"Backwards" Manga

[Dolemite]

You know how Tokyopop started publishing their manga like it is in Japan, where it reads from right to left instead of left to right? Any opinions on this? Personally, I find it annoying, but that's me. I'm that rare breed of freak that actually prefers a good dub over subtitles any day...well, ALMOST any day. I've run into the occasional anime where I've enjoyed the sub more, but for the most part, I figure it like this: Japanese people don't have to read their anime, and their comic format is set up like the format of all other reading material in their country. Why should it be any different for us? Eh, whatever, I'll deal with it, it's not like I'm not going to get a good manga just because I have to read the friggin' thing backwards...

[jiji]

I like it. It keeps the artwork the way it was drawn - yeah, that's the usual argument, but it keeps things from getting mirrored in weird ways, and it adds up to less retouching being necessary. Plus, for some reason, it seems easier to me to read a manga backwards like that while sort-of flipping through it. I dunno. It's just a different way of doing things, and I'm used to it.

[negitoro]

I definitely like the original format. Mirroring the artwork always makes some weird quirks and it just feels unnatural when reading through it sometimes. For instance, people are all left handed or something... plus the sound effects are all rendered useless...

The main problem is the increased work in getting it mirrored properly. For instance, Blade of the Immortal is the only one that does it well by actually taking the page apart and repasting the panels in American format vs flipping them. But as it sounds, the work needed is just absurd for that undertaking... and even then, the flow of the comic isn't quite right. The dynamics of the pages are effectively destroyed.

[Josh]

Fuck it. Its pandering to fanboys so they can feel 10% more Japanese while they jerk off all over their Love Hina body pillows.

I'm that rare breed of freak that actually prefers a good dub over subtitles any day

Right on.

[Freeter]

Never had a problem with it and I still don't.

However, TP's stupid decision to no longer translate the damn sound effects irks me. I'll settle for "90% authentic" so long as I can read everything.

[Dolemite]

Fuck it. Its pandering to fanboys so they can feel 10% more Japanese while they jerk off all over their Love Hina body pillows.

Right on.

Fuck yea.

[Hero]

I hate having to read a show. Just the same, I hate having to hear someone who voice-acts like they reading off the ingredients to a tylenol bottle.

So, good dub > sub > bad dub

I really don't care which way I have to read manga, as long as I get to read it and as long as it keeps coming out here. The 'hardcore' manga reader just buys it in Japanese anyway, no matter how much/little of the language they know.

[mollipen]

It bugs me seeing everyone being left-handed, cars driving on the "wrong" side of the road, so on and so on.

Some of you may see it as a gimmick, and that's nice. But it isn't. The more we keep movies, comics, whatever they are, based on the way they were originally created, the better. Japanese people read books and magazines the "Western" way all of the time, we can do the opposite. It's about time that companies are publishing manga the original way, and the sooner they are all like that, the better.

[Tragic]

I to much prefer a decent dub to a sub. As for the manga... at first I found it annoying but I've gotten used to it. I certainly wouldn't have minded if they had mirrored it for our shores to begin with... damn purists... fanboys... ... ... ... they make Love Hina body pillows?

[kabuki]

Fuck it. Its pandering to fanboys so they can feel 10% more Japanese while they jerk off all over their Love Hina body pillows.

Tokyopop initially did it to save money, then realized it was a nice way to build up a fan base and crush their competitors. ULTIMATE PROFIT DESU !!!!!