Manga count as books?

Okay, I know you're all gonna jump right in and say YES THEY ARE! But I have more to say here than just addressing wether they are just books. I took a reading class (Yes, my school offered a class that was just reading 😐) and while I took it I would occassionally bring in a manga to read during our class time. The teacher asked if I was journaling the books, I told him no because they don't really count as books.

We got into a discussion about how the library was starting to get manga (both the school and the public library), and how they said they were books. But then again they are trying their best to get kids to read, so they'll stoop to any low.

So should I have counted my manga as books I read? We were doing it according to pages read. But manga doesn't really have all that many words to read. In other words, should they be counted as "novels" in reality?

mangas are made out of paper.

mangas are numbered, spined, etc like any other book.

therefore, you cannot deny the fact that they are books. in the end what difference does it make wether the book you are reading is graphic heavy or not? In fact mangas can somewhat tell a story better than a manga can.

YES THEY ARE!

Ummm... sorry, I couldn't resist. I'd say it is a book. 😮

But would you take it to school and do a book report on it?

If it is...should I try this question in the book discussion forum? *questioning look*

no i dont think its fine where it is.

as for reporting on it why not? after all they have made novels on the video game halo where a nice 60% of the book happens in the game.

if you have enough imagination and writing skill you can easily write a report on it.

I don't think you're understanding the concept here...*sigh*

But the HALO books have words all through the book. No pics except for the covers. I read the halo books by the way. Only the one about being on HALO was in the game. The 1st and the 3rd were not based off the game story completely..they were new stories..

Anyway...new imput!! Anyone?

...no i dont think your understanding MY concept. the halo books and what your asking for is the same thing!

NO it is not!

Manga is like reading at a 1st grade level! Do you remember reading your picture books back then? *raises eyebrow*

Reading HALO is like reading at a 6th grade level! OMG! NO MORE PICTURES! All words, and you have to use your imagination to figure out what things look like or how something is!!

*sigh*

I really would like new imput.

your just being difficult and closed minded about this. it IS the same thing.

1st of all manga requires some skill to read to understand some of the plot and some words that may be thrown around. but in any case the skill of reading required is irrelevent. if i wanted to i could write a 6 page essay/report/whatever on the cat in the hat.

2nd like i said before they have created novels on mere gameplay. its not that hard to take what you see and put it into words. if you cannot do this then you must lack horribly in writing skills.

I'm giving up on you. You're the one not understanding here. I get what you're meaning.

You're saying lie to the teacher and write a freaking report on a manga by just filling in words for the pictures? I know how to write...*mutter*

I'm not in school any more. Lets compare manga to a real book though...lets say *thinks* Something everyone knows...

Tolkien, LOTR books. Those are real books. Written before the damned movies. Can you really compare your Love Hina manga books (Just using random manga..) to something like that?

I love reading my manga. I truely do. If I didnt' I wouldn't spend $10 a piece on them. But I wouldn't consider them real reading....

Originally posted by sai12
But would you take it to school and do a book report on it?

If it is...should I try this question in the book discussion forum? *questioning look*

Yeah, I was joking. You couldn't tell? Anyway, to answer the question "Are they books?" Yes, of coarse, they are. Graphic Novel still equals Novel.

Should you count them. No, of coarse you shouldn't. You answered your own question in the last post.

Manga is like reading at a 1st grade level! Do you remember reading your picture books back then? *raises eyebrow*

It would be unfair to count the Mangas IMO.

Personally, I would have just asked the teacher if I was that unsure about it.

I did. He said no...

But I wanted to see what you guys thought about this as well...

giving up? im just getting started!

no im not telling you to lie im telling you to shut up and stop whining about how you lack in writing since it seems to be too difficult for you to describe what is occuring in the manga into words.

yes i can compare my love hina books to the LOTR books. and do you wanna know why? BECAUSE THEYRE BOOKS (OMGWTFBRBBBQ!!1!1!11ONE)

now tell me...what "is" your definition of serious reading?

Serious reading has to have more words than pictures.

Manga is fun reading. Its not really reading. I mean you can read a manga in half an hour!! A real book should take longer than that.

And I told you already that I can write. I don't get where you get the idea that I have no writing skills at all. What you're saying is basically just off handed cheating. I could write a book report on a manga, seriously, but doesn't that seem a little low?

