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gallyangel
Posted 2012-07-08 1:57 AM (#3646)
Subject: Welcome to SF manga



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Location: The Wilds of Washington		Since there was another thread started on comics, I thought I'd start one on manga.

Definitions -

Manga is the Japanese word for comic book or comic strip. It's used in America to denote comics specifically from Japan. It also denotes a artistic style. There is a very different visual style between Japan and American comics.

Manhua is basically the Korean word for comic book. It's used in America to denote Korean comics in the US. It's a lot bigger deal in that region of the world, wether something is Korean or Japanese. My take is good is good and I don't care.

Anime, of course, is Japanese for animation. Used here for all that stuff which has come from Japan.

Otaku, is, well, obsessed fan. Hi.

Next section: a few other things you might want to know.

There is a close relationship between manga and anime. The usual order is a manga comes out, it's a hit, and it gets an anime. Sometimes the order is light novel, manga, then anime. Or sometimes, game, light novel, manga, anime.

Very rarely does it go the other way from anime to manga. And mostly, if this happens, the manga is side stories, supplemental material, or what we would cal novelizations.

In Japan, most series are ongoing serials, one chapter at a time, in a big thick phone book looking thing, with a bunch of other series, all doing the same thing. Then come the Takubon, which we'd call a graphic novel. 150 to 200 pages of the series in one volume. Bleach, which is being translated by Viz, is up to volume 55. Do the math. One of my favorites, Claymore, just had volume 20 released by Viz. I think this is a good thing, except for the fact they're on volume 22 in Japan.

The other thing which complicates this picture is the scanlations.

In the late 80ies to early 90ies, the number of translated manga could be counted on one hand, then two. Then slowly but surely the trickle led to a flood. By about 2005 we reached high water. I remember going into borders (Ha! borders) and the manga sections was about the same size as the SF & F section. We've now came back off that high water mark. The bankruptcy of the major translation house tokyopop should be a good indication of just how the market has shrunk. Except you can still get a huge flood of manga via the scanlation networks. People, just for the hell of it, and because they love it, get raw manga, scan it, translate it, photoshop in the english, and make it available to other otaku (mostly for free). The series Claymore that I mentioned before. I know what happens in the two chapters which hasn't been officially translated by Viz due to the scanlation network. So when I get around to suggestions I'll definitely mention which is which.

The same thing still goes on with anime since only a fraction of what's available gets an official release here. Ever since VCRs first came on the market, I believe people have been fansubbing anime.

The last thing:

The genres of manga is huge compared to what goes on in american comics.
You all know what the american scene is. They have all of that, plus tons more which haven't seen the light of day in the US for decades.
Magical girl, magical realism, horror, tense thrillers, high school romances where you need a score card to keep who's seeing who, dumping who, loves who after one takubon. Manga based on cooking shows which include recipes. Manga about high school sports clubs, or clubs like MahJong or kendo. From the kiddy stuff to things which are specifically targeted at mid aged company men. I think there motto is: if there is a niche market, we can fill it. Train otaku anyone? Yep, there was a manga for that. The variety is staggering.

End part one.
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dustydigger
Posted 2012-07-08 11:29 AM (#3649 - in reply to #3646)
Subject: Re: Welcome to SF manga



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Location: UK		Wow.Otakuif I may call you that,,many thanks for the overview,very very interesting.I had never even heard of manga til last year,when my little local library moved to new bigger premises,and for the very first time had some manga on the YA shelves.Dusty being her usual nosy self had to take a look,and became fascinated.The stock is still very small,and certainly only the type geared to high school kids,but I am enjoying what there is. Started with Vampire Knight.Not understanding about the volumes etc,I just picked one off the shelf,volume 4,learned the hard way about starting at the back and ending at the front,reading right to left instead of left to right.I think it took about five attempts to finish it LOL.Anyway,got the hang of it eventually,and now can say proudly that I understand at least...oh..60% ?.As I say the stock is small but I read quite a bit of Vampire Knight,which was beautiful,and then some of Bleach - which was not at all,total contrast,but energetic,funny,and vibrant.Now I am reading the total bonkers,but great fun,Fruits Basket.Unfortunately,my eye problems brought that to a halt a few months ago,but then someone a few days ago told me about one of those scanning sites,www.mangareaders,and the full size means I can once more read those tiny often amusing comments! I am doing a challenge in one of my groups where we cover all sorts of authors and genres,and Kushan Takami's Battle Royale,the first series,is on my list for later in the year.I look forward to you advising me on the good stuff! I hadnt realized the variety was so greatthat is truly amazing.
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Scott Laz
Posted 2012-07-08 12:03 PM (#3650 - in reply to #3646)
Subject: Re: Welcome to SF manga



