Manga Novels

Japan differs from America in many ways. Culturally, traditional Japan is as different from America as any country you're likely to find. They have somewhat differing values, and differing ideas, to an extent, of what is fun and what is marketable. In many ways, here in America we are playing catch-up with the Japanese. They seem to be one step ahead of us in technology, and of course one step ahead of us in the realm of entertainment.

One way in which we have just recently begun to gain ground is in the manga-adapted novel. Ten years ago, the very idea would have seemed absurd, particularly to the literary community. 'Why would you even bother writing that sort of story in text?' they might have said. 'Strip away the pictures, and what reason do comic book fans have to read?' We have come a long way.

While the manga novel (as I'm calling it) may not have achieved mainstream popularity or literary acceptance, it is beginning to carve out a niche for itself. You may find them next to their brethren in the graphic novel section, or you might even find them in the place of honor: on the regular bookshelves, next to (gasp!) regular books. From epic fantasy to teen action to quiet morality tales, manga novels continue to expand their reach.

My personal experiences with manga novels have been somewhat limited. Being a big fan of Fullmetal Alchemist, I purchased the first manga novel adaptation that became available, Fullmetal Alchemist: The Land of Sand. I don't know what I expected. Instead of something new and interesting, I ended up reading a short novel adaptation of a pair of episodes of the television show. Somehow, seeing the action of the show rehashed on a white page did not have the same impact. The novel wasn't particularly well-written, either, so there was little to be blown away about. So, maybe this wasn't a terrific example of what the manga novel could be. I was not deterred.

I had much higher hopes for Kino No Tabi: Book One of The Beautiful World. Though it was again a novel that shared the same world and characters as an anime, this was different -- the anime had been based on the novels, not the other way around. The stories in Kino No Tabi are short, somewhat self-contained, and follow Kino and her talking motorcycle as they travel from strange country to strange country. This one fairs a bit better. The stories are interesting morality tales, and though they are stories I'm familiar with from the television series, I'm comfortable reading them on the page. Author Brian James compared it to The Little Prince, which should be motivation enough for fans of that classic story.

These are just a couple of examples of manga novels. Viz and Tokyopop each have their own label for manga novels:
TOKYOPOP Novels
Viz Media

It might take some getting used to, but the manga novel, and the Japanese invasion in general, are now a part of our culture. As manga, anime, and the manga novel gain authenticity, they also gain an audience. Maybe you'll be a part of it.