Manga Collection Manga Collection Development for Development for

Complete NewbiesComplete NewbiesDave Inabnitt – Dave Inabnitt –

Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn NYBrooklyn NY

What is Manga?What is Manga?

Comic books/Graphic Novels from Comic books/Graphic Novels from Japan…Japan…

……or any comic book/graphic novel or any comic book/graphic novel drawn in the distinctive “Manga” art drawn in the distinctive “Manga” art style.style.

Often gets confused with Often gets confused with AnimeAnime (Japanese animation)(Japanese animation)

Manga NOT manga

Preconceptions of MangaPreconceptions of Manga

Lurid and CreepyLurid and Creepy Strange and hard Strange and hard to understandto understand

The realityThe reality

Wide range of subject matterWide range of subject matter Less challenging than you thinkLess challenging than you think Lots of approachable material for all Lots of approachable material for all

agesages Offbeat format, characters, and Offbeat format, characters, and

themes makes manga irresistable to themes makes manga irresistable to teens!teens!

Manga Terms, part 1Manga Terms, part 1

ShonenShonen: Manga for tween/teen boys: Manga for tween/teen boys

Manga Terms, part 2Manga Terms, part 2

ShojoShojo – Manga for tween/teen girls – Manga for tween/teen girls

Manga Terms, part 3Manga Terms, part 3

SeinenSeinen – Manga geared to older male – Manga geared to older male readersreaders

JoseiJosei – Manga geared older female – Manga geared older female readersreaders

OtakuOtaku – Slang term for manga/anime – Slang term for manga/anime nerdnerd

Manga GenresManga Genres

All the ones you know and love: All the ones you know and love: Action, Adventure, Romance, Drama, Action, Adventure, Romance, Drama, Comedy, Horror, Slice-of-Life.Comedy, Horror, Slice-of-Life.

Unique and offbeat genres too!Unique and offbeat genres too!

““Best in Japan”/QuestBest in Japan”/Quest

Hero aspires to be the greatest in Hero aspires to be the greatest in Japan at…something.Japan at…something.

Baseball, auto racing, music, etc.Baseball, auto racing, music, etc. Faces foe after foe and plenty of Faces foe after foe and plenty of

defeats, but ultimately triumphs. defeats, but ultimately triumphs.

Cooking ShowdownCooking Showdown

Remember “Iron Chef”?Remember “Iron Chef”? Love of cooking and food is major Love of cooking and food is major

component of Japanese culture.component of Japanese culture. Offshoot of “Best in Japan”/Quest Offshoot of “Best in Japan”/Quest

genre.genre.

Giant Robot/Space OperaGiant Robot/Space Opera

Classic Japanese manga genre Classic Japanese manga genre ((Voltron, RobotechVoltron, Robotech).).

Not as popular as it used to be, but Not as popular as it used to be, but still in demand.still in demand.

Science fiction stories with giant, Science fiction stories with giant, human-piloted robots at the center of human-piloted robots at the center of the action. the action.

Harem ComedyHarem Comedy

Main character seeks true love while Main character seeks true love while fighting off unwanted advances of fighting off unwanted advances of multiple admirers.multiple admirers.

Occasionally suggestive….Occasionally suggestive…. Geared toward guys, but plenty of Geared toward guys, but plenty of

titles geared toward female readers.titles geared toward female readers. This theme is a popular element to This theme is a popular element to

many storylines. many storylines.

Ghost Hunter Ghost Hunter

Protagonist must find and fight evil Protagonist must find and fight evil spirits.spirits.

Strong “ghost story” tradition in Strong “ghost story” tradition in Japan.Japan.

Can be light-hearted, action-packed, Can be light-hearted, action-packed, or eerie.or eerie.

Recommended Recommended TitlesTitles

Naruto Naruto Masashi Kishimoto (Viz)Masashi Kishimoto (Viz)

Ninja-centered Ninja-centered Action/AdventureAction/Adventure

““Shonen manga” Shonen manga” with strong female with strong female readershipreadership

Ages 12 and upAges 12 and up

Fruits BasketFruits Basket Natsuki Takaya (Tokyopop)Natsuki Takaya (Tokyopop)

Orphan girl must Orphan girl must solve adoptive solve adoptive family's cursefamily's curse

Funny, light-Funny, light-hearted series that hearted series that doesn’t skimp on doesn’t skimp on drama.drama.

