The manga style, primarily as a visual style, will always have its roots in Japan. It cannot be claimed by any other country. (Even as it is an innovation of Betty Boop & Bambi.)
Filipino komiks with a Japanese manga style is fruit of that Japanese influence.
Many young Pinoy artists are exposed to anime / manga and they see the work opportunities for those who illustrate in the anime / manga styles these artists will opt to illustrate in that style.
So when they make komiks (or comics) they make it in their favorite style - Japanese manga style. They have adapted its visual devices and clichés.
Now the probability of creating a poor comic is much greater than producing a good one, especially when one doesn’t have the training or the support.
The end result is a lot of poor quality manga-style Pinoy komiks exceeding the number of those that are done well in the same style.
Nonetheless, I think that if it were not for anime/manga we wouldn’t get as many young artists getting involved in animation and comics.
Now it is only practical for our artists to seek work that will support them artistically & financially. With Anime/Manga as a global phenomenon, the skilled manga artist will not go hungry.
Is the Pinoy artist proud of the Philippines being a call-center capital? What about a nurse and domestic helper provider? If you are proud of our English-speaking skills and our OFWs - then there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be proud of Filipino comic book artists who work in the manga style.
In all examples above, it is the Filipino’s ability to adapt that is important. It is my opinion that the realism in the works of the old Pinoy komik masters reflects this. Realism is enduring and stands the test of time since it can be adapted to many storylines. Visit the Philippine Comic Museum at Komikero.com to see what I mean.
Who are we to deny this generation of Pinoy artists to adapt to the anime/manga if it means they can use the money there to send their brothers and sisters to school? And wouldn’t it be more satisfying for a Pinoy artist to work in the manga style than to exchange his/her gift for answering calls in a call center?
As to the question as to whether the manga style is suitable to carry Filipino language and story - that begs another discussion.
September 21st, 2006 - 2:11 am
Hi Joel(again)!
For you,what constitutes Pinoy comics then?
Thanks
Maaya
(I just came across your site and I guess, you’re a great guy, that’s why i’m asking you….thanks again)
September 25th, 2006 - 5:51 pm
Hi Maaya (again)
Think of Pinoy comics as some guy who takes a girl on a date. The girl assigns him plus “pogi” points and minus “pogi” points depending on how he is as a date.
Say… if he opens the car door for her, that’s a plus (maybe not for radical feminists). If he picks his nose… that’s a definite minus. Does he pay or do they share? At the end of the day, the girl replays the date and tallies the points in her mind. The guy is still a guy no matter what… but whether or not he is “pogi” to her that’s another matter.
Now if that guy goes on other dates, you can be sure every girl he goes out with will have a different impression. Because no girl is the same.
So it is with Pinoy comics.
If the comic is set in the Philippines, if it uses the vernacular, if it follows the styles of revered Pinoy comic masters, if it is for the Filipino to read and they can afford to read, if it can even be adapted to a global audience — all such things generally add points. But that’s my opinion, and I’m old-fashioned.
Being myself an artist I would nonetheless defend that what makes comic ART (focus on ART) Filipino is its the intricate inking of organic lines - an edgy art nouveau if you will. The Filipino is not a culture of minimalists as the Japanese are. We look for drama in our lines as much as we do in our lives.
Others may feel that it need not appear anything like the works of Alcala, Redondo, Coching, or Ravelo. They have the likes of Masamune Shirow, Walt Disney, and Jim Lee to draw from.
But art aside and story aside. I feel the minimum requirements for a comic to be called Pinoy are either of the following:
1. Author / creator of the comic is Pinoy.
2. The author intended for the comic to be appreciated largely by Filipinos.
October 20th, 2006 - 8:03 pm
Its just so simple - “artist”who does manga love the creative imagination in making a good comic - alot of crap is being published out there. Just look at Batch’72 and Cast - poor writing and poor art. now compared it to the works of Leinil Yu and the guy who made Trese. Alot of difference.
When you say adapt-it means to better oneself-not to produce a crude imitation of something else.
The early issues of Wizard discusses that comic book should relay something - it should tell a story - simply, it must mean something - very word should come in play with the art (think of watchmen).
