The Eastern Edge - Latest comments on Not with a bang but a whimper.

Fisher [Visitor] in response to: Not with a bang but a whimper.

Fisher [Visitor] — Wed, 06 May 2009 19:49:06 +0000

Yes, it is very disappointing that 20th Century Boys and Pluto aren't selling better.

I think that most of what has already has been said by yourself and others is pretty much true.

The bulk of people view any sort of comics, whether Japanese, American, French, etc., as entertainment rather than literature. Something as heavy as Urasawa's work, and other great mangaka like Igarashi Daisuke, can be too much for someone who just wants to read something as an aside from regular life. Look at regular novels themselves. There are plenty out there that are either fluff, or are very formulaic, without much intellectual stuff in there. The same problem plagues manga, and other forms of art (like cinema, which often is weighed down with fluffy or shallow films).

I think the other problem in getting Urasawa's manga (as well as some of the other great manga, especially the ones that are over twenty years old or are not overtly fantasy oriented) is that many established manga fans are too set in their thinking about three main things when it comes to manga.

1) The story - As I said above, because the material covered in the story is mature and heavy and most of all, real. It may have sci-fi aspects to the story, but the themes of the story are too real, and too obviously real, for many readers.

2) The artwork - they expect artwork that is bright and rounded, the sort of stereotypical drawing style with big eyes, etc. (You know, like CLAMP's noodle people). They have difficulty looking at something like Urasawa's work, with his more realistic drawing style and highly detailed backgrounds, and associating it with manga. I've heard friends of mine who love manga complain that Monster was too western looking.

3) Japanese-ness - There are two parts to this: a. some manga are harder to relate to because of aspects of the story that are particularly Japanese, and b. some readers expect the Japanese-ness of manga to pop out and blind you.

In the end, I don't know. A manga like Pluto seems like just the sort of fast-paced suspense story that would attract people (outside of the Tetsuwan Atom crowd). I can see 2oth Century Boys being a little harder sell, since it is a little slow at times and cluttered sometimes. I guess in the end, its hard to tell what people are going to like.

Santi [Visitor] in response to: Not with a bang but a whimper.

Santi [Visitor] — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 17:58:10 +0000

Aha i agree completely and i'm glad that there's a few people out there that share my feeling conserning urasawa's work. His work is constantly evolving Billy bat proves that hehe

Yancho Yanchev [Visitor] in response to: Not with a bang but a whimper.

Yancho Yanchev [Visitor] — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 12:13:39 +0000

In addition - that's why Urasawa flies above the heads of most of the mangakas and writers in the world as well.
Very progressive!
"Billy Bat" proves that again and again.

Jennifer [Visitor] in response to: Not with a bang but a whimper.

Jennifer [Visitor] — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 04:14:17 +0000

"By detail i mean a very clean chain of facts, events, emotions, logical conclusions and so on. To follow it you need to have both education and personal interest about not only japanese culture, but also world culture (because Urasawa's work happen to treat not only japanese history events and problems)."

That's actually one of the reasons I like Monster! :D

Yancho Yanchev [Visitor] in response to: Not with a bang but a whimper.

Yancho Yanchev [Visitor] — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 10:36:00 +0000

As an european reader from a rather new to the japanese comics country (Bulgaria) I can try to give you my point of view why Urasawa's works lack being so popular.
First of all, all three works - Monster, 20th century boys and Pluto are very detailed works. By detail i mean a very clean chain of facts, events, emotions, logical conclusions and so on. To follow it you need to have both education and personal interest about not only japanese culture, but also world culture (because Urasawa's work happen to treat not only japanese history events and problems). Also, you have to be keen on reading books which "enlighten" you.
For many people (most of the manga readers in fact) manga is an entertainment product. For such it has to be "easy come, easy go".
And (specially for adult people in my country) a comic book can never be serious enough.
You have to grow on manga/anime to see the difference between manga and "manga". Seinen comics can be both.
Now, I'm 23 years old and am reading manga and watching anime since 5 years and was interested in japanese culture and history even before that.
I have friends here who are like that too, some even with greater roots in the japanese culture.
But the people who tend to believe that manga can be educative and even an open book about the human world are too few.
This is a lesser tendency in Western Europe and in North America (since there people have access to manga and anime long before us).
But i sense that even there alot of people take manga more as an entertainment industry, than an educative book which can appeal to all generations.
That's why I like Urasawa's works - they can teach you alot about human personality while you read it. Tou have to get into it, to understand it. And that takes more than a day time.

In my personal standings Naoki Urasawa's works will be always holding the first places. Until someone makes even greater books.

- Yancho

Jennifer [Visitor] in response to: Not with a bang but a whimper.

Jennifer [Visitor] — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 01:40:26 +0000

"...Rocket Bomber's latest charts reveal the ugly truth that Japanese comics aren't making much progress in breaking out of their demographic shackles..."

"...Maybe Urasawa's work just needs some more time to make Friend's with the North American readers?..."

I wonder if part of the generation gap is the same long series vs. short series thing that happens with non-comic books in English? From what I've seen, stuff like the Babysitter's Club and Sweet Valley High could go on and on and on for dozens of volumes and attract preteens pretty well that way but that's far less common in novels published for English-reading adults. Maybe that's why 20th Century Boys doesn't sell as much here as shôjo and shônen series that are just as long sell?

As for me, I like Monster a lot :) but I like it a lot despite its being 18 volumes. Normally I prefer single-volume works or short series, in both comics and regular fiction. Maybe the way to break out of the demographic shackles is translating and publishing more of the single-volume and only-a-few-volumes seinen and josei series, and waiting until adults here are hooked to bring over more of the lengthy seinen and josei. ;)

Santi [Visitor] in response to: Not with a bang but a whimper.

Santi [Visitor] — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 18:37:49 +0000

Hi

Im dissapointed, poor Urasawa...

I love that monster image haha

I was just reading about kodansha winners this morning when i read they change the name and thought "Hell yeah, change is on its way!" although i think they were open minded but people just didnt get it...

I read most of the work people submit were bishoujo and NINJA! which sucks...

I hope i can find somebody whos willing to draw my ideas and send some art for next year competition...

Have fun in TAF, lucky bastard hahaha

bye

-Santi-