FEATURE: Manga First or Anime Only? The Age-Old Debate
Whether you’ve engrossed yourself in anime for many years or you consider yourself a casual dabbler, before too long you will have caught wind of two groups of people whose diametrically opposed viewpoints have given rise to much debate.
I refer, of course, to the “manga first” enthusiasts versus the “anime only” stans. The names are fairly self-explanatory, but for the sake of exposition I will elaborate; the stance that separates one group from the other is whether they will explore the original manga first, or allow themselves to go into the subsequent adaptation with completely fresh eyes.
The arguments for both are fundamentally sound and could come down to any number of things. It may be a lack of time that keeps the anime only’s away from the pages, just as much as a sense of FOMO that compels the manga first crowd.
Like anything in life, there are shades of gray that sit somewhere in the middle, with outliers who venture into manga under certain exceptions, or perhaps if there has been an extensive delay between seasons. No preference is wrong, though I do find it interesting how fluid these choices can be to some, and yet so absolute for others.
For years, I belonged in the “anime only” camp. My reason was straightforward, insomuch I believed myself to be too lazy a reader to get the full benefit out of manga. An impactful, beautifully crafted on-screen product requires less of the person who is taking it in, benefitting from elements such as direction, sound and animation.
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As I am unlikely to misinterpret or gloss over a scene in anime, it stands to reason that I’ll receive the greatest impact from a fight scene, a death, or a twist in the plot that was hitherto inconceivable. My track record wasn’t terrific, after all — there have been times in the past when I would complete several pages of a novel before pausing for a moment and realizing I hadn’t read anything but merely looked at it.
I continued on in this manner until my sister purchased me a copy of Junji Ito’s Cat Diary: Yon & Mu. The semi-autobiographical story chronicled Ito’s lighthearted experiences as a newfound pet owner across ten chapters, and didn’t have an equivalent animated version to partake in.
Artwork by Junji Ito via Crunchyroll
So I gave it a shot and was hooked almost instantly. If you’re looking for a manga inroad, Ito is as surefire a bet as any, as the strength of his artwork makes the pages feel vibrant and alive. My concerns of missing the point were seriously unfounded and I gobbled up the entire volume within a day.
It stirred my imagination, so I looked at the upcoming slate of anime titles to see if there were any other options I could whet my appetite with. It was the beginning of October at the time and few premieres loomed quite as large as MAPPA’s Shonen bloodbath, Chainsaw Man.
I knew nothing about Tatsuki Fujimoto’s seminal work other than the character designs I had seen in promotional materials — you have to understand, I was a complete manga novice at this stage — with my only conclusion being that it looked like a lot of fun, and I was definitely going to watch it when it debuted.
Just as it had been with Junji Ito and his eccentric felines, the exploits of Denji and his colleagues completely blew my mind. When reading a manga, you’re allowed to go at your own speed, unimpeded. Do you want to let a moment sink in? You can do that. Do you want to take a second pass at a certain panel to analyze its finer details? You can do that, too. Do you want to zip through the whole thing as quickly as possible? There’s no Patience Devil to slow you down, friend, you go right on ahead.
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I will address the obvious, in that you can also do any of the above with anime, however much of its appeal lies in the sense of pacing and delivery. To jump back and forth, up and down with an animated program is a little more jarring, and not always the best way to enjoy its contents. Sure, I do this when I want to revel in the majesty of Long-haired Bananya for a while longer, but I consider myself the likely exception.
In short order, I was equipped with full knowledge of the entire first arc (97 chapters of glorious carnage), and ready to see how the televised series would stack up. Because of the reasons cited previously, I was resigned to the idea that my awareness of its story would dampen the adaptation’s impact.
Once again, I was extraordinarily wrong. It didn’t lessen the anime, it actually enhanced it. Watching a show without any research is a peek into a new world, full of wonder and mystery. Watching it after reviewing the manga, then, is more akin to reintroducing yourself to a close acquaintance sporting a new look. I got a kick out of meeting Aki and Power for a second time, because I already knew what they were about and the kind of mischief they would get up to. I dreaded the heartrending tragedies that would befall various cast members, like a prophet who knows when disaster is on the horizon.
I enjoyed taking note of what was closely carried over from its source material, and what was altered. The encounter with the Muscle Devil made perfect narrative sense from a chapter perspective, and yet, its omission from the anime was equally as logical. The tempo and rhythm ebbs and flows as needed, and in a way, I felt a smug sense of satisfaction in the exclusive content I had partaken of as a manga reader. I felt “in the know,” in a sense.
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It would be disingenuous not to acknowledge that by being up to date with the manga, I was also able to dodge any spoilers that popped up prior to their appearance on-screen. A stern reminder to always appropriately tag any comments revealing future plot beats — nothing wrong with being excited, but don’t let your enthusiasm outweigh the discovery for others!
When Chainsaw Man’s first season reached its completion, I was officially a converted manga first aficionado. I hadn’t been robbed by not knowing what was going to happen; I had been enriched by not knowing how it was going to happen. Better still, I had effectively doubled the amount of content at my fingertips, as I have now begun perusing manga for anime I have already watched, as well, working my way backward to view the franchises in a whole new light.
As I previously mentioned, there’s really no wrong or right way of going about it, though I do recommend that anyone who has never ventured to the other side of the fence perhaps give it a try, at least once. It may end up opening your mind to a potential new standpoint on the medium.
Where do you stand on the matter? Let us know in the comments whether you jump straight into the anime, or if you’ve gotta browse those manga pages first! If it depends on the show explain why!