Nuff said
October 21st, 2006 - 8:15 am
I bet you found my definition of an “artist who does manga” too difficult to understand.
As for the comics you mentioned. There’s a lot of difference in the art, yes. And I think you are judging it in terms of art alone. Since Leinil don’t write comics and for everyone’s info, the writer for Batch ‘72 and Trese are the same person. Obviously the stories are all different, and crap is relative. I should make another topic on that.
And what about the people who don’t do manga, Archie? You don’t suppose they hate creative imagination, do they?
February 24th, 2007 - 11:32 am
i did an acedemic paper presentation on this in australia. hehehehe… maybe i should send you a copy.
August 29th, 2007 - 9:44 pm
hello i think joel ,is right..i my self would agree na i do my own komiks….i did it in manga style but ido appreceate what our ancient artist do…in fact i have theyre work( darna,etc) as my precious kolekyons ever..”.saludo ako sa kanila” but the point is …uor generation is totally different to them( our honorable ancient artist)….you must do the trend BUT do it ,,in a real Pinoy ways and attitudes…dont adapt the japanese attitudes in our komiks…wat i mean is…do our komiks w/ a manga style in pinoy real emotions , attitudes and kung paano tayo makisama sa tao….promote our traditions ,cultures and watever the PINOY has made off!!
yeah i do yhe komiks of my own..but i did it real pinoy!!!! salamat joel for the ideas…i do salute wat you sed!!!!!!!!!!!!! mabuhay pinoy komiks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
February 6th, 2008 - 8:31 pm
i think good ART is one that responds to local situations.
good ARTcannot help but be nationalistic.
it need not should PHILIPPINES, but the heart is.
one can get foreign influences, but they are filtered thru a sincere filipino heart.
manga—and japanese influences—-can help, but at a certain point, it gets in the way.
February 16th, 2008 - 11:55 am
“As to the question as to whether the manga style is suitable to carry Filipino language and story - that begs another discussion. ”
That one is easy. If we look at Manga books with foreign scripts, we don’t mind. If They in return saw our manga in tagalog (foreign script) same deal, shouldn’t bother them either
but they might think, JAP art with foreign scripts. They might go, “weird!” hehe because they are so nationalistic nad they think that their country owns the art style. Taboo? maybe.
Maybe if they look at a Redondo comics with tagalog writing, they might not mind it as much? Hell, I think I craeted more questions than answers here hahaha.
June 19th, 2008 - 8:28 pm
yeah i totally agree with you. The only problem i see about today’s Filipino comics are the artist becoming too engrossed in the concept of becoming japanese themselves thus producing japanese work too, instead of appreciating the artistic incline of mangga and adapting it to something wonderful for themselves(there’s nothing wrong with improvised or inspired works). I mean, we (us) shouldn’t try to be something we aren’t but also we should be open minded to see the good in other influences. I like what carlson said, ahehe, good art responds to local situations. THere’s got to be something good in every culture and we’ve got to make the best out of it. If we claim to be good Filipino artists, our works in my opinion have to contain the trademark filipino emotion or essence. A lot of Filipinos have talents/gifts in ARts and I’m pretty sure they were also put in the Philippines for a reason. Anime Fan myself, i’ve got to give kudos for the inspiration.
It’s just too bad that a lot of filipinos fail to see the good side to being a filipino…
As to what Gilbert Monsata said, how about the manggas in French?
June 19th, 2008 - 11:11 pm
I believe the Filipino culture has still affected and will continue to affect generations of anime fans here a great deal beyond what we can readily perceive. An upbringing in the Philippines carries with it so much treasure (and baggage) that can’t be so easily “Japanified.” For now… 2008, I think it’s clear that the visual aesthetic of anime & manga has already gained far more acceptance with us Filipinos than un-illustrated Japanified stories done by Filipinos. Filipino writers Japanifying the way they name their characters or how those characters live — that alone has a very strong ability to DISCONNECT the story from local readers.
Nevertheless, whatever connects a Filipino creator to both to his/her passions and to his/her audience (no matter how small) wins the day. Japanified or Americanized or Tagalized - it doesn’t matter. The world has become small enough and big enough for the Filipino to connect even with Filipinos who would rather forget they were Filipinos.