Strong teen and Strong teen and tween girl appealtween girl appeal

13 and up13 and up

Hikaru No Go Hikaru No Go Yumi Hotta (Viz)Yumi Hotta (Viz)

Classic “Quest” – Classic “Quest” – with the help of a with the help of a friendly ghost, a friendly ghost, a young boy works to young boy works to be the finest Go be the finest Go player in Japanplayer in Japan

Good for all agesGood for all ages

Bleach Bleach Tite Kubo (Viz)Tite Kubo (Viz)

Full-on action with Full-on action with ghostly/samurai ghostly/samurai edgeedge

Stylish and funnyStylish and funny 14 and up (mildly 14 and up (mildly

suggestive)suggestive) Teen boy audienceTeen boy audience

Yotsuba&! Yotsuba&! Kiyohiko Azuma (ADV/Yen Press)Kiyohiko Azuma (ADV/Yen Press)

Daily tribulations of Daily tribulations of precocious 5 year precocious 5 year oldold

Sweet enough for Sweet enough for kids and clever kids and clever enough for adult enough for adult readersreaders

Great for all agesGreat for all ages

Death Note Death Note Tsugumi Ohba (Viz)Tsugumi Ohba (Viz)

Dark tale of Dark tale of murderous justicemurderous justice

Eerie and thought-Eerie and thought-provokingprovoking

Popular with both Popular with both gendersgenders

Best for older teensBest for older teens

Kare KanoKare Kano Masami Tsuda (Tokyopop)Masami Tsuda (Tokyopop)

““Perfect” girl not Perfect” girl not so perfect….so perfect….

Romantic/rivalry Romantic/rivalry comedycomedy

Perfect for teen Perfect for teen girls, 13 and upgirls, 13 and up

One PieceOne PieceEiichiro Oba (Viz)Eiichiro Oba (Viz)

Pirate adventurePirate adventure Slapstick, Slapstick,

cartoonish action cartoonish action with occasional with occasional pirate naughtinesspirate naughtiness

Silly and funSilly and fun 12 years old and 12 years old and

up up

Best of Miyazaki – Best of Miyazaki – Howl’s Moving Howl’s Moving Castle, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Castle, Kiki’s Delivery Service, andand My My

Neighbor TotoroNeighbor Totoro (Viz) (Viz) 3 “film comics” 3 “film comics”

taken from classic taken from classic Japanese animation Japanese animation films.films.

Charming, easy to Charming, easy to enjoy and enjoy and understand, great understand, great for younger for younger readers.readers.

The Wallflower The Wallflower Tomoko Hayakawa (Del Ray)Tomoko Hayakawa (Del Ray)

Makeover madnessMakeover madness Goofy and funGoofy and fun Older teen girl Older teen girl

audience, 15 and audience, 15 and upup

Full Metal Alchemist Full Metal Alchemist Hiromu Arakawa (Viz)Hiromu Arakawa (Viz)

Action/Adventure Action/Adventure with loads of with loads of political intriguepolitical intrigue

Unique Unique “Steampunk” “Steampunk” settingsetting

13 and up13 and up

The Melancholy of Haruhi The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Suzumiya

Nagaru Tanagawa (Yen Press)Nagaru Tanagawa (Yen Press)

Offbeat combination Offbeat combination of comedy, romance, of comedy, romance, coming of age, and coming of age, and far-out science fictionfar-out science fiction

Strong female Strong female characterscharacters

Will appeal to both Will appeal to both gendersgenders

Best for older teens Best for older teens (some risqué’ (some risqué’ elements, somewhat elements, somewhat esoteric plot )esoteric plot )

Yakitate Japan Yakitate Japan Takashi Hashiguchi (Viz)Takashi Hashiguchi (Viz)

Mix of comedy, Mix of comedy, cooking showdown, cooking showdown, and food scienceand food science

Cross-gender Cross-gender appealappeal

Best for 14 and up Best for 14 and up (cheesecake, goofy (cheesecake, goofy wordplay)wordplay)

