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I have now spent almost 3 years trying to instill and promote the value of manga, to share the elements of manga that make it unique, viable, and important to fans of comic art or just fans of good storytelling. However . . . that doesn't mean it doesn't have it's problems. Now I'm not trying to make my column's this month all about complaints, but I realized that even I, someone who regularly tries to call attention to the great elements of manga must recognize that there are elements of manga that well . . . suck. Now there aren't a lot of them, and of course these must all be understood and read with the sense that these are my opinions, but also with this also comes a need to understand two other major facts. First, the elements of manga that are problems are being delivered by someone who is extremely pro-manga. Second, the elements will be broad ones, not nitpicky elements of manga that apply to only one manga that I really don't like. That wouldn't be the "bad elements of manga", that would be what don't I like about certain series. With the warnings out of the way let's take a look at the elements of manga that are . . . problematic. (I just can't bring myself to say bad.)
1. Cuteness.
These are all subjective but this one more then any others are very subjective. There are numerous mangas that I feel everyone should read. However, some of the most enjoyable ones, the most serious ones still suffer from being . . . too cute at times. Bastard! is a comedy manga, but one with very dark and serious themes . . . that is sadly hard to take serious later on when the main characters have been reduced to cuteness far too often in earlier books. Images like this:
Make it hard to take images like this seriously when Dark Schneider rips his own heart out.
While it can be great to have comic relief during a series, sometimes the cuteness factor really removes the seriously of a series and makes it seem . . . well jokey. Another great example of this is the famous line Kagome uses on Inu-Yasha to get him to behave. Taking the pun on his name, "Inu" being the word for "dog" in Japanese, Kagome binds him in sorcery so that every time he gets of hand she can yell "sit!" and he will slam down to the ground. A great joke, but one that later on, makes the expectation that this series will be comedy based very likely, even when it obviously is not.
Cuteness though is an established part of manga, and has its place, but even the general art style at times can be so cute that it is hard to take most manga series seriously, especially for a western audience.
2. Creator owned.
Yes, I know why would this make the list? The same reason it is a problem for U.S. comics, and it all falls mostly on one creator: Masamune Shirow. I love his work. Millions love his work. Ghost in the Shell is one of the most popular works ever done in manga or anime, and if you aren't a manga fan or an anime fan, most of the time the series you've seen if you have only seen a little bit or only watch one movie is either Ghost in the Shell or Akira. So what is the problem then?
Appleseed. One of the greatest manga's ever done. Even the anime adaptations done of this, three great movies have barely scratched the surface of how awesome and fantastic this series is. This is a series is a true world builder.
However . . . I can't recommend it, to anyone. I really can't.
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Again, why? Because Shirow never finished it. The data book shipped in 1990 as the last book he worked on. 20 years and nothing new. Nothing. The series will never end, and while it isn't the worst ending ever the epic feel of this series will never be realized.
Why? Because Shirow owns it and he makes far more money doing covers, posters, and calendars over doing manga. This is his choice and his control over his career is something I can applaud. However, having a series like this that stands as a testament and easy entry point for science fiction fans, and the western audience, to enter manga, beyond being a great storyline will alas never be finished. There are other series like this, where the creator just decided they were done and walked away. As an element of manga, creator ownership truly guarantees the uniqueness and clarity of vision and for many series stands a truly great element, but for series like this . . . it is a problem.
3. Timeliness.
This is an issue that really everyone can complain about with novels, movies, comics, etc. but the fact that manga tokubans, the trade paperbacks, which are the standard for manga releases do not come out on a regular basis. Far from it. Sometimes there are only three months between a release, some series though like Berserk, or the eternally late Hellsing which has put out ten books in eleven years, ship whenever the creator gets around to it. A lack of predictability hurts a series and its readership. For those fans of Berserk in America the fact that whenever they will see book 34, after getting around 3 books a year at least of Berserk, has soured many of them on the series and manga in general. It isn't just a problem for manga, but it is an element that it would help to change.
4. Format.
When I speak of format I do not refer to the Japanese standard of having books "flipped" as in they open the opposite way and read the opposite way from right to left instead of left to right. While this throws gaijin (foreign) readers it is something that has to be accepted as a cultural standard. I'm actually referring to the varying "formats" that manga publishers and creators have where the books are often not the same size, in terms of height and length. (It really sucks for my bookcases . . . )
The reason this proves to be a problematic element of manga is there seems to be no real reason for this beyond creative choice, and the lack of consistency makes it more difficult for retailers to want to carry them and also makes the reader question why this title is so "different" when contemplating buying it. It is a minor quibble, but one that could so be easily changed.
5. Sound effects.
No other comic art form includes as many sound effects as manga. Fine me one and I will detract this statement. The problem is that the sound effects distract from the art at times and make what is often a busy page almost an incomprehensible page . . .
Again, a minor element to quibble but some pages look like a warzone due to sound effects.
(A page from Bleach.)
These elements are ones that often distract from the ease of access to manga, but they are in most respects just nitpickiness. The other elements of manga are such strengthens that if these are the problems, the strengths are mighty. Give it a try if you haven't, though if you haven't so far . . . why are you reading my column? 
(I'd really like to know why, so please drop me a line!) As always you can reach me at vdf1@hotmail.com
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