guys have anything you want to say or advice to give me, feel free to comment below. Time to make the third year a charm, ya?

The Omega-3 Is Strong In This One - CRIMSONS: The Manga About Salmon

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:51:00 -0500

Many manga readers know that manga covers all types of subjects, so why not a story about a group of fish. A very unusual manga series called “CRIMSONS: The Red Navigators” is getting a great deal of attention in Japan. This tale of “hot-blooded ocean drama”, written by Takanori Kanno and published in Shonen Sunday Super, covers Shintaro, a young salmon, and his adventures with his friends. Another key note about CRIMSONS is that it’s under the supervision of Bunya Okuyama, an ichthyology professor at the Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology.

So, now we have a manga about salmon. What makes salmon special compared to the life of a trout/tilapia/halibut/red snapper/tuna fish? Can we really learn anything about the mental aspects of a fish from reading a manga like CRIMSONS? Salmon though are known to be seductively lush. They also have delicate texture. Finally, the meat is pink. Salmon pink is known be to quite an a flirtatious color. Is Kanno trying to say that salmon are the most passionate of all the fish alive then?

You can read the manga at Shogakugan’s special website for the comic. If anything else, CRIMSONS has both fish AND human fanservice!

Look out, moeblobs. Sexy salmon are coming to get ya.

In Russia, Anime (Supposedly) Kills You.

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 14:33:00 -0500

As a psychology enthusiast, this news really bothers me. Over the past couple of weeks, six Russian teenagers committed suicide. The thing was that these kids had the good life. So what happened? A well-renowned Russian child psychologist named Olga Makhovskaya, blames anime in an article published by “The Voice of Russia”.

Now why would she blame anime? One fact is that the teens had a history of watching anime. Olga proclaims that anime characters talk about death like it’s the greatest thing ever. She also says that the Japanese make a big deal about death. Olga even goes on to say that anime destroys the borderline between reality and fantasy and teens won’t be able to tell things apart because of that.

First off, what kind of anime is this psychologist talking about? Does she think that all the kids who died watched the entire run of Neon Genesis Evangelion and/or Puella Magi Madoka Magica? Even if they did, I doubt they wanted to kill themselves after watching those series. Another problem I have with Olga is she starts off with this statement, “Of course anime by itself cannot be the cause of teenage suicides” and then she goes off talking like it IS the cause. She also lost so much credibility to me when she said that anime destroys teens’ perceptions of reality. Isn’t extensive research supposed to be a huge requirement for a job as a psychologist?

You can read the article about the supposed link between anime and teen suicide in Russia here. Just another sad example of the West failing to understand anime and blaming serious problems on entertainment.

Perhaps what Olga should do is watch this amazing video of how anime inspires.

Another Issue For VIZ Media - What Can Replace Naruto and BLEACH?

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 10:00:00 -0500

Pop Quiz: What will happen when two of these iconic characters are eventually gone from the spotlight?

Wow, VIZ Media. They’ve been getting a lot of attention lately, huh? After reading Zach Logan’s editorial “The War On Manga”, I decided to browse the many comments on the entry. One excerpt from a comment stood out to me, especially given with how sales in the U.S. manga industry haven’t been looking so grand for quite some time. This is the excerpt:

Viz is now jointly owned by Shueisha, so the real strings are being pulled straight from the top. Naruto and Bleach will be ending within 2 years tops. What is their business plan when 2 of the Big 3 are no longer propping up house?

Given the fact that Naruto and BLEACH are ranked as the top 2 manga properties in the U.S. at the moment, are both appearing to finish up in the future, and have EXTREMELY huge fan communities, is Shueisha really doing anything to make sure that there will be a new holy trinity alongside One Piece? Yes, scanlations are a big issue, but another key issue is how to get a new generation of fans (and potential buyers) in the West to be interested in reading manga going forward, given that Shonen Jump material is still the starting point for a majority of new fans.

Once Naruto and BLEACH are done, what can VIZ turn to as their main titles (besides One Piece) for promoting Shonen Jump Alpha when it really takes off? The other Shonen Jump Alpha titles they have (Bakuman, Toriko, and Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan) look to be hitting it off with fans, but are they as special as those two titles? Do these titles really relate to teenagers and young adults as well as Naruto and BLEACH have? The closest popular title that can take a spot in the trinity is Hunter x Hunter, but the title is published irregularly and that just won’t do when it comes to generating sales.

As of right now, it feels like Shueisha will just keep on riding One Piece’s popularity going forward since it’s become a cultural symbol in Japan. That doesn’t seem to help VIZ at all, as One Piece isn’t super-popular in North America when compared to Japan. Perhaps a Shonen Jump Advanced online magazine featuring Blue Exorcist, Rosario + Vampire, and D.Gray Man could be in the makings.

I’m sure there has to be some aspiring artists who will rise and be inspired by the likes of Eiichiro Oda, Masashi Kishimoto, and Tite Kubo, like how Akira Toriyama was an inspiration to them. Though as Bakuman has hinted with the low birth rate these days in Japan (which decreases the chances of a super-popular mainstream manga), the hopes of that happening are dim.