High School Debut High School Debut Kazune Kawahara (Viz)Kazune Kawahara (Viz)

““My Fair Lady”-My Fair Lady”-style Romantic style Romantic ComedyComedy

Up and coming Up and coming shojo seriesshojo series

Teen girl audience, Teen girl audience, 13 and up13 and up

School Rumble School Rumble Jin Kobayashi (Del Ray)Jin Kobayashi (Del Ray)

Slapstick Slapstick comedy/romance/high comedy/romance/high school highjinksschool highjinks

Humor: silly and Humor: silly and relatively innocentrelatively innocent

Appealing to tweens Appealing to tweens and teens, with a and teens, with a cross-gender appealcross-gender appeal

Offbeat Manga for Older ReadersOffbeat Manga for Older Readers

MoyashimonMoyashimon Masayuki Ishikawa (Del Ray) Masayuki Ishikawa (Del Ray)

Science/educational Science/educational manga…and about the manga…and about the funniest and most funniest and most approachable book approachable book about microbiology about microbiology ever printed. ever printed.

Dororo Dororo Ozuma TezukaOzuma Tezuka (Yen Press) (Yen Press)

From Ozuma Tezuka, From Ozuma Tezuka, the creator of Astro the creator of Astro Boy and the Boy and the “Godfather” of “Godfather” of modern manga, a modern manga, a creepy and engaging creepy and engaging tale of revenge and tale of revenge and destiny set in destiny set in medieval Japan.medieval Japan.

Offbeat Titles, part 2Offbeat Titles, part 2

OishinboOishinbo Tetsu Kariya(Viz)Tetsu Kariya(Viz)

a not “just” a a not “just” a manga – It’s a manga – It’s a great book about great book about Japanese cuisine. Japanese cuisine.

With the With the LightLight

Keiko Tobe (Yen Press)Keiko Tobe (Yen Press)

A true life account A true life account of a mother’s of a mother’s struggle with her struggle with her son’s crippling son’s crippling autism. autism.

More than MangaMore than Manga Drawing booksDrawing books1.1. Manga Mania: How to Draw Japanese ComicsManga Mania: How to Draw Japanese Comics by by

Christopher Hart Christopher Hart (Watson-Guptil Publications)(Watson-Guptil Publications)

2.2. Manga SchoolManga School by Selena Lin by Selena Lin (Tokyopop)(Tokyopop)

3.3. Manga Pro Superstar Workshop: How to Create Manga Pro Superstar Workshop: How to Create and Sell Comics and Graphic Novelsand Sell Comics and Graphic Novels by Collen by Collen Doran Doran (Impact)(Impact)

4.4. How to Draw Anime & Game CharactersHow to Draw Anime & Game Characters series series (Digital Manga Distribution)(Digital Manga Distribution)

Japanese culture, language, and historyJapanese culture, language, and history Clothing design for “cosplay”Clothing design for “cosplay” Japanese street fashion – Japanese street fashion – FruitsFruits by Shoichi Aoki by Shoichi Aoki

Resources, Pt 1Resources, Pt 1

Manga publisher websites (Yen Press, Viz, Manga publisher websites (Yen Press, Viz, Tokyopop, Del Ray)Tokyopop, Del Ray)

www.mangablog.comwww.mangablog.com, , www.noflyingnotights.comwww.noflyingnotights.com

Wikipedia (best for background info)Wikipedia (best for background info) Graphic Novels in Libraries Listserv (Graphic Novels in Libraries Listserv (

GNLIB-L-subscribe@topica.comGNLIB-L-subscribe@topica.com)) Librarian’s Guide to Anime and Manga (Librarian’s Guide to Anime and Manga (

www.koyagi.com/libguide.htmlwww.koyagi.com/libguide.html))

Resources, Pt 2Resources, Pt 2

Manga: The Complete GuideManga: The Complete Guide by Jason by Jason ThompsonThompson

YALSA’s YALSA’s Great Graphic Novel for Great Graphic Novel for TeensTeens list list

““Flip test”Flip test” Ask your patrons!Ask your patrons!