Manga comics: The latest obsession of city’s youth

For those who think comics are meant only for children, think again! Japanese comics and graphic novels known as manga are becoming a rage among the youth and adults alike in the State. With themes ranging from romance to fantasy and well fleshed-out characters like Uzumaki Naruto and Goku, manga has got people from all age groups hooked. For many, the route to discovering manga was through animes or cartoons that aired on popular kids channels. A college student Sagar explains, “I used to watch animes. When I did further research into the ones I liked, I found that animes were based on manga. I stopped watching anime after I started reading manga as they were always ahead.” These comics are read from right to left and are printed in black and white. While it takes some time to get used to the style of reading the Japanese comics that are dubbed in English, it is no turn off for its avid readers. Manga aficionado Ashwathy says, “You get used to it after a while. Initially you will face trouble but after a few pages, you get used to it and then you wait every week for the next issue to come out.” Manga comics also run for several hundreds of issues. Popular ones such as Naruto had 700 chapters with the first one released in 1999 and the final in 2014. “The storylines are as elaborate and long as any of the novels that you read. The only difference is that it is presented in the form of a comic book,” says Madhura, a post graduate student. Other popular manga comics include Full Metal Alchemist, Death Note, One Punch Man and One Piece. Jacob Neroth, a 31-year-old banking professional, tells us that he got hooked to the comics a few years ago while he was studying in the USA. “Manga is huge in foreign countries. I started reading it 10 years ago but still follow the arcs of the comics I like. I have even got my cousins and friends here hooked to it.” Age is no barrier when it comes to manga, he says. Supporting him, Madhura says, “You have comics like Doraemon for children and also cerebral thrillers such as Death Note fit for adults. That’s what makes manga unique. You can have your pick.” As Preet S, a city college student says, “Reading manga is my guilty pleasure.”Kochi-based social media professional Desmond Fernandez, who is a huge fan of manga and anime such as Dragon Ball Z, feels the allure lies in the illustrations. “Manga illustrations are very different from usual comics. The characters are rich in detail and there’s a lot more drama to it.” OK Kanmani animator Kishore Mohan, whose favourite manga is Lone Wolf & Cub, adds, “Manga grows on you. It offers a cinematic experience. It’s different from the usual superhero comics that you read, and has a unique appeal.”The popularity though is not just limited to the State. Desmond, who has visited comic-based conventions held in Bangalore and Mumbai, says he witnessed a huge following of manga at these centres.“There were stalls exclusively for mangas. As they were imported, they were expensive but by the end of the event, all the comics were sold out. Also, you had people dressing up as popular anime characters.” For those who can’t buy the originals, the best way to access manga is to read them online. Jacob explains, “Several sites also allow the user to download the comics and read them at leisure.”By Athira Radhakrishnan and Sanjith Sidhardhan