Manga in the U.S. isn’t going to die immediately if Naruto and BLEACH end. However, it feels that there has to be some simple Shonen Jump battle manga (no disrespect to One Piece) that appeals to teenagers/young adults to get the ball rolling and spark interest in the wide world of manga itself. While some fans may find them boring, the success of extremely popular titles (i.e. “typical Shonen Jump” titles) helps to give non-popular titles a chance to breathe life. Back when I was a teen, Dragon Ball Z, one of the most popular Jump series of all-time, was the reason why I got into manga. I started buying many manga volumes and developed a taste for other series that have better stories as I got older. The U.S. manga industry NEEDS popular, teen-friendly Shonen Jump titles to sell, no matter how cliche or overrated they may be, in order to stay afloat since Shonen Jump is still the top manga imprint in America. For now, Blue Exorcist appears to be a good successor to Naruto/BLEACH for VIZ, even though it’s a JUMP Square title.

Then again, I wonder if Japanese publishers truly care about the West at all when it comes to promoting manga internationally. Here’s a tweet for thought.

Such is the life of one being involved with manga in the U.S. or west of Asia, is it not?

Manga Therapy on Pinterest

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 12:47:00 -0500

If anyone wants to know what I’m interested in (in the form of lovely images), be sure to check me out on Pinterest at:

http://pinterest.com/mangatherapy/

As you can see, my profile isn’t swarming with many pictures. Maybe I should post up pictures of pretty boys to please all the fujoshi since Pinterest IS mostly catered towards women.

Pinterest is still invite-only. If you want an invite, post a comment below or e-mail me at tonyyao82 (at) gmail (dot) com and I’ll try to send one to you if I can.

If you don’t believe in the hype, here’s an article on the popularity of Pinterest.

Maybe I should be known as the “male who provides fujoshi fan-service to women” on Pinterest?

Japan Is Awesome, Sexism, Women In Power, and English Gintama - Fun Links To Check Out

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 15:18:00 -0500

Here are some goodies to read and share with friends.

Made Better in Japan - The Wall Street Journal takes a look at the rise of high-detail Japanese fashion, food, clothing, and service. Basically, Japan is incorporating many international styles and blending them into products that are just as good as the original source. It’s amazing to see how the country can make Brooklyn coffee better than (or just as good as) actual Brooklyn coffee. The part of the article where they go into jeans is very enlightening. Now whether that detail can succeed in the global world is a whole different story.

ANNCast #106: S-E-X-X-I-S-M - A controversial subject makes headwaves in the most recent ANNCast. A very lively discussion and the guests make a good point about how the anime community isn’t that bad in terms of sexism, when compared to the video game community. Funny how they also mentioned Bakuman. I definitely agree with how bad sexism is in video game fandom, as the fighting game community is VERY guilty of this.

A More Peaceful World If Women Were in Charge? - Networking is important. That’s the MO. Also, you need to be both aggressive and sympathetic at the same time. Man, we need Olivier Milla Armstrong to be the ruler of the world.

Sentai Filmworks Confirms English Dub of Gintama Movie - If you ask me, this movie is perfect for a dub. Why? The Benizakura arc doesn’t have too many crazy jokes. Plus, the movie introduces a majority of the main cast.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with Street Fighter X Tekken - Send these cards to your special someone. Seriously. Just do it. Bear hugs are awesome.

Now, if you excuse me, I must go and be FOREVER ALONE.

Tite Kubo - The Best Poet in Manga? The Poetry of BLEACH

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:00:00 -0500

With much of the hoopla surrounding the final arc of the BLEACH manga, I want to take a look at a feature of BLEACH that doesn’t get enough attention: the poems. Every volume of the manga has a poem centered around the character featured on its respective cover. A majority of these poems are very enlightening and one has to wonder about Kubo’s intentions in inserting them into the manga.

Poems are something you usually don’t see in a majority of manga series. Kubo, however, makes it an emphasis to include a poem in every volume. Does he want his readers to be inspired and see the world in a different light than what people would tell them otherwise? People write poems for a variety of reasons: self-expression, creative expression, inspiration/motivation, and emotional expression. Here are a few BLEACH poems that I enjoyed reading.

BLEACH Volume 8 “The Blade And Me”

If it rusts, it can never be trusted
If its owner fails to control it, it will cut him
Yes, pride is
Like a blade

BLEACH Volume 14 “White Tower Rocks”

Creak, creak, tower of purgatory
Piercing the world like light
Sway, sway, tower of spine
Will it be us or the sky that falls?

BLEACH Volume 17 “Rosa Rubicundior, Lilio Candidior”

Red like blood
White like bone
Red like solitude
White like silence
Red like the senses of a beast
White like the heart of a god
Red like molten hatred
White like chilling cries of pain
Red like the shadows that feed on the night
Like a sigh piercing the moon
It shines white and scatters red

BLEACH Volume 25 “No Shaking Throne”

We are all
Born dead.
The end exists
Before anything begins.

If living
Is a constant quest for awareness,
The awareness we gain at the end is the real goal.
In other words, death
Is the discovery and complete understanding
Of the end.

We are not permitted to seek awareness.
Those that cannot transcend death
Will not find awareness in anything.

BLEACH Volume 27 “goodbye, halcyon days.”

We have
Not one
In common
No two
Are shaped alike
The third
Because of the eye we lack
In the fourth
Direction there is no hope
The fifth
Is at the heart

BLEACH Volume 33 “The Bad Joke”

We are insects,

Parasitic worms writhing in
malicious constancy,

Soaring past the moon you
look up to

Until you pathetic creatures
are no longer visible.

