Japanimation.

Here in America we view anime and manga as the same thing; however, they are very different. But don't worry! The difference between the two is simple.

Manga is a term used for print comics. Typically, a series is the work of one artist (manga-ka); the story and artwork are their creation. Reading manga is the purest form of enjoying a manga-ka's vision. Their story is usually serialized by chapter in a monthly publication, like Shonen Jump, and later bound in to volumes called takobon to be sold in bookstores. Each manga-ka has a different style of art and storytelling, which makes manga widely varied and refreshingly different to Western audiences. Yuu Watase, the amazing artist behind the incredibly popular Fushigi Yuugi series, loves her characters immensely; I argue that her adoration transfers subliminally through her art and story to the reader. Because manga are drawn to a different audience and standard than their anime counterparts, you'll find characters more detailed and backgrounds exquisitely rendered. Everything is more lovingly drawn because it is done by the creator's own hand.

MANGA: The Suzaku Seven | Fushigi Yuugi | Copyright Yuu Watase

Popular manga series are made into an animated television or theatrical adaption. Anime is almost always far less detailed than the original manga. What makes anime so fun is enjoying the voices for the wide cast of characters and the movement of it all, especially in series like Bleach, which is known for it's highly stylized and intricate battles.

ANIME: The Suzaku Seven | Fushigi Yuugi | Copyright Yuu Watase

Notice how much more detailed the character artwork is in the original manga; although the anime representation is highly simplified, it still carries the "feel" of the characters. But as a devoted fan of Fushigi Yuugi, I must say the original form just looks neater. Notice how Tasuki (redhead) is grossly overdrawn and characterized. He's still fun to watch in the anime, but he's a very different Tasuki than we see in the manga. Watase's work has a very dreamy, oriental and magical feel--qualities that aren't captured in the anime. It's because of this that I enjoy Fushigi Yuugi in manga form. However, I must give the animators of FS credit. Watase's art would be damned near impossible to recreate. Despite the lost "magical" quality, the FS anime series is still great. The emotional depth and richness in story are still there, which made the series enjoyable to watch.

Just as Watase's art is fine and incredibly detailed, other manga-ka styles are already simple before they are made into anime. Take for instance Hiromu Arakawa's FullMetal Alchemist. Her style is simple and straightforward, which I see as a reflection of her main character, Edward Elric, who sees the world in black and white/good and evil. Or rather, Edward Elric is a reflection of her style.

MANGA v ANIME: Edward Elric | FullMetal Alchemist | Copyright Hiromu Arakawa

Ed looks almost exactly the same in a original manga as he does in the anime; I believe that's because Arakara's art style doesn't leave much to be simplified. FMA is a terrific series; please check out my previous post for more about the adventures of Ed and Alphonse.

So, which do I prefer? It really depends. I like anime for the movement and voice acting. I like manga for the superior artwork and the subtle characterization. I like both!