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Location: Gunnison, Colorado		A manga that will probably appeal to SF fans, and is of reasonable length, is Urasawa's Pluto. It's a robot detective story, by one of the most acclaimed manga artists.
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gallyangel
Posted 2012-07-08 4:39 PM (#3658 - in reply to #3646)
Subject: Re: Welcome to SF manga



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Location: The Wilds of Washington		Part Two: the top three

When it comes to Science Fiction in manga, I think the top three spots are basically agreed upon. Their order however, is not.

My take is this:

Ghost in the Shell, the first volume, must take the top spot. Shirows influence around the world in SF cannot be underestimated. We have to remember, this manga is 20 years old. When one starts naming SF cyborgs, Motoko Kusanagi is certainly on the top of my list.

Deep into the 21st century, the line between man and machine has been inexorably blurred as humans rely on the enhancement of mechanical implants and robots are upgraded with human tissue. In this rapidly converging landscape, cyborg super-agent Major Motoko Kusanagi is charged to track down the craftiest and most dangerous terrorists and cybercriminals, including "ghost hackers," capable of exploiting the human/machine interface by re-programming human minds to become puppets to carry out their criminal ends. When Major Kusanagi tracks the cybertrail of one such master hacker, the Puppeteer, her quest leads her into a world beyond information and technology where the very nature of consciousness and the human soul are turned upside-down and inside-out.

There are numerious sequals. Ghost in the Shell 1.5, 2.0 and the Stand Alone Complex books and manga. All are avaiable from Dark Horse comics.

Second Place must go to Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind by Miyazaki. See Viz for this title.

Nausica, a young princess, has an empathic bond with the giant Ohmu insects and animals of every creed in the vast poisonious forest know simply as the sea of corruption. She fights to create tolerance, understanding and patience among empires that are fighting over the world's remaining precious natural resources.

This manga of a dying polluted Earth, of humanity living on in the twilight after the great wars and collapse, is a cautionary tale of epic proportions.

Third place goes to Akira by Otomo.

Katsuhiro Otomo's stunning science-fiction masterpiece, Akira! Regarded by many as the finest comic series ever produced, Akira is a bold and breathtaking epic of potent narrative strength and astonishing illustrative skill. Akira is set in the post-apocalypse Neo-Tokyo of 2019, a vast metropolis built on the ashes of a Tokyo annihilated by an apocalyptic blast of unknown power that triggered World War III. The lives of two streetwise teenage friends, Tetsuo and Kaneda, change forever when dormant paranormal abilities begin to waken in Tetsuo, who becomes a target for a shadowy government operation, a group who will stop at nothing to prevent another catastrophe like that which leveled Tokyo. And at the core of their motivation is a raw, all-consuming fear: a fear of someone -- or something -- of unthinkably monstrous power known only as...Akira. And Akira is about to rise!

This is not your fathers X-men. This is Akira. Look for it from Dark Horse.

More to come.
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dustydigger
Posted 2012-07-10 1:56 AM (#3677 - in reply to #3646)
Subject: Re: Welcome to SF manga



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Location: UK		Thank you galleyngel for the fascinating info.On this mangareader.net site,I have located Akiro and Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind.Trying to find a decent copy of Ghost in the Shell too.I have one challenge with 23 books to finish by end of September, and another with another 32 to read by end of October,and then I may have time for manga,but totally swamped at the moment,and still have Maus and Fruits basket as works in progress.
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gallyangel
Posted 2012-07-10 4:02 PM (#3696 - in reply to #3646)
Subject: Re: Welcome to SF manga



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Location: The Wilds of Washington
Part three: The next tier

What comes after the top three is far more subjective. My take.

