Hi. Anybody read manga?

[atlanta06.livejournal.com]

Apparently--and I say apparently because it may do another morph and change again-- my plot is about a manga and its ensuing enterprises with strange supernatural ties that have resulted in a couple of kids and adults going missing. I don't know if they are dead yet or just stuck in another dimension.

Often,the victims are "enemies" of the last person to have read the manga and have used certain instructions in the manga to "make your troubles disappear". Generally,bullies,mean bosses and pushy family members go missing,end up dead or mysteriously stop bothering you,random promotions,money faliing into your lap--stuff like that. I don't know where the instructions are found or if they were subliminal through-out the whole thing or how potent yet subtle they would have to be to make people keep buying it across the board and not notice the effects.

My MC has had first-hand experience with it(his deadbeat father suddenly dies and leaves him money for his shop. He owns a comic book and game shop that he built himself.) and when the manga resurfaces on the market he is compelled to try and buy it and stop anyone else from using it. Apparently (Again,with the morph warning),there are certain side effects to using the instructions...which I happen to be at a loss for. The author is very apparently either dead or without an identity in a mental facility.

Now,I'm vaguely acquainted with the concept of a manga,it seems like a Japanese version of comic books. I'm not deeply familiar with comic books either,but thanks to the internet it wasn't so hard to turn into a plot idea. So,I apologize if it's not terribly realistic.

Cheers!

Comments

[jigglypuff.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's a Japanese comic book. Wikipedia has lots of information at the Manga article; you could say it's often a lot more mature than a comic book, in some cases taking elements from a novel. Even light manga such as Fruits Basket delve into philosophic looks at life.

[atlanta06.livejournal.com]

Yeah,I took a look at wiki while writing this post and that was the extent I could understand it. :P

[tangerinefox.livejournal.com]

Hm... I'm sleep-deprived, so I don't fully understand your plot, but it somewhat reminds me of The Ring meets Jigoku (sp?) Shoujo. IE. Item kills people and some mysterious force is at work "solving" problems for people.

First, it works like this: MC owns comic shop, where a mysterious manga that seems to kill off those who bother the reader appears. I think I got that.

And yes, manga is "graphic novel" and Japanese comic. In Japan, manga usually refers to all comics, but in most other places, manga is from Japan. (Korean and American manga follow closely.) I personally prefer manga over "normal" comic books because they are usually larger books and I enjoy the art style and plots more. :D

I have NO experience with regular comics, so I have no idea what the plots usually cover, but manga has everything from romance to comedy to horror to action/adventure. Most combine a lot of those different elements.

Not sure exactly what you're wanting to know, but feel free to ask away. I'm no expert, but I do read lots of manga. :D

[atlanta06.livejournal.com]

MC used to own the manga when he was younger,gave it up after he got the shop. It solved his problems,but he did not like the price he paid(he had never met his father). So he sold it. And now he sees back on the market and he wants to prevent anybody else from paying the price.

I have to create the manga out of thin air,and I have no idea where to start. It has to appear innocent,yet be spiritually potent.

[tangerinefox.livejournal.com]

Okay. Makes much more sense once I've had some sleep.

Try googling "Jigoku Shoujo" (Hell Girl) and take a look into that. A story about a girl/child/doll/pet-ish thing/etc. with strange powers helping people "solve" their problems might work for you.

Something seemingly cute and helpful the caused the person aided to pay a heavy price seems to be what you're looking for. As for describing the books itself, I dunno.

Here's some helpful Wiki articles.
Jigoku Shoujo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jigoku_Shoujo
Manga: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manga
Bizenghsa*t: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bizenghast

*An American-made manga with a creepy tone. Not as fitting as some of the other stuff mentioned, but you made find some things you like. (Bizenghast is an awesome manga, by the way. My icon has Edaniel, the magical talking cat-like-thing from the book. :D)

Hope that helps you out some and good luck with NaNo. ^^

[atlanta06.livejournal.com]

^^ Thank you!

[tangerinefox.livejournal.com]

Your welcome. <3

Glad to help. By the way, I apparently need more sleep as the story is Bizenghast, not Bizenghas*t. x_x;

[liz-ensley.livejournal.com]

          Heh. I read manga and comics. Some, anyway--and I vote for the Institution for the author. because you can always bring him or her in later, if need be, if the author needs a foil, a successful/failed plot device, or something.
          Have you ever read a graphic novel? That's essentially manga. And like the above person, tangerinefox, stated, in Japan it refers to all graphics publications of the type, where elsewhere it refers exclusively to Japanese comics. I know, because I've committed a "foul paw" in that department, lol. It doesn't stop me from the reference, though. Although I do cringe inside when I see people use the word "mangas" for plural. Xp
          If it helps, I remember reading, years back, that a lot of genre writers in Japan gravitated towards the field, rather than towards straight novelization, which is why there are so many great manga out there. If you wanted to add an extra element, horrific or no, you could have the people that disappear end up having their spirits trapped in it.
          That could also have happened, in a sense, to the auhor, too; only the uthor's still around and is only half trapped by the book, since the author is its creator. Staple plot device, in caase you need it, or if the plot bunny strikes. ;-)

[atlanta06.livejournal.com]

Yes,I had the idea of the spirits trapped in it, but who's spirits specifically? Were they selfish? Were they just unfortunate? The manga does not seem to follow any rules that humans might think of.

I'll ask the author about it when they start talking again. Right now,they are just sitting there silent,rocking back and forth in a straight jacket. :/

[liz-ensley.livejournal.com]

Well, naturally, the spirits of the book's victims, of course--and the author, in more coherent moments (and being a bridge between worlds) could channel them, in more lucid moments. Scary stuff. ;-)

I don't think that it necessarily has ot follow any coherent rules, except that people who read manga would be involved. Some would be spared, some would be, as it were, screwed. It depends on the mood, and on the spirit of the demonic(?) force that manifests through this particular manga, or issue threof.

[atlanta06.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I will ruminate on that and see what happens. I've got a nightmare or two that I can already use.

My own head scares me sometimes.

[liz-ensley.livejournal.com]

YaY! Nihtmares work. Daymares work too, but they're a whole 'nother story. ;-)

[atlanta06.livejournal.com]

Oh,I've had those too. That's why I thank the gods everyday that I can translate them out into fiction,because I'd go crazy if I couldn't.

[liz-ensley.livejournal.com]

I think a lot of that is why we all write, be it fanfic or original fiction. We no write, we go nuts. ^_^

[atlanta06.livejournal.com]

Amen.

[erneuerung.livejournal.com]

I can't give you much information as I don't really read manga, but I do take Japanese and I can say with absolute certainty manga is both the singular and the plural of the word.

[atlanta06.livejournal.com]

Okay,thanks.

[liz-ensley.livejournal.com]

I've taken some Japanese too, and everyone I hear someone add an "s" on to the ends in order to form a pluiral for samurai, or manga, or... well, lol. One peeve I had with a British show about Japan that Terror had a while ago was the host insiting on calling one a "sam-yew-rye" (his essential, phonetic mispronounciation). It was a toss-up between tossing my cookies and laughing (because if you don't laugh, you cry--well, me, anyway, lol).