Honourable Lady Fae the Villainous of Much Leering (apotheosis) wrote in mangaka, @ 2008-04-01 08:10:00 |
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I think the big question is the amount of derivation that is acceptable. If Americans copy too much, as some Chinese comics are accused of doing, it's seen as "cashing in" and being "unoriginal." If they take too many liberties, as OTHER Chinese comics do, it's seen as "no longer manga" and still "cashing in." If the American manga industry is to survive at all, fans need to stop taking these attitudes that manga is determined on race and buy for quality. This way, weak American manga titles like Midnight Opera will fall to the wayside, the stronger ones (like Dramacon perhaps) will prevail, and those fans who WANT to create manga and fulfill their dreams can achieve it-- not by getting success handed to them, but by working hard and studying the medium. And really, some elitist fans need to realize it's not always about money-- it certainly isn't, and American "mangaka" are paid dirt-- but that mangaka who were fans to begin with (not former American comics writers) are creating because they love the medium, just the same way that fanartists and fanfiction writers try to contribute. Those who want to shoot down American mangaka solely because of their race don't have the luxury of holding a double standard.
On a somewhat different note, my advice to would-be-mangakas would be that imitation inevitably results in pale shadows of the original unless there's understanding behind the imitation. Don't just try to copy your favorite manga. Look at the art and figure out why it does what it does. Understand the principles behind the art you enjoy and then bring your own style to the picture and the result will be much better than if you simply try to ape someone else's work.