Appleseed by Shirow

World War III is over, and nomad soldier Duenan Knute and her cyborg partner Briareos struggle to survive in the abandoned cities and demilitarized zones of the post-war wasteland, the "Badside." Matters appear on the upswing, however, when they are found and brought to Olympus, an urban utopia and centerpiece for the reconstruction of civilization. Duenan and Bri join the Olympus police, a force that seems hardly necessary in such a paradise. But, like in most pretty pictures, perfection is an illusion, and Olympus's peaceful facade hides a dark secret, a violent struggle between human and cyborg that could once again plunge the world into war . . . and genocide.

Shirows genius as a mangaka is unquestioned. Appleseed, which started in the late 80ies was his breakthrough work. Hes said that Ghost in the Shell came directly out of work on Appleseed. The Appleseed books are volumes 1,2,3,4, ID, Hypernotes, Databook. All are available from Dark Horse.

Battle Angel Alita and its sequel Battle Angel Alita: Last Order by Kishiro.

Daisuke Ido, a talented cybernetic doctor, finds the head of a cyborg in a junk heap. When he rebuilds her body, Alita's only clue to her past surfaces--her deadly fighting instincts! And now she is determined to find out the truth about who she once was...

This is another long running series, which started in the early 90ies. That, I guess was the time for cyborgs and the utopia/distopia split. While Shirows Appleseed makes use of the police procedural motif, Battle Angel is far more savage. Whether amnesiac Alita is a bounty hunter, a motorball player, a tuned (an agent of the utopia to protect their interests on the ground) or when she heads into space, the external battle and the internal battle for Alita heart never ends. This series is available from Viz.

Twin Spica by Yaginuma

The debut series from one of Japans brightest manga stars, Kou Yaginuma, Twin Spica expresses a sense of humanity through the advances of science and technology. Endorsed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA, Japans version of NASA), the sixteen-volume manga series has spun off animated and live-action TV series each broadcasted by NHK (the Japanese PBS).
In a Tokyo of the not-too-distant future a young girl looks up to the stars with melancholy in her heart and hope in her eyes. Thirteen-year-old Asumi Kamogawas life has been tied to those stars; her future may very well be among them. And she is not alone Asumi is one of many young people with ambitions to some day head off to space for Japans first manned mission.
Before liftoff, like any true astronaut she must show the right stuff and overcome odds to pass numerous physical and mental trials if she even wants to be considered in the running for a rare spot in the elite Tokyo Space School.

To me, there is a feeling of nostalgia about this series. If you ever talk to or listen to those who were teens or young adults during the Apollo era, this series echoes that time and their experiences. Space means something. Its an obtainable goal. Its a dream which can be achieved. Its not irrelevant. It is the striving for greatness which, ultimately, is the most important. How many in the U.S. even try these days?

This title is available from Vertical.

Neon Genesis Evangelion by Sadamoto

NGE is one of the legendary animes of Japan. Its the big giant mecha anime which completely broke the mold and then reforged it. Its the standard by which everything even remotely similar, is judged. The manga is strong enough to stand on its own.

In 2015, the "Angels" have returned, and Shinji Ikari, a fourteen year-old child of the new Earth, is forced by his father Gendo--commander of the secret organization NERV--to pilot the monstrous biomechanical weapon called "Evangelion" to match the Angels' fearsome power...

Lets see, NGE is: space aliens, hatred, secret government projects, despair, the unseen powers which control the world, personal sacrifice, clones, self doubt, living mecha, and the wish to do whats right. Add a few teens, some heavy duty slaughter and its the end of the world. Or is that, the end of the old, and the beginning of the new world?

