Manga

Manga are comic books or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga follow a style that developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long history in Japanese art. The term manga is used in Japan to refer to both comic books and cartoons. Outside of Japan, the word is usually used to refer to comics originally published in the country.

In Japan, people of all ages and walks of life read manga. The medium includes works in a wide range of genres: action, adventure, business and commerce, comedy, detective, drama, historical, horror, mystery, romance, science fiction and fantasy, sports and games, and suspense, among others. Many manga are translated into other languages.

Kanagaki Robun and Kawanabe Kyōsai created the first manga magazine in 1874: Eshinbun Nipponchi. The magazine was heavily influenced by Japan Punch, founded in 1862 by Charles Wirgman, a British cartoonist. Eshinbun Nipponchi had a very simple drawing style, did not become popular with many people, and ended after three issues.

The magazine Kisho Shimbun in 1875 was inspired by Eshinbun Nipponchi, which was followed by Marumaru Chinbun in 1877 and then Garakuta Chinpo in 1879. Shōnen Sekai was the first shōnen magazine created in 1895 by Iwaya Sazanami, a famous writer of Japanese children's literature then. Shōnen Sekai had a heavy focus on the First Sino-Japanese War

In 1905 the manga-magazine publishing boom started with the Russo-Japanese War, Tokyo Pakku was created and became a huge success. After Tokyo Pakku in 1905, a female version of Shōnen Sekai was created and called Shōjo Sekai, which is considered the first shōjo magazine.Shōnen Pakku was made and is considered the first children's manga magazine. The demographics of children were at an early stage of development in the Meiji period.

Shōnen Pakku was influenced by foreign children's magazines such as Puck which an employee of Jitsugyō no Nihon (publisher of the magazine) saw and decided to emulate. In 1924, Kodomo Pakku was launched as another children's manga magazine after Shōnen Pakku. During the boom, Poten (derived from the French "potin") was published in 1908. All pages were in color with influences from Tokyo Pakku and Osaka Puck.

Kodomo Pakku was released in May 1924 by Tokyosha and featured high quality among many members of the manga art such as Takei Takeo, Takehisa Yumeji and Aso Yutaka. Some of the manga featured speech balloons, while other manga from earlier seasons did not use speech balloons and were silent.

How to read a manga?

Correct placement of a manga book

Start with the first manga volume of your chosen series. Most of the time, manga are serialized and contain multiple stories. Be sure to start with the first story and work your way through the series chronologically. If a series is popular enough, its episodes may be published together in a collector's volume. The issue and series are usually printed on the cover.

Lay the book down with the spine on the right side. Manga should be read with the spine of the magazine or book on the right. As you lay the manga on a table, make sure the edges of the pages are on the left and the spine is placed on the right. That is, "upside down" compared to the rest of the common books.

Start on the side with the title, author's name, and edition. It is important to start reading manga from the right side. The cover will usually contain the title of the manga along with the name of the author or authors. Flip the manga over if you encounter a warning that says, "You're reading the wrong way!"

Manga frame reading series

Read the panels from right to left and in order from top to bottom. Like manga pages, individual panels should be read in order from right to left. Start reading each page starting from the box in the upper right corner of the page. Read from right to left and when you reach the edge of the page, go to the table on the far right of the next row of boxes.

If the frames are all arranged vertically, start with the topmost frame.

Even if they don't line up perfectly, stick to the right-to-left rule. Start with the highest row or column and move - from right to left - to the lowest row or column.

Read the speech bubbles from right to left and top to bottom. Start at the top right corner of the single frame and read the dialog balloons from right to left, then top to bottom.

When a manga panel has a black background, it usually indicates that the events depicted in the panel occurred before the main story was depicted in the manga. Black backgrounds signal a flashback to a previous event or time period.

A page containing a box with a black background at the top, then boxes with faded shades of gray, and finally a box with a white background depicts a time shift from the past (black panel) to the present (white box).

Manga Characters and Emotions

Many times manga characters are depicted with an empty speech bubble at or below their mouth. This indicates that the character is sighing and can be interpreted as either relief or exasperation.

Manga characters are often depicted as flushed with lines drawn on the nose and cheeks. Interpret these expressions as illustrations of a character being embarrassed, overjoyed, or even having romantic feelings for another character.

Sometimes a drop of sweat can appear near a character's head. This usually indicates that the character is embarrassed or extremely uncomfortable in a given situation. This is usually less serious than the embarrassment depicted by the blush.

When a manga character appears in a panel with a purple, gray, or black mass or shadow in the background, this is usually indicative of negative energy surrounding the character.

Τα manga έχουν ιδιαίτερη αξία για το nerdom. Στην μεγάλη μας συλλογή θα βρεις σειρές manga για μεγάλους και παιδιά, νέες κυκλοφορείς και κλασικές σειρές με μεγάλη επιτυχία στο ηλεκτρονικό κατάστημα μπορείς να βρεις όλες τις πιο hot σειρές με manga. 