BLEACH Volume 34 “King of the Kill”

If you were to give me wings
I would fly for you

Even if this entire land
were to sink underwater

If you were to give me a sword
I would stand up and fight for you

Even if this entire sky
were to pierce you its light

BLEACH Volume 44 “Vice It”

Every human is evil by all means
In order to imagine justice from oneself
There is no other way but to imagine that every other being is more evil than oneself

What it means by definite justice,
in order for evil justice to be accepted as justice,
one must always question justice from within oneself.

BLEACH Volume 50 “The Six Fullbringers”

Time always goading from behind,
raising a growl before one’s eyes, is wholly washed away.
Let halt your steps!
Time shall wash you away to the beautiful past, and how it shall pare the fangs.
Don’t look ahead!
Your hope approaches to the rear
only within a dark, turbid stream.

Does anyone find it interesting that Kubo is possibly a better poet than a storyteller at times? Is this what happens when an artist is very attached to his characters? Kubo was once asked about his poetry in an interview published in the BLEACH SOULS Official Character Book, alongside the Japanese voice actor for Ichigo Kurosaki in the BLEACH anime, Masakazu Morita. Here’s the excerpt from the interview:

“Interviewer: How long do you take to write verses?

Kubo: I’ve been writing them down. I write them down as I think of them and look for the ones that match the stories.

Morita: You have an idea book?

Kubo: I do, I do. I’ve already written fifty verses. I write them describing the characters or what characters are thinking. If something that I’ve written doesn’t match the image I’ve got, I work on it until it does. It would be quite difficult if I didn’t write them down.”

Perhaps Kubo believes that poetry is truly the best way of communicating thoughts. Brief and to the point. Poems are helpful in that they get people to think creatively. Combine the character poems with the great artwork that Kubo’s known for equals a trip for the senses. The poems appear to make the characters relate to the readers even more. Poetry, in many ways, is a look at the human mind. Our deepest thoughts are explored and brought out in vivid detail.

Poems are also about experience. Life experiences are shared via poems. We can all learn about people from reading poems. Perhaps that is what Kubo intends to say with his poems: that we should learn from other people’s experiences to develop ourselves further. I remember reading Volume 8’s poem (which was the first poem to affect me) and thought to myself, “Pride really is like a sword that I have to wield effectively.” As much as you have to develop a sense of pride in becoming a better person, pride can be a sin when used for the wrong purposes. I even began to think of emotions as a chest of weapons to use for life’s challenges. Recently, the poem in Volume 53 had me thinking about how adults view children as a whole. The poem also made me think about Great Teacher Onizuka and its focus on how teenagers viewed selfish adults. For those who have followed the volumes, have you personally been moved by Kubo’s poetry?

Clever metaphors and imagery have powerful applications. Kubo’s passion for poems shows how much he is intrigued by the psychology of humanity. Individuals are filled with stories and experiences. Stories that are meant to be told. Experiences that are meant to be shared. Sometimes, I wonder if BLEACH is about wacky poets all trying to find meaning in a crazy world divided by different realms of existence.

In a world where creativity seems to get chastised, Kubo’s poetry attempts to further unlock the imaginations of his readers and encourage them to break the chains possibly hindering their minds. He is a firm reminder (to anime/manga fans) of how the arts and humanities are still of great importance to society.

With that said, here’s a quote that summarizes poetry quite nicely.

“Artists and poets are the raw nerve ends of humanity. By themselves, they can do little to save humanity. Without them, there would be little worth saving.”

Keep on busting out those sick verses, Kubo.

Pirates and Hunters For the Win - MangaHelpers Manga Awards 2011 Winners

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:33:00 -0500

One of my favorite manga community sites to visit, MangaHelpers, recently had their awards event, the MH Manga Awards 2011, where users voted which manga series, characters, and moments ruled in their eyes. A wide variety of categories were available and there were a lot of good nominees that deserved to win. Without further ado, here were the winners:

Best Seinen: Vinland Saga by Makoto Yukimura

Best Sci-Fi: Gantz by Hiroya Oku

Best Mystery/Horror: MONSTER by Naoki Urasawa

Best Male Lead: Monkey D. Luffy from One Piece

Best Overall Manga: Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa

Best Plot Twist/Epic Moment: (tie) One Piece (Mermaid Princess Shirahoshi being revealed as the ancient weapon, Poseidon) and Naruto (Itachi Uchiha breaking free from Edo Tensei)

Best Artwork: Berserk by Kentaro Miura

Best Artistic Piece: Kokuo no Hito by Yoshiro Nabeda, Jiro Nitta, and Shinichi Sakamoto

Best Fantasy: Berserk by Kentaro Miura

Best Manga of 2011: Hunter x Hunter by Yoshihiro Togashi

Best Action: One Piece by Eiichiro Oda

Best Completed Manga: Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa

Best Shoujo: Kimi ni Todoke by Karuho Shiina

Best Slice of Life: Bakuman by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata

Best Female Support: Nico Robin from One Piece

Best Manhwa/Manhua: The Breaker (plus The Breaker: New Waves) by Geuk-jin Jeon and Jin-Hwan Park

Best Josei: 07-Ghost by Yuki Amemiya and Yukino Ichihara

Best Female Lead: Nami from One Piece

Best Comedy: Gintama by Hideaki Sorachi

Best Full Cast: Fullmetal Alchemist

Best Character Design: Guts from Berserk

Best Villain: Hisoka from Hunter x Hunter

Best Fight: BLEACH (Ichigo vs. Aizen)

Best Male Support: Roronoa Zoro from One Piece

Best Death: Hunter x Hunter (Meryem and Komugi’s death)

Funniest Moment: Gintama (Shogun moments)

Best Drama: Great Teacher Onizuka by Toru Fujisawa

Best Shonen: Hunter x Hunter by Yoshihiro Togashi

Best Mangaka: Eiichiro Oda

Best Sports: Slam Dunk by Takehiko Inoue

Yup, it’s clear to me that pirates and hunters truly captured the hearts of manga fans this past year. Do you guys agree with these choices? What would you have voted?