There are three other NGE manga series. NGE: the Shinji Ikari Raising Project. NGE:Angelic Days. NGE:Campus Apocalypse. The secondary series all add detail and flesh out various points the main series didnt have time for, or it deals with things Sadamoto was to lazy to add or didnt think of when he did the initial work. Or there was just to much money to be made, so they had to create secondary series for appease the rabid fanbase. Something like that.

The main series is available from Viz.
Angelic Days was published by ADVManga, which is now out of business. You can find the series through Amazon or your favorite online bookseller.
And the other two series are from Dark Horse.

End part three.
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gallyangel
Posted 2012-07-29 3:28 AM (#3893 - in reply to #3646)
Subject: Re: Welcome to SF manga



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Part Four: the last tier which can be charted before the otaku start glaring at each other over personal favorites not mentioned.

7 Billion Needles by Nobuaki Tadano

Modern-day Japan is the stage for a new form of hard science-fiction, as author Nobuaki Tadano revisits one of the genre's Grand Masters, Hal Clement, in his debut series 7 Billion Needles. Loosely based on Clement's golden age title Needle, Tadano's gripping homage follows the life of a teenage girl whose melancholy days are dramatically changed when her body becomes host to an alien life form caught up in an intergalactic manhunt. Always sporting her headphones to try to close out the people and the world around her, Hikaru is a somewhat reclusive teenaged girl. Within her body resides another lifeform known as Ciel, a hunter in search of an intergalactic murderer intent on wiping out humanity. In 7 Billion Needles, two lives share one heart as they race to protect each other and the memories they cherish.

I think this is a very approachable SF manga, almost a gateway manga. A familiar story but reinterpreted from the Japanese POV.

Look for it from Vertical.

Planetes by Makoto Yukimura

This manga follows the lives of three interplanetary space debris collectors--Hachimaki, who dreams of owning his own spaceship; Yuri, who lost his wife in a space travel accident; and Fee, who has left her husband and young son on Earth to join the crew.

Its such a simple premiss, follow the lives, loves, and wacky hijinks, of a bunch of garbage collectors, who are making the space lanes safe from the trash weve put there. Simple and yet, one would think this sort of thing must happen at some point in the future, unless humanity collectively turns it back on space.

This title was brought to us from Tokyopop, but since Tokyopop is defunct, youll have to look for it in the secondary markets.

Voices of a Distant Star by Mizu Sahara

Mikako journeys to explore/combat alien races in the vast reaches of space, leaving behind her boyfriend and one true love, Noboru, with whom she can communicate only with text messages and who grows older each day as Mikako stays young.

Einsteins Relativity and love. Its quite a combo. This is one of those rare cases where the manga, in my opinion, is better than the anime its based on. Sahara gives us a twist at the very end which wraps the story up far better than the anime.

Another Tokyopop product but its common and easily found.

Spirit of Wonder - Story and art by Kenji Tsuruta.

China is a lovely young woman, the kind of beauty they write songs about or name stars after. She's as spectacular as Fourth-of-July fireworks and as striking as lightning -- and Jim Floyd just got struck. He's the technical assistant to the crazed Professor Breckenridge, and he'd give China the moon if he could. Odd thing is, he can. And that's just what he intends to do.

This manga is a delight in the Jules Verne tradition. Those wacky 19th or early 20th century science geeks are always up to their eyebrows in trouble: usually with their landlady and the misfiring of their experiments.

This title comes from our friends at Dark Horse comics. But our friends only translated half of it, so youll have to search it out among the scanlation or online manga archives.

Chobits by Clamp

Clamp is a quartet of women who over the last 20 years have established themselves as one of the great and popular influences in all of manga. They are collectively, one of the great manga gods of Japan.

This series tells the story of Hideki Motosuwa, who finds an abandoned persocom or personal computer with human form, that he names "Chi" after the only word it initially can speak. As the series progresses, they explore the mysteries of Chi's origin together and questions about the relationship between human beings and persocoms.

Another title from our defunct friends, who used to be Tokyopop.

Blame! and its prequel Noise by Tsutomu Nihei.