One Piece

Dragon Ball Super

Demon Slayer

My Hero Academia

Tokyo Revengers

Spy x Family

Berserk

Bleach 

Black Clover

Chainsaw Man

Naruto

Tokyo Ghoul

Attack on Titan

Jojo’s Bizare Adventures

Jujutsu Kaisen

Solo Leveling

Manga are Japanese comics or comic books created in Japan and are a popular medium of entertainment worldwide. They differ from the conventional comic books popular in the West in several ways:

1. Reading direction: The reading direction in manga is usually right to left and top to bottom, while in conventional comics it is the reverse (left to right and top to bottom).
2. Art style: The art style in manga can be quite different from the style of conventional comics. Typically, manga have more detailed illustrations and may use various techniques to express emotion and movement.
3. Theme: Manga cover a wide range of themes, including fantasy, science, adventure, romance, horror, and more. In contrast, conventional comics in the West often focus on superhero stories.
4. Popularity: Manga are extremely popular in Japan and have a large fan following. However, conventional comics are more popular in the West, with Marvel and DC series gaining worldwide recognition.

There are many popular manga that have been released, and their popularity largely depends on their genre and subject matter, as well as the personal preferences of readers. Some of the most popular manga that have enjoyed widespread acclaim include:

1. One Piece: This manga series follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his friends as they search for the legendary treasure One Piece. It is one of the most successful series of all time.
2. Naruto: The story of Naruto Uzumaki, a young ninja who seeks recognition and wishes to become the strongest ninja, has won millions of fans.
3. Dragon Ball: This manga series follows Goku as he searches for the Dragon Balls and fights against various enemies. He is one of the most recognizable names in the field of manga and anime.
4. Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin): This series follows a world that has been overrun by giant humanoid monsters and the people's struggle for survival.
5. Death Note: This series examines the ethics and consequences of using a mysterious notebook that allows its owner to kill people simply by writing their name.
6. My Hero Academia (Boku no Hero Academia): This manga series tells the story of a world where people have supernatural powers and train to become heroes

Manga is read from right to left due to the tradition and influence of writing and reading in Japan. Traditional writing in Japan is done from right to left, and the language is written vertically from top to bottom. When manga are first published in Japan, they follow this direction of writing and reading.

Because the majority of manga are originally released in Japan, when they are translated and published in other countries, they usually keep the same reading direction. This means that when reading a manga in English or another language, you open the book from the opposite side than you would with a conventional comic.

This way of reading may seem counterintuitive at first to readers unfamiliar with the Japanese tradition, but it soon becomes familiar when one reads a lot of manga.

Manga are divided into various categories based on their intended audience and content. Each category has its own style and themes. Some of the main categories of manga include:

1. Shonen (少年): These manga are usually aimed at teenage boys as the main audience. They include action, adventure, combat and often supernatural elements. Famous examples include "Naruto" and "Dragon Ball."
2. Shoujo (少女): These manga are usually aimed at teenage girls. They include emotional stories, romantic themes, and relationships. Famous examples include "Sailor Moon" and "Fruits Basket."
3. Seinen (青年): These manga are aimed at adult males and include more mature and complex content. They may include action, sci-fi, thrillers, and more. Famous examples include "Berserk" and "Akira."
4. Josei (女女): These manga are aimed at adult women and include emotional stories and relationships with more mature content. Famous examples include "Nana" and "Paradise Kiss."
5. Kodomomuke (名名向理): These manga are aimed at children and include educational and entertainment themes. See "Doraemon" and "Pokemon" as examples.
6. Hentai (変態): This genre includes sexually expressive scenes and content and is intended for adults. It is known for its sexual imagery.

There are many other subcategories and major genres of manga, and many times a manga can fall into more than one of these categories. The options are many, and every reader can find something that suits them.

Yes, there are manga that are suitable for children. These manga are usually educational, entertaining, and include themes that appeal to younger readers. Some examples of suitable manga for children include:

1. Doraemon: This manga is about a robot cat that helps a young boy with various adventures and problems.
2. Pokemon Adventures: Based on the popular Pokemon game series, this manga follows the adventures of Pokemon trainers.
3. One Piece (special editions for children): There are special editions of One Piece intended for a younger audience that present the adventures of the characters in a more childlike format.
4. Chi's Sweet Home: This manga follows the adventures of a little kitten who got lost and tries to find her way back home.
5. Naruto (special editions for children): There are special editions of Naruto that are suitable for younger audiences and include more simplified adventures of Naruto and his friends.

It's always a good idea to check the age appropriateness on manga labels and discuss the content with your children or young readers before choosing a manga for them.

Manga and anime are two different forms of entertainment that are closely related and often carry over into each other. The relationships between them are as follows:

1. Original Manga: Manga refers to the Japanese comic book, which is the original form of the story. Creators first create the manga, which is a series of comics that includes the story, characters, and events.
2. Anime Creation: When the manga becomes extremely popular and successful, it can be adapted into an anime TV series or movie. An anime is an animated picture or television series based on the manga, featuring the same story and characters, but with animation and voice acting.
3. Return to Manga: In some cases, the anime goes beyond the manga and adds new content or changes the plot. However, manga remains the original and primary medium of story creation. Manga fans can pick up where the anime left off or see how the story unfolds differently.

In summary, manga are the original story comics, while anime are the animated versions of those stories. In many cases, both manga and anime are favorite means of entertainment and entertainment in the world of fandoms and anime and manga.