Also, if you want to see what the “STARS” and staff of MH voted for, you can view them below:

MangaHelpers “STARS” Picks

MangaHelpers Staff Picks

Let’s hope for some more manga greatness this year!

ZETMAN PV Trailer: Two Tales of Justice

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 13:31:00 -0500

One of my favorite seinen manga series, Masakazu Katsura’s ZETMAN, comes to life this April! This is probably the only anime I’m looking forward to in the Spring 2012 anime season.

I’ve heard some crazy things about the series ripping off of Tiger & Bunny. It’s actually the other way around. Though I do feel that the ZETMAN anime may have never been green-lighted if it weren’t for the success of Tiger & Bunny. Also, Katsura worked on the character designs for T&B.

What you will enjoy from this series is its gritty look at justice. I would say ZETMAN is a mix of Batman, The Guyver (John of AnimeNation hints on the series possibly being the Guyver for the current generation), and Watchmen.

If you’re interested, I wrote an entry back when I started my blog on one of the main protagonists of ZETMAN, Kouga Amagi. He’s sort of the “Bunny” in the series.

Katsura has amazed me since he’s able to go from doing romantic comedy series (Video Girl Ai, I”S, and DNA²) to something extremely dark. I hope you fans are ready for a frightful world of heroes, monsters, and emotional conflict.

20 Things To Anticipate For The Next/Final Arc of BLEACH

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:41:00 -0500

20 Things To Anticipate For The Next/Final Arc of BLEACH:

I normally do not reblog, but this is too good to pass up.

itsbleach:

To see much, much more just check out the Repeat and Reboot posts for everything, since this is just pick of some of what is to come!

The new arc kicks off immediately after the Lost Agent arc and will take place in an ‘Ice Palace’ located underground.

Grimmjow and Neliel (possibly…

Basically, everything will come full-circle? And we’ll know the full motivations of the whole cast? I do wonder about how “oppressive” the Soul King is. Does he treat souls as just parts that provide some sort of sustenance? Will he be a fancier version of Kyubey (from Puella Magi Madoka Magica)?

Here’s a teaser shot of an interview conducted with Tite Kubo about he final arc:

If the Seireitei is going to be destroyed in a huge way, I wonder how everyone will band together. Big moments of catastrophe often lead to huge changes in character for many people. Certain individuals begin to take initiative for the better. What minor character will begin to shine?

Even though Kubo could still be trolling with the story, the only thing that’s definite is that the psychology of his characters will be even MORE interesting to explore going forward.

Oh, Kubo, WHY CAN’T I QUIT YOU?

4Chan Makes Its Impact On Japanese Manga

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:40:00 -0500

When I hear things like this, it comes to show you that 4Chan can be SERIOUS BUSINESS. Just recently, Volume 1 of a manga series known as “It’s Not My Fault, I’m Not Popular”, by Nico Tanigawa, had a promotional line on the cover that said ““海外の2ちゃん的な掲示板で大人気!!”. This line can be translated as “An international sensation on the overseas version of 2Chan!”

This title is currently translated by a fan on the /a/ board of 4Chan and has also been approved by the publisher. Apparently, the title is a smash-hit because it relates to the users of 4chan as the main character, Kuroki Tomoko, is very introverted and depressed.

This is an interesting case study for Japanese manga publishers on how the Internet isn’t that scary and completely filled with piracy. If you ask me, they don’t focus enough on the idea of a strong community. Also, 4Chan is not ALL that bad. The thing is that anonymity does provide relief for everyone. If others know literally everything about you, your life will not be sane. That’s why I worry about regular people (that aren’t famous) who decide to join literally every social media site in existence. Is it just me or do those people feel insecure about themselves at times?

Back to the manga, you can read the fan translation here and buy Volume 1 here. I have to say that the Tomoko does make me think about people like her. It’s funny because I was once really shy and nerdy when I started high school. I wanted to be popular with the girls, so I began to watch more shows and read stories that were about dating. Whenever I made friends with a girl, I’ll be like “YES!” in my own head and have crazy thoughts. I have said some crazy things to girls back then (I still do though, but usually to troll). I guess you can say that I was a bit like Tomoko. Does anyone want to share any interesting moments of social anxiety you had back in the day?

I guess we can say, score another one for the Internet!

Image Source: Akiba Blog

Europe, Piracy, A Cardboard Wife, and Shorty Power - Fun Links To Read

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 12:52:00 -0500

Manga Grows In The Heart of Europe - CNN Geekout reports on the popularity of manga in Europe. I do admit that France seems to REALLY love manga more than any of the other European countries. Though I have heard stories from commenters on my blog that not every European country is up-to-date with manga and some are stuck with old-school material. Can anyone clarify?

Why Piracy Is Not Responsible For ‘Ruining’ Comics - David Brothers of the Comics Alliance talks about how piracy hasn’t really caused fits for the comics industry. If you ask me, the ’90s totally destroyed American comics because of publishers’ focus on so many damn incentive covers. Love the use of One Piece pictures in this article.

