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Anime Convention held in Drayton Date: 11/17/2009 |
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by Amanda Jeffery When it comes to the world of comic books and cartoons there are many varities and genres. One such genre that seems to be taking off in North America is manga, pronounced MAHN-ga, and anime, pronounced an-i-MAY, a Japenese comic style and cartoon. Last Saturday manga and anime lovers were able to attend an Anime Convention at the new Rotary Branch Library where they could watch anime, purchase books and learn from experts about the reading of manga and the differences between the common North American comics, such as Superman and Spiderman, and manga. Jay Bardyla owner of Happy Harbor Comics in Edmonton was present at the convention with a wide array of comic books and knowledge regarding the subject. While being a self-proclaimed "capes and tights guy" reading the superhero books he said that manga can be beneficial to children in that the problems being dealt with in the comics are more real world. He says for example with many comic books children can be exposed to main characters with x-ray vision and superhuman strength and their main conflict involves saving the world from some kind of tragedy. While this can be really appealing it does not necessarily represent real life. However, Bardyla said children in Japan are very family orientated and the manga is deeply rooted in the Japanese culture and traditions. So often the problems faced in the book are real life issues that every child faces, with the fantasy part of the comic being only one small element. "Kids who are reading it really identify quickly to what the main character is going through," said Bardyla. Gail de Vos, a librarian and educator, said her main interest in manga comes from her background of storytelling. "Not only do they tell folk tales, but they are the closest print medium to oral storytelling," said de Vos. She offers online courses to teach people about comics and manga and how to read the books. Manga, being based out of Japan, is read differently than a regular comic book. It is read from right to left and top to bottom. There is also less words used to describe how a character is feeling and there is artwork that readers need to look for to find the character's emotions, such as sweat, big eyes and drool. De Vos also says the books are meant to be read at a faster pace than a regular novel. "A normal volume is meant to be read at a page every 12 to 15 seconds. They are just really, really fast," said de Vos. For some of the youth attending the conference the attraction isn't necessarily about the manga, it is also about the anime, which is the animated version of the comic books. They said the anime is more attractive than other cartoons because of the artwork and because it is geared more toward an older audience. While anime can claim the popular Pokemon and Dragon Ball Z as part of the genre, it is not necessarily these shows that youth are looking for. Through Internet access it is far easier for kids to access the anime versions of many of their favourite manga books, making shows like Naruto widely known in the anime world. |
| Source: Drayton Valley Western Review |
