Japan is a very different culture than the US. You’re attitudes towards animation and comics do tend to be more open-minded than in the West where we’re still so close-minded on those particular mediums.
In Japan, an anime murder mystery like Detective Conan is generally considered a family show that could air on Saturday mornings with little to no censors on violence while in the US, there’s zero chance it would be allowable enough on a Saturday morning kids block. Detective Conan(retitled ‘Case Closed’ in America) that actually had to air late at night on Adult Swim(the adult section of an American kids cartoon channel because of the violence).
Now to your point about graphic novels: Well, in some cases they actually do that and it’s a bit pretentious to me, lol. I think that became a trend when stuff like Dark Knight Returns and Watchmen came out and showed you could do mature deep stories with a medium that was once considered for kids.
The term “Graphic novel” simply sounds more prestige and adult than simply saying “comic book” even though it’s pretty much the same thing all things considered.
It’s not weird to me, since unlike comic books. Film and other mediums offers sound, movement, music and VFX. It’s kind of funny, people love watching movies and shows about superheroes, love playing games about superheroes but they don’t love reading comics about superheroes. Even though comics is their birth medium.
Thanks for your reply, Meitantei-san.
I see now..
Yeah, I think it is shame that in US, animation and comic/manga medium is not making the same culturally impact like in Japan.
Like you stated, maybe there is a differential culture of how people in each countries sees the medium. (While here its culturally normal to see people watching anime movie, or read mangas on train, or while on coffee shop, but I can only assume it is considered un-cool or lame in America to have people read comics). Hopefully that kind of thought will change along with times. (The success of the movie hopefully can help).
As for Graphic Novels and Comic Book swap name, at first when I heard it from my friend...I found it funny, since here in Jpn, there is no way that manga can be called a novel (even with graphic). Haha.
But yeah, each manga and American comic has unique and mature content..I never dive into other American comic besides Marvel and now DC, but I really want to try Vertigo and Dark Horse in the future.
For manga, there is a lot of mature title (like most of Urasawa Naoki-sensei's titles, or Fujisawa Toru's titles). And also a lot thriller mature title like Inuyashiki, Ikigami, 20th Century Boys, Ajin. And for more erotic hentai title like : Shuumatsu Harem (World's End Harem) where tells the story of the excinct of the male species (because of strange disease), and leave the female as the dominant genre on earth. The only 5 remaining male species has been hunted by females around the world to unsure the continuity of human species. Hahaha. It is funny as it is erotic.
Oh, if you like murder mystery like Conan, I suggest you try Kindaichi Shounen no Jiken-bo as well (the English title I believe is Kindaichi Case File). The approach of murder is a little bit different, if Conan is based inspired by Arthur Conan Doyle, then Kindaichi is more inspired by Agatha Christie. I actually prefer Kindaichi than Conan, (if thats ever get released on US, please check those out)
I am sure you will love it.
Once again, thanks for the insightful exchange, Meitantei-san. Hehe