Man Takes Cardboard Anime Character on Honeymoon Around Asia - I really have no idea what to say about this. My reactions are “Should I laugh?” and “Awwww, Horo is so cute!” I do want to do something anime-related at the Great Wall of China the next time I decide to go back there.

Power Makes People Feel Taller - I wonder if we know any anime/manga characters like this, maybe our favorite runt, Edward Elric, perhaps?

Also, as a special treat, more Gintama trolling:

I’m sure you all recognize these characters. :]

Now, if you must excuse me, I am getting excited for Berserk, ZETMAN, and other seinen-related material. BLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD.

Has The Internet Changed The Way You Think About Manga?

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:28:00 -0500

Here’s a scenario that I want everyone to imagine with me. Ready?

Think back to a time where computers didn’t exist yet. Think back to when it was very difficult to find information about anything you wanted. Think back to when sharing one’s interests over a huge communication channel was almost impossible without going to a big-name media outlet. Now, hold those thoughts and ask yourself if the Internet has the changed the way you think about manga. Regarding manga, the Internet has truly made it global, but with a price. I sometimes wonder if the Internet is both the creator and destroyer of manga fandom.

Before the Internet became popular, the only way I found out about manga news was through the defunct WIZARD Magazine. I remember the first manga I heard about from WIZARD was Masamune Shirow’s Ghost In The Shell. After reading about the controversy surrounding Ghost in the Shell (i.e. the cybersex scene), the whole idea of manga began to appeal to me. I was watching Chinese dubs of Dragon Ball Z at the time and my interest in Japanese media continued to grow. When I found out Dragon Ball was originally a manga, I browsed text summaries of the original manga series online back in 1999. You don’t know how obsessed I was with looking for information on DBZ at the time. Thankfully, VIZ Media released the Dragon Ball Z manga in America and I bought all the volumes. The same thing also happened when I followed Rurouni Kenshin in the early 2000s’. I was reading text summaries of chapters online, visiting fansites to satisfy my cravings, and later bought all the volumes because of my love for the samurai epic.

Fast forward to the proliferation of scanlations. I decided to follow BLEACH (during college around 2005) after hearing some of my friends watching the anime. I bought the first few volumes from VIZ and was hooked. What happened next was I began using the Internet to find out more information about the characters. I found out about what was currently going on in the BLEACH manga from a fansite at the time, which was Sosuke Aizen being revealed as the main villain. That just piqued my curiosity even more and I wanted to know what happens next. As a result, the world of scanlations entered my life. I was pretty ecstatic to know that I can keep up with what’s happening with BLEACH. I also discovered many other series through scanlations as well. I was still buying manga and didn’t really think about how scanlations affected the manga-publishing industry.

And now here we are with the manga industry in a huge state of flux. What does that tell me? The Internet (the power of the creator) is great for manga since it exposes everyone to a wide variety of series and creates passionate fan communities, but the Internet (the power of the destructor) gives off this illusion to certain people that manga easily grows on a tree and everything’s dandy, when things really aren’t fine.

I don’t know about you, but there is one thing that bugs me about scanlations. Scanlators and aggregator sites often put up a disclaimer message telling everyone to buy and support a manga series if it’s available in their region. But, what if the manga is not available in their region and possibly never will be? What if the reader is an 8-year old? Also, I know a few people who work full-time that read scanlations and are not even interested in buying physical copies of manga. Do scanlators even understand their intended audiences and their consequences as a whole?

The Internet has made me believe that manga will be an online-only interest globally and will stay that way (though it seems like it already is). Outside of Japan, manga is still very niche to a majority of people. Combine that with free scanlations and you have a recipe for “fun interest that appeals mostly to Internet folks”. Though part of me believes the Internet is perfect for manga because most people like to read things online these days and they LOVE images on the Internet.

Another thing was that before the Internet, I thought every manga title out there was godly. Since the increased popularity of the ‘Net, I realized that there’s a lot of “junk” to sort through before you even get to the good stuff. Sometimes, I wonder how certain titles became published in the first place. Such is the harshness of reality.

One question does plague me: should the manga community accept those that read scanlations of a certain series and don’t really buy any form of merchandise related to the series (yet are extremely passionate about it) as members of the community? Would someone care to enlighten me on how those fans should be viewed?

With these inner thoughts in mind, I continue to research the crazy world of manga online and offline (I still buy volumes of manga) as many series have worked their charm upon my visage. Oh Internet, you’re as tempting as a bishojo girl nagging her “big brother” to spend time with her and leaving him with a colorful array of conflicted feelings.

Happy Lunar New Year from Kyubey!

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:00:05 -0500

Psst, he’s giving red envelopes as an incentive for signing his contracts.

Have a great Lunar New Year, everyone!

Source: Danny Choo’s Facebook Fan Page

Total Request: Your Characters + Manga Therapy = WIN.

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 13:45:00 -0500

Hey guys, to thank everyone for reading my blog so far, I want to start doing some reader requests on what anime/manga characters you want me to take a look at psychologically.

Granted, there are a lot of series and characters that are very interesting. But, I know you guys have some REALLY great characters that you find fascinating. If you want me to take a look at a specific plot twist/climax/moment, I’m up for that as well.

