Week 14: Manga in the West
This week we read Annarasumanara by Ha Il-Kwon. It is a Korean manga and its the most unique manga I have read so far. This book felt different, and felt like the first time I started to truly think about a manga.
Introducing to the book, you already find something off about it. The manga is drawn inverted! Black is the dominate color, where white is used to make people pop. The manga is mysterious in way, the white spots seem like they are subtracting from the black, as if the author started with a black paper, and erased away to make the manga. From the start, you start asking questions about the characters and whats going on with them, it feels like the book is intentionally vague at times. However, it fits with the feeling of the book, and you find yourself wanting to dive deeper into the past of the magician and Yun Ai. The art style too is unique, the artist combines physical items into her story, and at times transitions into paper folds of the story. This art choice, really sticks out and is an aspect that you will remember.
I felt like I could relate to Yun Ai a little bit. Not the fact that she's poor, but for her belief and love for magic. Just like Yun, I was fascinated by magic. I always wanted to try that new magic trick I saw. and as a kid, I always wanted magic to be real, and what could you do with it. Just like Yun, I grew up and learned there was no magic. Magic was merely an illusion. However, Yun keeps running into the magician at the abandoned amusement park. He shows his magic trick and seems to always be there to help Yun. The magician is a true master, making us choose what is reality and what is fantasy.
I had so much fun, reading this manga the first time. That I want to re-read and would love to watch this as an anime. The emptiness of the black is what makes this pop out. I think this manga would be perfect for watching in a dark room and I believe that is the environment it demands. The contrast between the dark, and the bright whites and the beautiful spectrum of color inside the magician's magic.
However the manga, felt like all the panels flowed into each other, one after the other, one on-top the other. That was definitely a design and story choice the author and artist made. Again I find myself wondering why? Maybe, it was to pay homage to the historical way of reading in Asia, and make the story feel like it belongs on a story. Maybe this is an adaptation of a Korean, folk lore....but, we can only wonder.
Lastly, I got my favorite type of sushi, a spicy tuna roll :)
Introducing to the book, you already find something off about it. The manga is drawn inverted! Black is the dominate color, where white is used to make people pop. The manga is mysterious in way, the white spots seem like they are subtracting from the black, as if the author started with a black paper, and erased away to make the manga. From the start, you start asking questions about the characters and whats going on with them, it feels like the book is intentionally vague at times. However, it fits with the feeling of the book, and you find yourself wanting to dive deeper into the past of the magician and Yun Ai. The art style too is unique, the artist combines physical items into her story, and at times transitions into paper folds of the story. This art choice, really sticks out and is an aspect that you will remember.
I felt like I could relate to Yun Ai a little bit. Not the fact that she's poor, but for her belief and love for magic. Just like Yun, I was fascinated by magic. I always wanted to try that new magic trick I saw. and as a kid, I always wanted magic to be real, and what could you do with it. Just like Yun, I grew up and learned there was no magic. Magic was merely an illusion. However, Yun keeps running into the magician at the abandoned amusement park. He shows his magic trick and seems to always be there to help Yun. The magician is a true master, making us choose what is reality and what is fantasy.
I had so much fun, reading this manga the first time. That I want to re-read and would love to watch this as an anime. The emptiness of the black is what makes this pop out. I think this manga would be perfect for watching in a dark room and I believe that is the environment it demands. The contrast between the dark, and the bright whites and the beautiful spectrum of color inside the magician's magic.
However the manga, felt like all the panels flowed into each other, one after the other, one on-top the other. That was definitely a design and story choice the author and artist made. Again I find myself wondering why? Maybe, it was to pay homage to the historical way of reading in Asia, and make the story feel like it belongs on a story. Maybe this is an adaptation of a Korean, folk lore....but, we can only wonder.
Lastly, I got my favorite type of sushi, a spicy tuna roll :)
Comments
Post a Comment