Elements of Manga #13
By Ian Melton

May 2009 Ah . . . unlucky thirteen. Welcome to year two ladies and gentlemen (mina-san as they say in Japanese) of the Elements of Manga. So far I've covered a lot of topics and hinted at several more, but this month I thought we'd discuss fandom (actually we'll be talking about that more next month too ) and it's effects on the elements of manga. As with American comics we get the eventual spill over of fans who become creators a very natural evolution, if you love something you want to do it yourself, very common. For instance let's look at some of the most obvious examples. First, Akira Toriyama is the creator of Dragonball (so yes therefore the creator of Dragonball Z), but his fans are very much now creators in their own right and proudly imitate or create in his image (homage as it were). For example:

While these two pages are not identical in layout or style the themes are actually very strong and show Toriyama's huge influence on Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto. Both of these fights are the important fights in the central characters lives (Goku and Naruto respectively) where both have undergone long battles already before finding out their opponents (Vegeta and Garaa) transform to stronger forms to destroy their opponents. Both enemies also become allies and almost "brother" like figures to the main characters, rivals, and very popular characters in their own right. These themes of course are not duplication of the original source material, but do lead to the common complaint that one manga is just like the other. However, comics have this same complaint if one things about it after all the lack of the big three in the DC universe currently (Superman gone, Batman "dead", and Wonder Woman fighting a replacement) leaving the Justice League of America minus their three biggest hitters has been done before Ideas tend to come in cycles and continue to repeat. Many of the creators, no matter the medium, if fans read storylines they enjoy and do their own version later on. However, fans influence on manga or anime is not directly seen in this sense but in a larger sense in three major ways. First, the most important way with their wallets. If it doesn't sell then it doesn't keep getting made. Fans enjoy a series and thus it is continued to be bought and continues. If you were to ask Akria Toriyama where he wanted to originally end the Dragonball manga it probably would have been around here:

This page is the destruction of Namek which ended the Goku vs. Freiza arc, which is where Toriyama originally wanted to end the manga. As we know the manga kept going for two more arcs, the Cell arc and (my favorite) the Majin Buu arc. While most non-DBZ fans lambaste the series for the length and overdone fighting, fan demand kept Dragonball going further then its creator intended. Second, the perception of what fans want drives what creators and companies throw toward fans. The increase of fan service (using images that appeal to fan's more . . . baser urges . . . such as this one . . . forgive me oh editor . . . ) have become increasingly common, to the point that Love Hina, the manga this image came from, become a run away hit for Ken Akamatsu, many would argue become of its huge amount of fan service. While it can be debated this falls under category 1, the increase in fan service has both increased and decreased fan demand, as those who like it want more and those who don't like it don't' go for it. Much like the trend of crossover craze in American comics (that a fan must buy every comic associated with a major storyline or "crossover") it sells, but it doesn't attract the same fans that solid storytelling does. Third, and to me the most important in terms of study of the elements of manga, are that fans affect manga and the atmosphere the manga is consumed in; fans color the perception of who buys manga, and who they are truly intended for. While comics are for "kids" in the U.S., the perception of being a hardcover "otaku", or manga/anime consumer (though it has large connotations which I'll probably hit on in two months), is that only the most nerdy of the nerdy are otaku, or truly love manga. Therefore this "perception" makes it so more and more manga are aimed toward and talking about this sub-culture. In addition, marketing toward fans, making things the fans will buy; only increase the perception of this atmosphere. It becomes a circular effect . . . and only tightens the market. To further this point fans both strengthen and hinder the market for manga, they buy it serve as the primary audience, but make the market harder to enter for new comers (sound familiar comic book fans?). It's hilarious to listen to old school manga fans that want certain "older" trends in manga . . . but don't want new fans to join and "dilute" the fan base with . . . stupid stuff. We end helping and hindering the elements of manga as fans . . . and we'll see how this looks to me after I go to con season in the Seattle two weekends in the a row in April. Jya mata otaku!

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Copyright © 2009 Ian Melton