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NEWS: Tokyopop To Move Away from OEL and World Manga Labels

Mylene, again, it also sounds like a marketing gimick. I'm sure Tokyopop isn't the only one to jump on this band wagon. Plus marketing in Japan is much worse (some would say better) than in the US. Also, I'm sure Japan is happy to promote their style over other countries. We don't need artistic imperialism. I don't think that's quite right. I respect their want to, but I think people shouldn't be influienced by one coutry. People should be proud of their own country's background as well as looking to other artists from places like Japan. Only a fool would look to one country for artists of influence. Don't let Tokyopop turn you into a fool.

I was expressing an opinion on their "marketing practices" not how any artist draws their characters. Sorry, I guess I was being a just bit too subtile.

It's kind of funny that everyone acuses Tokyopop of trying to rip off of a non-existant manga "style" of art, but nobody ever acuses Tezuka Osamu-san of ripping off of a non-existant American "style" of art when he based his design of Astro Boy on Mickey Mouse cartoons, which started this whole "big eyes, small mouth" anime stereotype to begin with. Because with Tezuka-san it's called "inspiration" when he copies an American art style, but with Tokyopop, they're "ripping off" because Tezuka-san is the god of manga and an all mighty Japanese person who can never make any mistakes, whereas Tokyopop is just an evil American corporation that's only after your money. So, if an artist shouldn't try to draw characters with big eyes and small mouths because they should develop their own unique style instead of trying to copy the "anime stereotype" look, why didn't Tezuka-san try to develop his own unique style when he created Astro Boy instead of trying to copy Walt Disney's style?

This is an interesting thread. People are getting up in arms because of TP skewing a subculture for financial gain. Which is understandable. I've been an anime fan going on a decade, I remember when it wasn't popular, manga was about and inch and a half taller, and DBZ was dubbed in Canada. This was a good time, because this was before people started worshipping anime, this was before the "Advent of the Otaku". Then Gundam Wing came along and showed that marketing can control people and hype.

There are two problems with calling non-japanese comics manga: 1) These books are influenced by the general manga, not the "good stuff" not the things that stand out. No one imitates Phoenix, Slam Dunk, Uzumaki, Devilman, or Golgo 13. It is all about imitating the things that are popular, not the things that can be viewed as important, and because of this, the good stuff gets overlooked, and not even released stateside. 2) There is also the problem of condoning easy ownership of something. A guy "thinks" he can draw something, and thus he's an anime fan, but in turn it isn't very good, so when someone who can't tell the difference between that and something Japanese, they may think all things Japanese are lame. Anime doesn't need a bad image, it is everywhere, and it is oversaturating entertainment, and not in a good way.

Call me an anime snob, maybe it is true, but if something is really good then why does it have an OEL or World Manga label, why can't it be called what it is, "a comicbook".


If there were shame in doing comicbookss then Kia Asamiya wouldn't have done Batman and come here to do X-Men, Amano wouldn't have done Sandman and Wolverine/Elektra, and Miller wouldn't be supposedly working on Metal Gear Solid. Oh, and there wouldn't have been a Spider-man manga and tv show, along with a Hulk manga.

OEL, World Manga, Global Manga, it is all a manipulative marketing ploy into convincing people to immerse themselves into a "Manga Culture", and all it does is keep people from being creative.

babbo -

You do realise you're arguing with people who posted two years ago? There's a pretty good chance they aren't following the thread anymore...

minakichan wrote:

The ENGLISH version of the same word, however, is "MANE-guh." Because that's how they pronounce it.

Say what? I thought it was always pronounced "mon-ga". The only people that pronounce it the other way are the ones that never heard the word spoken.
I guess I get some slack since I speak Spanish and it's spoken the same way (although, it translates to "sleeve").
-Nevermind, we have enough of a debate on our hands.

babbo -You do realise you're arguing with people who posted two years ago? There's a pretty good chance they aren't following the thread anymore...