And just getting started huh? At least you like to argue...*rolls eyes*

that not true. serious reading should be defined from the plot and the conflicts that are implied. it should not be discarded just because th e plot is reliant on images rather than actual text.

now your just words in my mouth. i did not say you cant write i said you must be terrible at it

how is writing a report on it cheating? if you would just listen to me you would understand that a manga is just as good as any other text based book except slightly better since you can have a better understanding of what is going on.

and as for low no i wouldnt. i would be proud to write a novel on a game or novel. especially knowing all the money itll get me.

I'd have to argue that Manga is a book type. Manga can have very deep plots, the thoughs and words are expressed through text, while all motions are made through character's picture movements. It can take story reading to a very new and advanced level if done properly, and the reader takes the time to look deeply into the words, thoughts, and actions of the character. You have to look into the background, the characters, what they wear and how they move to come to a complete understanding of the plot. This can, in fact, be more difficult than reading a book, where all images are created in print, and you read them to understand the story. Whereas, if an artist creates a short subliminal message with his images, you may catch it, but not understand it yet, or if you don't notice things, you miss out on the plot. Just because there are less words, doesn't mean that the plot will be any less thick, nor the story any less good. The fact is, young children's picture books are just that, for children. Manga are written for people of many age groups, and therefore, the plots can and will be more advanced for older audiences.

Originally posted by Sarlock
I'd have to argue that Manga is a book type. Manga can have very deep plots, the thoughs and words are expressed through text, while all motions are made through character's picture movements. It can take story reading to a very new and advanced level if done properly, and the reader takes the time to look deeply into the words, thoughts, and actions of the character. You have to look into the background, the characters, what they wear and how they move to come to a complete understanding of the plot. This can, in fact, be more difficult than reading a book, where all images are created in print, and you read them to understand the story. Whereas, if an artist creates a short subliminal message with his images, you may catch it, but not understand it yet, or if you don't notice things, you miss out on the plot. Just because there are less words, doesn't mean that the plot will be any less thick, nor the story any less good. The fact is, young children's picture books are just that, for children. Manga are written for people of many age groups, and therefore, the plots can and will be more advanced for older audiences.

*glomp* I love you! I understand your reasoning. Now do you believe they should be trying to get kids to read by using manga instead? I do doubt very much that it improves on reading skills.

That depends on the Manga. I think it'd be very interesting to have manga written for very young children implimented into the school system. They improve observation a LOT more than most young children's books, so it would probably help in certain areas if the teachers pointed out certain things, and had the children look for things as the reading got more advanced. Then, at the time it normally does, go to books for pure reading. It might even improve the ammount of kids who actually READ on their own, seeing as Manga is a lot more interesting than picture books, a few might actually decide to read Manga occasionally. But, as for improving on reading skills, it doesn't do that a lot unless there's a lot of dialogue at a higher level, whereas to understand the plot, the person must pick up a dictionary (scary thought!). But that is a rarity. But, if you were to write journals or reports on it, and you had to look up certain mythologies that were refferenced, and read up on those mythologies to understand the symbolism used, it'd probably increase reading skill by a decent handful.

If it doesn't help reading skills, then why do kids start out reading picture books? I think it's a great way to help kids read, if they have trouble with a word or something they can use the images to help them figure it out.

Originally posted by Sarlock
I'd have to argue that Manga is a book type. Manga can have very deep plots, the thoughs and words are expressed through text, while all motions are made through character's picture movements. It can take story reading to a very new and advanced level if done properly, and the reader takes the time to look deeply into the words, thoughts, and actions of the character. You have to look into the background, the characters, what they wear and how they move to come to a complete understanding of the plot. This can, in fact, be more difficult than reading a book, where all images are created in print, and you read them to understand the story. Whereas, if an artist creates a short subliminal message with his images, you may catch it, but not understand it yet, or if you don't notice things, you miss out on the plot. Just because there are less words, doesn't mean that the plot will be any less thick, nor the story any less good. The fact is, young children's picture books are just that, for children. Manga are written for people of many age groups, and therefore, the plots can and will be more advanced for older audiences.

That was a great post.

Well, when you put it that way it does.

And lana, I mean. They're trying to get teens to read by doing this. They have the manga in the young adult section at the public library. And its at the high school library. That certainly is a different idea than picture books for 7 year olds.