You will definitely be credited for your suggestions as well. There might be a small chance that I might already working on an entry for a character that you request. For example, I am planning to write an entry on the lovable swordsman, Roronoa Zoro, of One Piece.

Post your suggestions on the comments section below or you can e-mail me at tonyyao82 (at) gmail (dot) com. As of right now, I’m thinking of fulfilling a fan request once a week or every two weeks. Feel free to provide a vivid explanation on why your character should be covered.

Looking forward to reading your character requests!

Do Girls Really Like Vegeta?

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:26:00 -0500

Yes, this is a man who oozes sexiness every time he walks into the room.

Like a fine wine that continues to age well, Dragon Ball is still continuing to be relevant in every anime/manga fan’s lives. Just recently, the ever-rageful Prince of the Saiyans, Vegeta, became a target both positively and negatively. Our anti-hero was voted #2 on a list of top 9 anime/manga boys that women wish were real. Gintama also made fun of his entire character in Episode 242 (Volume 42, Chapter 364 in the manga), where the girls of Gintama discuss Vegeta and question his appeal to women in front of a female Vegeta fan. As Gintama’s episode title proclaims, “Girls Like Vegeta”. Is the bad boy appeal of Vegeta extremely powerful for women to resist?

Here’s one girl’s thought about Vegeta:

“He’s always strong, but his loving tsundere-ness towards his family really gets me.” (A quote about Vegeta from the list conducted by Girl Sugoren)

After hearing that quote, it makes me wonder about Vegeta’s popularity after the Freeza arc. Most of us know that he cried during the arc and begged Goku to beat Freeza. Was that the moment made girls go “Awwww”? Vegeta’s character slowly changed afterwards, as he started to settle down a little with a family while still being the prideful Prince of Saiyans that he is. The guy was literally a complete a-hole who didn’t care about anything, except defeating Goku in battle. Vegeta did show some signs of love to his family, as he went berserk when his son, Trunks (whose future version was also VERY POPULAR among girls) was killed by Cell and risked his life to save everyone from Majin Buu. Of course, there’s that confident smirk, evil laugh, and arm fold he does that seems to draw a lot of attention.

With those characteristics that Vegeta has, why are girls drawn to them? Do we blame Hollywood? Do we blame the media? Or do we blame human nature? It could be girls’ inherent preference of “good genes”. “Good genes” in men tend to be a high level of masculinity and symmetry. Women at a younger age seem to enjoy seeing acts of bravery and risk-taking (which bad boys tend to do). There’s also the belief that girls secretly harbor the fantasy of turning the bad boy into a loving man who is committed to them.

Do Vegeta fangirls see hope that it’s possible for a bad boy to become a nice guy and still remain tough? Or do they appreciate the fact that Vegeta is a “bad boy” character that lives up to whatever perceived fantasies they have of him? It was interesting to see Bulma being attracted to Vegeta, but it somehow makes sense for her. Vegeta’s confidence in wanting to be stronger than Goku probably attracted her in the first place, since he was very determined to reach his goal at all costs. Also, as Trunks once stated, both his parents were lonely and that’s why they got together. A combination of strength and love can create interesting opportunities, don’t you think?

I do like to point out that the group of women who voted Vegeta on the Sugoren list were women in their 20s’. What happens when they get older? Will their opinions about “bad boys” change? Will they like Vegeta less? As women get older, their appreciation of certain types of men evolve.

Vegeta seems like the perfect guy to many girls. He is still a “bad boy” at heart, but he also fights with some sense of altruism. I think this is the secret to his popularity among women. The fact he’s an somewhat altruistic, tough guy. Both younger and older women can find him to be a character that satisfies their criteria for a great male character. Vegeta has been able to activate so many emotions in people’s (especially women’s) hearts, that you can’t help but react (and women tend to focus on emotions). Look at all the things he has said and done over his history in Dragon Ball.

Even though I’m not a girl, I love Vegeta. He’s played a big part in how my personality is shaped. I don’t know about this perceived notion that guys don’t like him, but like Piccolo (as Gintama hints). All I can say is that guys might feel a bit inspired to develop some sense of pride to keep themselves strong. To the female Vegeta fans out there, is his pride a strong factor in why you love the beloved Saiyan Prince and do you perhaps enjoy that quality in a man?

Power, brash confidence, and a good heart - when it comes to the ideal man, isn’t fiction just grand?

This Is What's Going To Happen To SOPA/PIPA

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 23:20:38 -0500

I think I said what I needed to say.

For more information about the Stop Online Piracy Act and Protect IP Act, visit here. There will also be a Internet blackout on January 18, 2012. If you want to join, visit http://www.sopastrike.com.

Let’s exercise our right to Falcon Punch anyone who thinks we shouldn’t be heard.

Smells Like School Spirit - Kyoya Hibari (Katekyo Hitman REBORN!)

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:27:00 -0500

“I’ll bite you to death!”

Do you remember a time back in your school days when you met someone who showed complete loyalty to your school to a huge degree? I don’t know about you guys, but reading about Kyoya Hibari, of Akira Amano’s Katekyo Hitman REBORN!, makes me wonder about young teenagers who are exuberant about the schools they attend. Hibari is a character who loves his school so much that he uses his love to achieve a position of power at his school and to justify his actions upon others with that power.

