May be it's the difference of culture, most western people find that manga is very confusing. So here, we'll point out a few tip that may help you to enjoy manga reading.
Format
All English version manga were made suitable for western people so that they can from left to right. But manga in Japan, as a special, were packed from right to left.
Unlike American comic, which are arranged in neat window one after another, in manga, you will expect a whole different, and massy system. Following are some example that often appear in manga. Pictures are referenced from works of shojo artist Naoko Takeuchi and Manga Detective Conan.
1. Boxed and un-boxed Image
Box: Images that are enclosed by lines
Un-boxed: Image that are drawn in free space
Sample:2.Action transform box: small box image lay over a larger image that inform the action between too picture so that the whole thing will feels connected.
Sample:![]()
3. Double page image: to highlight surprise, frighten, happiness, and important person, scene.
Sample:![]()
Scene
For starters, do not assume that what you see on the page is always intended to be literally there in the scene. An extraordinary array of "special effects" are used to convey not what is seen by the eye, but rather what cannot be seen.
Flower
The most confusing for the uninitiated is flowers. Flowers appear where no actual flowers are present. These flowers do one or more of at least four things:
1. tell the reader who the heroine is,
Sample:![]()
2. express one's nature and character
Sample:![]()
3. express how one character seems to another,
Sample:![]()
4. or simply make the manga nice to look at.
Sample:![]()
And different flowers carry different connotations: roses are bold and sensual; chrysanthemums are discreet and graceful; daisies are cute and unpretentious; and so on.
Light
Other effects include "lighting," such as a pitch black background in what should be a brightly lit scene or a flash of radial light where there is no such light source. These effects express the visceral, emotional responses of characters. Here is some of the samples:
1. Spot light: to highlight the important person or s/he's expression.
2. Sparkle light: to express when someone is surprised or notice something.
Sample:![]()
3. Beam light : to express emotion's change
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