Monday, June 20, 2011

VGR: Manga Format

Manga

      Many of you may have noticed that Video Game Returns is written and read in manga format. For those of you who don't know, manga format is basically reading the comic from right to left instead of the regular left to right format that every other comic has. But why are manga done that way?

      For starters, a manga is a japanese comic. Most anime series (Japanese Animation for those who don't know) come from manga. When a manga becomes popular enough they'll usually make an anime show from it. Right now the most popular anime/manga are Naruto, Bleach, and One Piece.

     As for why it's withing the right to left format, it's simple. In japan, the Japanese write from right to left, which is why manga is also drawn in that format.

      I'm a big anime fan, so naturally I wanted to make my webcomic read like a manga. I wanted to stand out from the huge crowd of webcomics out in the world wide web. Also, I got so used to reading this way that I ended up drawing in manga reading format. Now, I know that this is america and that most people don't even know about this style of reading.

     When VGR was on comicfury, all I got was people whining about it being in manga format. Ironically, my viewers that came from outside of comicfury loved the manga format. I had snobby artists talk down to me telling me that I shouldn't draw it in this format, that I wont get much readers. I may have not gotten many readers seeing as VGR is still relatively new compared to other webcomics, but most seem to read it with no problem. What's really sad about the comicfury members is that they didn't even bother to try to read it. For if they did, they would've realized that it takes around three seconds to adjust to it and vice versa.

     So if you're having trouble reading Video Game Returns, just remember this: it takes around three seconds to adjust to the right to left reading format. I've even asked people who have never even heard of manga if this format was hard for them and they all told me "no it's easy" and till this day they all still read my webcomic.

     

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