In a future world rife with decay and destruction, Killy is a man of few words who packs one very powerful gun. He wanders an endless labyrinth of cyber-dungeons filled with concrete and steel, fighting off cyborgs and other bizarre silicate creatures, while looking for the fabled net-terminal genes.

This might be the most controversial inclusion. Blame! is considered both revolutionary and stupid. Does it have nothing to offer but a video game plot and mindless violence or is it an exposition on the futility of the modern age, brought about by our own nihilistic dance with technology? The answer depends on who you ask. Either way, I think Nihei is an important signpost for where SF was in the last decade.

These two titles were published in the US by Tokyopop, but I would strenuously suggest you find an online copy first. For reasons unknown to me, copies of Blame! are hard to come by. A complete set goes for $250.00+ on ebay. Getting the series piecemeal is little help since several of the issues are very rare and command high prices. There were also several more side stories from the Blame! universe not official translated. Those would have to be found online as well.

This ends my little series on the SF manga of Japan. I hope there is something on these lists which sparks your interest.

Peace and understanding through shared popular culture. This phrase was a trademark to one of the early anime/manga translation companies. Theyre long gone, but the sentiment remains. I believe its very true.

End Part Four
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gallyangel
Posted 2012-10-03 3:05 AM (#4203 - in reply to #3646)
Subject: Re: Welcome to SF manga



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An Update: Part 4.25

There is always something new to find and Ive discovered Haruhism. Ill freely admit that, once again, Im late to the party. I distinctly remember seeing one or part of one episode of a new anime in 2006. That one with the title, yeah, that one: The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. And promptly turned it off. Not for me. My mistake.

The Synopsis for Volume One of the manga.

Kyon (a nickname, dont ask) is your ordinary high school freshman who has long given up on his childhood dreams of encountering the fantastic and supernatural...or so he thought. From the very first day of school, his classmate - the beautiful but eccentric Haruhi Suzumiya - makes it very clear that her only desire is to meet aliens, time travelers, and psychics! A chance conversation between the two inspires Haruhi to form the SOS Brigade, a school club created for the sole purpose of getting these supernatural beings together. The initial members consist of the mute bookworm Yuki Nagato, the timid but voluptuous Mikuru Asahina, and the polite and ever-smiling Itsuki Koizumi. But it isn't long before Kyon realizes that Haruhi's "helpless victims" are actually members of secret organizations - both futuristic and alien - keeping watch over Haruhi, as she is the pinnacle of some major calamity on the horizon...

Haruhism is one of those popculture multimedia endeavors which the Japanese seem to do far better than we in the states. Its novels, manga, anime and games, which isnt mentioning the tons of doujinshi (fan-comics). And theres so much of it because its good. Its that simple.

Haruhism exists at a manga genre crossroads: Its school, club, and SF which helps explains its popularity. But this manga also explores the fundamental search for the extraordinary as opposed to the mundane of regular life and school. How many of us can sympathize with that? Its like a guilty pleasure to watch the extraordinary, zany, and just plain hilarious unfold around Haruhi, and how the rest of the gang has to keep it quiet since Haruhi has no idea that shes the causality at work here. Haruhi wants to find the extraordinary. How delicious it is to know all she had to do was look in the nearest mirror.

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya novels and manga can be found with our friends at Yen Press. The two side manga series, The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi-chan and The Disappearance of Nagato Yuki-chan are also available from Yen Press.
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jfrantz
Posted 2012-11-09 10:32 PM (#4325 - in reply to #4203)
Subject: Re: Welcome to SF manga



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Location: Florida		Just checking this thread out now, after your wonderful first blog post, galleyangel! Looks fantastic. I am familiar with most of the titles you've mentioned thus far, though only through the anime! I especially loved The melancholy of Haruki Suzumiya. I have wanted to get to the books for so long and have disgracefully put it off over and over. But actually, I was unaware that it was a manga. I must have been misinformed by someone who thought it started as anime and then was novelized. I see you mention both the manga and novels. I need to explore the whole series more!

But I need to get going on all of your top choices anyway. Can't wait to see more of your recommendations!
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