Oh boy, this is going to be a heated topic, isn’t it? Look, as a veteran weeb, I have read my fair share of manga, and I’ve definitely watched enough anime to last me a lifetime. And back in my day, we didn’t have these fancy reading apps or dedicated streaming sites. Some of us had to look up very badly scanned fan translations for the manga, and resort to YouTube for pirated episodes. Needless to say, it wasn’t a great time. But somehow, I always felt like it was better to read the manga VS watching the anime, even back then.
Preferring manga over anime is definitely a choice for plenty of Otakus out there. Some people just like how much more exposition the manga has compared to its anime counterpart. Not to mention how much more involved the mangaka is when creating the story in print format when compared to an animation studio picking it up. There is something so sincere about the work a creator puts into the source material for their story, which has almost exclusively been manga. And sometimes, the anime can’t pick up on the nuances as well.
But that’s the thing about choice, you pick what suits you best. And for a lot of people, prefer reading manga over anime. That doesn’t mean they are outliers or picky, it’s just different strokes for different folks. And as someone who has dabbled in both, I see the appeal of manga. It’s generally a much calmer affair, it gives so much more exposure to the story it is telling. And a lot of the time, it doesn’t feel as rushed or incomplete as some anime tend to be.
And while this debate has been going on for as long as both of these mediums have been famous on the internet, there is no technical correct answer to which is better. Some people prefer anime because it’s more dynamic and easier to follow, whereas a lot of people prefer manga because it’s often more detailed. Though here are a couple of more reasons why it’s completely okay to be a manga snob over everything else!
Why People Prefer The Original Manga:
A lot of people gravitate towards manga because it’s the original basis for the story for a lot of anime out there. Obviously, there are anime that weren’t adapted from manga. But usually, for every 12-episode anime season, there are at least 100 manga chapters already existing.
It helps that the creator of that manga is more involved with that specific process when compared to an anime adaptation, where the animators and storyboard writers take center stage. That’s not to say an anime can’t be just as good as the manga. It just means that the mangaka is allowed to expose as much as they want or rely on subtext if that’s what will further their plot.
They are generally freer to take liberties with the manga since it’s their one main focus. There is no sound editing or coloring. No need to create filler arcs because they choose where the story is going.
Detailing In Manga VS Anime:
Another reason manga often overtakes anime for a lot of fans is because the anime adaptation of a manga might cut corners with the story and how much they get to show, but the manga itself will always remain detailed with lore.
Usually, an anime is under budget constraints and doesn’t get more than a single season. You can’t cram hundreds of chapters in, say, 6 hours of airtime without compromising on the plot itself. And that’s why a lot of people turn to the manga instead, where the exposure and nuances of the writer aren’t lost or cut down to fit into airing episodes on a schedule.
With the creator directly involved, you can see the difference in quality as well. A good example of this is the Berserk manga, where Kentaro Miura’s art was just too legendary to be accurately adapted into an anime. It’s why the manga had persevered for as long as it did.
A Great Alternative For Those With Sensory Issues
So, this one is actually for my fellow weebs that suffer from anxiety/sensory overload issues! I am a huge, huge proponent of reading over watching because sometimes, an anime is just too much for my poor brain. It’s no offense to the anime itself, it’s just that sometimes people can’t handle all the sound and flashing visuals.
This is where the manga really comes in clutch because there is no rush. You can read manga at your own pace, stopping wherever you feel like. It’s not overwhelmingly bright or colorful and usually takes more time to build up to the climax. And considering how there are always a lot of chapters already out for more established mangas, you can binge to your heart’s content!
In the end, manga or anime, it doesn’t matter what you choose. As long as you enjoy the story and support the creator, it’s all good!
