The controversial culture of reading shonen and shoujo Manga has progressed over the last decade, it’s now more socially acceptable and even considered a fun hobby to read Manga, even in the Western part of the world.
Whereas the culture of reading Manga has always remained prevalent in Japan, and now it’s bigger than ever.
| Genre | Setting |
| Shōnen | Shōnen Anime is primarily marketed toward male teen readership. The themes in Shonen Manga include sub-genre like martial arts, mecha, science fiction, sports, horror, or mythological creatures. |
| Seinen | Seinen Anime is aimed to attract young adult men. Seinen Manga mostly focuses on action, politics, science fiction, fantasy, relationships, sports, or comedy. |
| Josei | Josei Abime also known as ladies’ comics, the most popular themes of Josei Mangas are typically drama, romance, or pornography. |
| Isekai | Isekai is a fantasy-based genre where the main character is teleported to, reborn, or trapped in a fantasy or parallel unfamiliar universe. Some Isekai even has beings from other worlds visiting Earth. Isekai uses world-building to develop an unfamiliar and adventurous setting. |
Many individuals who are new to this sort of entertainment enter this world, usually by binge-watching a hit-Anime series, and not many are dedicated enough to buy and read Manga, which makes us wonder if Manga deserves the hype it gets.
Follow along as I discuss why Manga might be better than Anime.
Do Manga readers enjoy Anime?
Manga readers take pride in themselves for being able to go through the source material themselves instead of depending on an adaptation, in a similar way to bookworms that claim reading a book is more entertaining than watching its derived movie. However, many Manga readers themselves are avid Anime watchers.
Who doesn’t want to watch a great Manga get animated? This is especially true if you’re curious about how the Anime studio interprets the Manga.
For example, if there’s an awesome fight scene between the hero and villain or your favorite character does something spectacular, who wouldn’t want to see that get animated? Or For example, will they deviate from the original series and create their own thing? Who will provide the voice for which character? And how will the animation look? Will it be satisfactory? Will it be a disaster?
If there’s an Anime that follows the original storyline of a Manga and you want to get your friends engaged in the series, binge-watching is always a simple and quick way to get someone willing to engage and involved.
These are all the questions coursing through the mind of a Manga reader while watching an Anime they have read.
Sure! It should be fine as long as the Anime makes it interesting and does it correctly. It would suck to see a good Manga get a bad Anime. Sometimes, I actually enjoy knowing what happens. I can almost look forward to seeing what the Anime does and doesn’t do.
Yuka Tasoni – Quora
The Manga has a monotone color pallet with no voices, and the fight scenes can be a little confusing at times. As a result, Anime can be refreshing, even though it may become overly detailed and tedious at times
When I watch an Anime after reading (part of) the Manga, it’s usually for dynamic animation in action sequences or the inclusion of a soundtrack.
The Anime is enjoyable as long as it follows the progression of the Manga without being toned down to appeal to a wider audience. An ambiguous example is trying to censor a lewd scene (abrasive, but I had to mention it) or blood, or even changing a part of the storyline to gain positive feedback from the studio.
Sometimes all it takes is reliving the scenes to relive the fantastic feeling of an epic moment.
Rather than waiting for the Anime, I usually continue reading the Manga where the Anime left off.
Is reading Manga better than watching Anime?
Yes, most of the time.
Because the Manga has always been handled by the original Mangaka and his or her team, it’s professionally written and monitored. The characters always remain true to their character, and the narrative is always the same.
An Anime, on the other hand, necessitates the establishment of a whole Anime studio.
The Anime’s potency now varies depending on how the studio interprets it, leading to deviations from the main plot point. Issues like essential arcs getting canceled because of limitations imposed on Anime are not uncommon. There is a high likelihood of plot deviation, out-of-character portrayal, and an abundance of fillers.
Nonetheless, there are several Anime that do Manga justice.
Some Anime even outperform Manga in terms of quality. For example, take Demon Slayer. The Manga is interesting but sub-par at best, whereas the Anime took it to a whole new level.
The protagonists are well characterized, the voice actors work well together, and the opening and ending songs, as well as the soundtracks and scores, are fantastic. I’m not going to even talk about the animation, The animation alone pushed this Anime to the top.
Nonetheless, opinions in this case always differ, and the choice is always yours.
Pros of Reading Manga
- The source of the content, without any extras, is always published first.
- Fillers are uncommon, which allows for more creative freedom.
- Any breaks are usually brief.
Cons of Reading Manga
- A monotone color palette is almost always used.
- Sometimes action scenes are difficult to understand.
- Artists’ work is not guaranteed to be visually appealing.
Pros of Watching Anime
- Colored animation
- Details are generally well-defined.
- More user-friendly
- The soundtracks and music make it a wonderful experience!
- Talented voice actors
- The action scenes look much better.
Cons of Watching Anime
- There’s a high possibility of plot deviation.
