More on Manga...

Shortly after writing last Thursday's post, I talked to my little sister about manga since she loves the stuff. She loaned me the first volume of Suikoden III. Boy, was that a fast read. I finished it in an hour to an hour and a half. When I discussed it with my sister, I learned she and I have different views on manga.

I thought it seemed a little shallow with no real depth given to either the characters or the story. Yes, the plot was interesting, but there were so many places where the story skipped from one thing to another with no transition. I prefer stories that go into the character development and make them 3D through description and thoughts. Manga doesn't really do that, at least not the one I read. It gives enough to give you an idea of the character, but there isn't enough development for me to form a bond with the characters and actually care what happens to them. That's what I mean when I say shallow. It just isn't for me.

My sister, on the other hand, didn't think it was shallow. I explained to her everything I've said here about it, but she still doesn't see it the same way I do. I guess I'll stick with novels, and she'll stick with a combination of novels and manga.

I don't guarantee I'll never read another manga. In fact, I'm considering finding a copy of the first volume of Serenity series manga published by Thomas Nelson. I've read a few things about the series, and I'm curious to see how they handle it. If I ever read a copy, I'll post my thoughts on it here.

In the meantime, leave me a comment with your thoughts on the whole manga vs. novel debate.