By Leslie Grant, Graduate Assistant, McLure Education Library
If you’re ever perused the shelves of our graphic novel section, you might notice that some of the books appear to be printed backwards. The cover illustration appears on the back, rather than the front of the book. You may know this already, but these books are called manga. For those unfamiliar with the genre, we thought it would be good to provide a short explanation.
Manga originates from Japan. The word itself means comic or cartoon. Manga is a style that developed in the late 19th century, and the stories can be about a wide range of topics. It has risen in popularity in Europe and North America, especially after the influx of Japanese animation.
Rather than a being misprint, manga only appears “backwards” if you’re used to reading from left to right. This is because manga is usually written from right to left. Some publishers choose to flip the images to accommodate western readers. However, this inversion can cause other problems by changing the illustrations and directions within the text.
The image to the left demonstrates the direction in which the story is read within traditional manga. You can also see a more detailed explanation with examples by following this link.
Now that you understand the basics, we have several series to get you started, including:
- Vampire Knight
- Oh My Goddess!
- Hikaru No Go
- Neon Genesis Evangelion
- Gravitation
- Someday’s Dreamers: Spellbound
You can find all of these and more by browsing the graphic novels downstairs at McLure or searching the catalog. Enjoy!