Anime & Manga Class Blog

I've always heard great things about both the manga and anime for Ghost in the Shell. I never had the chance to read/ watch it, however, so finally getting the chance to read the manga was perfect. I know very very little about the plot as well, so it was a new experience for me. One thing I noticed right away was the art style. I usually don't lean towards anime/ manga with the early 2000's style. However, with Ghost in the Shell, it's visually very pleasing to look at. One thing I found interesting was how few chapters there were in the manga. I was under the assumption that the series was this giant franchise considering how iconic the name was alone. Another thing I found interesting, was how the artist chose to color only select panels within each chapter. Some chapters would begin the first 2 or 3 pages being completely colored and rendered, only to switch back to traditional black and white. It adds an interesting dynamic to the manga as a whole and makes it uniq...

Something that is so charming about this author from a storytelling standpoint, is how real she is. The first page alone (aside from the one paneled first page) she briefly mentions not only a bald spot she was "trying to hide", but also self-inflicted marks. I personally have never read the manga of someone telling real, personal experiences. So reading something like "My Lesbian Experience With Loneliness" was an interesting read. On a more personal level, I feel as though many people can relate to her especially when it comes to trying to make your parents proud. Many kids from teenage years to adulthood, even way beyond that, are always looking for ways to make their parents proud. However sometimes when I'm feeling stuck on what I want to do when I'm older, I don't turn to my parents. Instead, I turn to my online best friends or my boyfriend. Having amazing friends that are around my age and going through similar things I am, is incredibly helpful...

          I was always interested in Bakuman, the anime has been on my 'to watch' list for a few years but have yet to watch it. So having the opportunity to read some of the manga was perfect. One thing I loved about the series (hearing about it) was that the references made. For example, in the first volume alone one of the characters references the anime and manga series 'Death Note'. I have seen animes that mention manga or anime in general, but not specific references. The other anime references in the series are what piqued my interest in the first place.          I feel like the series, in general, can give the audience a sense of relatability. I believe every anime/manga fan at some point during their childhood considered becoming a mangaka. Whether it was a serious consideration or simply tried to create their own for a hobby. Whether someone is a writer or an artist if they enjoy anime/manga, they can relate to this series....

          Growing up I, like most kids, watched anime shows on tv on Saturday mornings. Of course, at the time, we simply thought they were just normal cartoons not knowing what 'anime' was. As a kid, I always watched Hamtaro, Yugio and of course Pokemon. However, it wasn't until middle school that I first really got into anime and learned about what it was. That being said, the first anime movie I've seen, knowing what it was, was a Studio Ghibli film. So reading manga from early Studio Ghibli, even before the company was the company, was almost nostalgic despite never reading this particular anime before. The art style alone is very recognizable and very few animes' looks similar to this style if any at all. The story and art alone are always so creative and perfected. All the movies made, even once Studio Ghibli was created are unique though they share the common theme of a strong female protagonist. All of the manga and films made by these creators are p...

          Ouran High School Host Club takes typical shoujo tropes and does the reverse. The series is considered a shoujo, however, it makes fun of itself in a way and has many comedic moments. I have seen the anime countless times, but have never read the manga though I had planned to. The ending of the anime is often agreed upon that it seems rather abrupt. It isn't necessarily a 'bad ending'. Instead is more frustrating to many viewers because two of the main characters don't get together. However, the manga does continue the story way past the point the anime ends. This is why manga readers of this particular series are (jokingly) frustrated with the anime's ending because they know how the manga ends. The manga ends in a more fulfilling way which is why, including myself, are eagerly waiting for the second season of the show. After reading a bit of the manga for this week, the anime does a great job of staying very close to the manga. In fact, everything ...

         For this week, I decided to read the first volume of Blue Spring Ride. Simply looking at the first few panels it shows that it is a shoujo manga. In a majority of cases, shoujo manga/ anime have very little to no violence or fighting. Instead, it tends to be more romance based and this manga is no different. The first page alone suggests that the main character has a crush on a male character which puts this manga in the shoujo category. Shoujo manga/anime also tend to follow the story of a female character, though that is not always the case 100% of the time. I was only able to read the first volume of this manga but so far the ideals for the female character is a guy who is "not violent and doesn't have as deep of a voice as other males." The main character also seems to like him because he is "more down to earth, humble and sensitive." I decided to pick this manga because the characters looked familiar. I haven't read this particular manga be...

         I read Cigarette Girl for this week's manga and I really enjoyed it. I normally don't gravitate towards slice of life anime or manga except for certain ones. However, I did enjoy this story. One thing I noticed right off the bat is how unique the art style is in this manga. The characters are simplified but the environments are super detailed. Having such a dramatic style difference surprisingly works really well in such a simple comic. Another thing I really liked in this particular manga is the small easter egg mask of Astro Boy. It was a nice detail added especially because it stood out from the rest of the manga's art style.