Hibari is a student of Namimori Middle School, where he is the leader of the Namimori Middle Disciplinary Committee. Anyone he deems to be a rule-breaker at Namimori is subject to his wrath. Hibari loves his school to the point where he has his school’s anthem as his cellphone ringtone. His pet bird, Hibird, sings the ringtone to Hibari’s delight. He has an infamous catchphrase where he proclaims “I’ll bite you to death!” to anyone he feels is disrespecting his school. Hibari is also an individual who prefers to be alone and will beat up anyone that bothers him. He is one of the most popular male characters in anime/manga today and is loved by Japanese female anime/manga fans, as they have voted him #1 as the anime/manga husband they wish to have back in a 2009 “top anime husbands” poll. Women have also voted Hibari #5 in a 2011 poll focusing on anime characters women wanted to marry.

What drives students to be deeply loyal to their schools? One factor could be the uniforms that schools require their students to wear. When you wear a uniform, you might feel a sense of loyalty because everyone else will be wearing the same uniform as you. Also, wearing a uniform can teach students discipline, as they are usually required to wear one to school. They have to make sure that they follow the rules. (For more pros (and cons) of school uniforms, you can read this article on school uniforms here.) Other factors are the school’s facilities, its history, the mission of the school, and the vision that the school has.

Not much is known about Namimori Middle School, except for its anthem. Usually, a school’s anthem resonates with its core values. One has to wonder if Hibari loves his school because its matches his personal view of “discipline”. Does Hibari see himself as “vigorous and gallant” as the anthem states in its lyrics? Another thing to note is that Hibari is somewhat of a juvenile delinquent. Perhaps he owes the school his life. Teenagers tend to be juvenile delinquents mostly due to a lack of parental supervision and discipline. They try to make sense of the world and struggle to build an identity for themselves.

Perhaps Hibari’s character is a good example of how schools can cure juvenile delinquency. Develop an extracurricular activity that benefits the individual, allows him/her to be themselves, and also implicitly teaches them a variety of positive traits. If Hibari never became the leader of the Disciplinary Committee, he would have never met Tsunayoshi Sawada, Reborn, and the rest of the main characters. He also would have never taken on the huge responsibility of being the Cloud Guardian of the Vongola Family. Hibari learns to be a bit more friendly from being around the Vongola. In a sense, he has a positive way to channel whatever violent urges he may have with those he considers to be his rivals (Mukuro Rokudo, Dino, Reborn, and Tsuna). While Hibari is still a bit wacky when it comes to enforcing school rules (he does this outside of Namimori Middle School), the character does become a better person as fans can see with regards to his future self in the Future Arc.

Reborn fans, what do you think of Hibari as a character? Some have argued that he’s too perfect (the main cast considers him the Vongola’s strongest Guardian) and has little character development. His past hasn’t been focused on, but it will be interesting to see how Hibari has become the person he is today. The only thing I can say for certain is that school still serves a purpose in saving delinquents to a certain degree and Hibari is a good example of that.

With regards to Hibari’s motif as the Cloud Guardian, even clouds need to be guided properly with the aid of the vast sky.

Kim Jong-Un Is Secretly Android No.19

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:30:00 -0500

“Do not try to escape. Yes, it is useless. Until I have your energy, I will never let you go!” - Android No. 19

I hope the energy that Mr. Jong-Un wants isn’t carbohydrates. How much more does this man need to lead his somewhat-warped country to prosperity? Then again, judging from the U.S. deciding to resume food aid to North Korea, that might be the case.

Courtesy of Alafista, this lovely picture showcases the new North Korean leader, Kim Jong-Un, as the infamous Android No.19 from Dragon Ball Z. For what it’s worth, you gotta give props to Android No.19. I mean, he defeated Goku in Super Saiyan form (albeit Goku already being weakened by a heart defect).

What’s more interesting is that Kim Jong-Un is supposedly a huge manga fan. Maybe he will be looking for “energy” of the ecchi kind. If Jong-Un tries to go after Japan’s mangakas (his father, Kim Jong-Il, kidnapped a movie director once), will Japan pulverize him while making him look like a pansy in the process (a la Super Saiyan Vegeta)?

Though I obviously doubt our young hero has time to deal with manga. He has to deal with a country of citizens who were quite enamored with his tyrannical father.

Jong-Il was probably similar to Android No.20 (Dr. Gero). One wonders if Jong-Un will be similar to someone like Androids No.16, 17, or 18 instead, contrary to his No.19 appearance. What are your takes on this, fellow anime/manga and current event followers?

The Great Power of the Fujoshi

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 12:10:00 -0500

“Out of the otaku population, female otaku have the most spending power, which is one of the reasons why you see an increase of boy love publications and anime featuring good looking guys.” - Danny Choo on CNN GeekOut

Over the past couple of years, I have noticed that things were changing in the anime/manga world. There were more and more titles that seem to have attractive male characters. Even though “moe” series targeted towards males are still running rampant, the anime/manga world has been filled with titles (such as Blue Exorcist, Naruto, BLEACH, Gintama, Black Butler, Katekyo Hitman Reborn, Bakuman, Axis Powers Hetalia, and Tiger & Bunny) that have a variety of male characters for female fans to swoon over. Especially females who are into yaoi and boys’ love. This has led to the rise of the fujoshi, a community of fangirls that has the power to shift the gender balance for the better. Some male otaku have felt threatened and intimidated by the fujoshi, but this is just another example of how strong the purchasing power of women is despite the state of the global economy.