- Long production pauses (I can’t blame them.)
- Anime production is a high-budget endeavor.
- Possibility of being spoiled by Manga readers
- Probability of Anime cancellation
- Fillers
- Hardworking employees who are low-paid (a current issue that’s being experienced in Japan)
Anyway, I’d just add that, in addition to watching Anime, I always recommend reading Manga and making your decision based on that.
Also, the above points vary from person to person, so don’t take them as absolutes.
Is Manga more popular than Anime?
This is a difficult question as both are giants in their rights, but the most appropriate answer would be Manga is more popular in Japan while Anime is popular in the rest of the world.
I believe Manga is more popular as a recreational activity.
However, the truth is that the general public isn’t as enthusiastic about reading or picking up a book as they are about watching movies or the equivalent. This is especially true as you get older.
In Japan, the most prevalent and trendy Anime is watched by 6-8 million people per week. The most popular Anime film of 2016, Your Name, has sold nearly 16 million tickets.
In comparison, the most popular Manga magazine has a weekly circulation of 2.1 million, with its most popular title selling 3 million copies each time it’s released.
Japanese people are usually too busy devoting much time to watching Anime.
Manga in Japan has a broader audience, is easier to access, and is more culturally acceptable, since they have a long history of Manga.
Books, on the other hand, aren’t as popular in the United States as other forms of media such as films and television. When you look at it that way, it’s no surprise that Anime is more popular in the United States than Manga.
Anime is the equivalent of movies and television, whereas Manga is the equivalent of books. And the Japanese appreciate reading more than the Americans.
Because of the cultural influence, there are more viewers than readers in the USA. It’s the polar opposite of Japan, where it appears that more people read Manga than watch Anime.
So in short, Manga is more popular in Japan whereas Anime is more popular elsewhere in the world.
Is it faster to watch Anime or read Manga?
Reading Manga is much, much quicker than watching Anime.
Each Anime episode, regardless of whether seasonal or weekly, lasts about 24 minutes.
If you omit the recaps, previews, intro, and outro, each episode should be about 18-19 minutes long. If you binge-watch a season of 24 episodes, such as Tokyo Revengers, it will take you approximately 8-9 hours to complete the series.
Let us now translate these 24 episodes into Manga chapters. Tokyo Revengers‘ first season incorporated exactly 73 chapters of its Manga predecessor.
Let’s say you’re a slow reader who can only read 400 words per minute and you enjoy looking at Manga art. Even so, you can finish one Manga chapter, which is about 20 pages long, in about five minutes.
This implies you could complete the same 73 chapters, which were adapted into an Anime with 24 episodes three times more quickly.
This indicates that instead of watching the Anime for 9 hours, you would only spend 3 hours having to read the Manga.
If you’re like me and can read quickly with little regard for the art, you can finish a chapter in less than 3 minutes, which itself is 6 times faster than the Anime.
So, reading Manga is significantly faster than watching Anime.
Why do many believe manga is superior to anime?
Manga has a longer and more complicated history than anime.
Manga enthusiasts and collectors regard it as a rare find. Some dedicated admirers even compare Manga to an antique, claiming that it hasn’t lost its allure even after many years. It is one of the reasons why Manga has a more unique vibe than Anime.
Reading Manga can help you visualize the characters and their personalities, but Anime takes the lead when it comes to feeling emotions deeply. Emotions are the best part of watching anime. Raw emotions, great story-telling, excellent images, impressive sound design, and everything in between can be found.
Which is superior, manga or anime?
To be honest, the choice between Manga and Anime is entirely subjective.
Manga is the best choice for you if you love reading comics and envisioning scenarios in your brain utilizing your creative and powerful imagination.
On the other hand, if you don’t want to worry about envisioning the personalities of the characters and want to relax on a quiet Sunday morning or after a long day at work, grab some popcorn and watch your favorite anime.
Manga is imaginative, whereas anime is realistic. In sum, they both have unique ways of garnering devotees.
One thing is certain: whether you watch Manga or Anime, you will get a fair dosage of thrill and enjoyment from their tales.
Conclusion
- Manga readers take pride in themselves for being able to go through the source material themselves instead of depending on an adaptation, in a similar way to bookworms that claim reading a book is more entertaining than watching its derived movie. However, many Manga readers themselves are avid Anime watchers.
- The Manga has a monotone color pallet with no voices, and the fight scenes can be a little confusing at times. As a result, Anime can be refreshing, even though it may become overly detailed and tedious at times
- In Animes the protagonists are well characterized, the voice actors work well together, and the opening and ending songs, as well as the soundtracks and scores, are fantastic.
- Books aren’t as popular in the United States as other forms of media such as films and television. The truth is that the “general” public isn’t as enthusiastic about reading or picking up a book as they are about watching movies or the equivalent. This is especially true as you get older.