Everything I ever wanted to know about Manga…

I can summarize what I know about manga and anime in less than 10 words: big eyes, pointy chins, “Sailor Moon,” and “Spirited Away.” In order to learn a bit more about the Japanese comic art, I called on Kerry Hunter, manager of the Newburg branch of the Louisville Free Public Library and a self-professed manga fan, to enlighten me. Hunter handles the ordering of all graphic novels for the entire library system. She is also co-coordinator of the annual AnimeCon held at the Main Library.

For those of you who are as unfamiliar with Japanese comics as I am, manga refers to comic books and graphic novels, whereas anime is the abbreviated pronunciation of the Japanese word for animation. Most manga is a serialized story with a 30 to 40 volume run over the life of the series. Manga volumes are typically the size of a small but thick, quality paperback book and can range in price from $7.99 to $9.99. According to Hunter, many manga stories have been adapted into anime. 

Hunter, who has worked with teens at the library for the past 12 years, credits those teenagers with her discovery of manga. She could not explain why she loves manga and anime, but she has an extensive knowledge of both. Since she first discovered manga 10 years ago, the comics have exploded. I recall “Dragon Ball Z” and “Pokémon” from the days of my nephews’ Halloween costumes, a good 10 years ago. Hunter said there are now as many subgenres of manga as there are of fiction: horror, sci-fi, realistic fiction, adventure, comedy, and romance. Mecha is a subgenre of sci-fi manga featuring giant robots powered by humans. Gundam is the biggest franchise of mecha. To me, the manga novice, this screams Transformers; apparently that is a contested opinion on digital manga forums.

Hunter also explained that manga is gender specific, with shonen for boys and shojo for girls. Two good examples of popular shonen comics are “Bleach” and “Naruto,” both of which are coming-of-age stories with underlying themes of self-discovery and friendship. Hunter likened these stories to the sociologically heavy-hitting “Spider-Man” comics of the 1960s. For girls, Hunter recommended the shojo comic “Fruits Basket,” a supernatural thriller about an orphan and a cursed family. This was the story that first hooked Hunter. Most teen fans of manga will read an entire series and then seek out the anime adaptation, at least this has been Hunter’s experience.

Fans become so invested in their favorite manga characters that, when AnimeCon rolls around every August, they show up to the two-day event in full costume. This prompted Hunter and her co-coordinator, Kate Schiavi, to include a costume contest as part of the convention events. Many attendees put so much work into making their own costumes that, this past year, the contest had a separate category for costume construction. Not only do the teens and ‘tweens sport painstakingly detailed, handmade costumes, but, during the costume contest – an event that Hunter confessed became deafeningly loud – they assume the personalities of the characters and perform skits.

The first AnimeCon, held 10 years ago at the Main Library, attracted around 60 attendees. This past year, 500 individuals attended. The event has become so popular that Hunter and Schiavi added a day specifically for younger kids, ages three to nine. For AnimeCon, the library teams up with cultural organizations around town, including the Frazier History Museum, who gave a samurai demonstration, and Crane House, who demonstrated the art of Japanese calligraphy. AnimeCon also included activities such as sumo wrestling, a haiku showdown, and an “Iron Chef ” challenge of bento boxes.

All branches of the library have manga and anime collections. You do not need to wait for AnimeCon in August to get your manga on. That said, 2013 marks the 10th anniversary of AnimeCon and Hunter promises it will be an exciting event.

–Amy Miller

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