If you don’t know what a fujoshi is, here’s some history on the term. The term is used to describe a woman who likes to imagine male anime/manga characters getting together in a romantic relationship. They also tend to absorb yaoi/boys’ love material in anime/manga form and play video games that revolve around being with pretty boys. The interesting thing about the “fujoshi” term is that it’s a pun on the original meaning of fujoshi. The original meaning of fujoshi is “upper-class lady”. For the fujoshi that are into boys’ love, the term means “rotten lady”. The difference is in the “fu” part (the first character) of the name when written in kanji.

婦女子 - fujoshi (upper-class lady)

腐女子 - fujoshi (rotten lady)

You could associate this term with female otaku, but not all female otaku are into yaoi/BL and have suggestive thoughts about male characters. Regarding the market for yaoi/BL, the yaoi/BL anime/manga segment in Japan has generated a revenue of 21.3 billion yen in 2010. There’s even an area dedicated to the fujoshi known as Otome Road in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, Japan. Fujoshi-centered manga, including Fujoshi Kanojo, Tonari no 801-chan, and Fujoshi Rumi, have been written and then later became adapted into live-action dramas or movies. There are even fujoshi characters in popular anime and manga series as well. Some of the more notable ones include Harumi Fujiyoshi of Sayonara! Zetsubou Sensei, Mio Naganohara of Nichijou, and Ogiue Chika of Genshiken.

It is alarming that a number of male otaku seem to be frightened by fujoshi. Is it because of the patriarchal view of Japanese society? Do Japanese men see themselves as the ones that should dominate in all aspects of life and culture? They could be afraid of women’s abilities to control them easily because men can’t resist a woman’s charms when she is able to utilize them to her advantage. I mean, isn’t that why some of them are into moe in the first place since the girls in that genre are non-threatening? Though honestly, this is a case of men being extremely stubborn and resistant to new ideas. Any supposed change feels like a personal attack upon their ego. They want to hold on to what THEY believe to be true. It seems as if the male otaku who aren’t fond of the fujoshi don’t want to research outside of their inner circle and think about how the fujoshi can bring some needed diversity and change. Male otaku also seem to ignore one simple business truth: women rule the world of shopping.

The purchasing power of women in Japan has gone up significantly over the years, due to greater work opportunities for Japanese women. Also, it is noted that Japanese women tend to spend mostly based on their own needs and family needs. If they happen to enjoy certain things, they will definitely make purchases based on their interests. Women also have a habit of loving to treat themselves after a hard day’s work as well. Combine the rise of female employment with women’s purchasing preferences and you have a segment to make a great deal of revenue from. Let’s take a look at one manga publisher that has seemed to take advantage of this: Shueisha and their Shonen Jump label.

Japanese blogger, MoePri, wrote a pair of articles (Part I and Part II) about how Shueisha has somehow managed to trigger off reactions in the brains of fujoshi to get them to fantasize about the male characters in Shonen Jump series. MoePri also notes that “The Prince of Tennis” was a big spark in gaining the attention of fujoshi when it was serialized. Since then, Shueisha decided to appeal more to a female audience. Most Shonen Jump titles that appeal to fujoshi don’t have a great deal of male fanservice, but there are scenes that seem somewhat suggestive.

What Shueisha has done is promote stories that are detailed to a huge degree. Women like to look into details more than men do. They also tend to integrate all the details into one idea and use that to make a decision in purchasing. In essence, women seek the “perfect answer”.

Here’s an example using Gintama. A fujoshi may hear about the title from other fujoshi and might consider buying it. She begins to research Gintama and may find the story to be quite vivid. The fujoshi will also look at other factors that may interest her. What if a certain male character draws her in? She may begin to think heavily about the character. Let’s say our fujoshi swoons over male characters who wear glasses. Gintama features one such character: Shimura Shinpachi. She decides to read a brief bio of the character and happens to find Shinpachi adorable. At the same time, she enjoys the relationship Shinpachi has with the main character, Gintoki Sakata. Gintama is then marked by her as a title that she must follow. While the fujoshi finds the story of Gintama to be an important factor to follow it, what really drives her to financially support the series is Shinpachi himself as he fulfills her desire for cute boys wearing glasses and them being important to the main male character. Shinpachi was her “perfect answer” to purchasing Gintama.

Over the next few years, it seems that a huge battle will be fought between otaku and fujoshi in the anime/manga market. It is quite possible that the fujoshi can come out on top because of the increasing purchasing power of women in Japan and women’s tendencies to spend heavily on luxury goods (anime/manga goods can fall into this category). Also, here’s a thought about the potential of fujoshi from Thomas:

“Because men are not turned off on “Tiger & Bunny” the way women are turned off of otaku panderfests.”

Constantly marketing to one segment doesn’t encourage further growth at all. Women are an huge component of growing an economy. The Japanese economy isn’t doing so great and it can benefit from increasing opportunities for women. This in turn leads to great spending and we will have a good flow of goods and services. Everybody wins in this situation.

If a male otaku wants to rant about the fujoshi, give the gent a business textbook for him to study. Hell, the book probably has to be in a moe-style manga format, so that he wouldn’t be intimidated. If Peter Payne of J-List can love the fujoshi (and understands the positive impact they can have), so can you. I seriously don’t mind if fujoshi ruled the anime/manga world. While some may be creepers (what fandom doesn’t have creepers?), they are generally a group of women who want anime/manga titles to have great stories that just happen to have great-looking males.

To quote Peter Payne, “The world is better with awesome fujoshi fangirls in it.”