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Gigant is definitely not as good. I think it's safe to call all of his works trashy, but Gigant is an extra level kind of trashy, in an amateurish kind of way. Somehow that's what makes it enjoyable though. The fact that it feels like it was written by an 8 year old makes it just as entertaining, it's hard to tell how much of it is ironic or not. Seriously.
There was a running gag about Oku manga not being deep (the joke comes from oku being written as depth, so you say okubukai sarcastically) but with the release of Gigant I've realized maybe he truly is deep. There's no reading him.
There was a running gag about Oku manga not being deep (the joke comes from oku being written as depth, so you say okubukai sarcastically) but with the release of Gigant I've realized maybe he truly is deep. There's no reading him.
While I'm posting here, I might as well talk about a manga I love that could interest anyone into manga as a whole. Aoi Honoo.
It's about someone who wants to create a manga, so goes to fine arts school and takes other creative jobs, albeit he believes he's talented enough to already make a good manga. He's always facing troubles in his pursuits, and so often ends up over-analyzing other works to an absurd degree in an effort to solve problems he's facing, usually coming to absurd conclusions. It tackles more than manga, exploring things like animation and tokusatsu. But it's really good at not just relying on simply being referential, as it often has a lot to say about our favorite series- through the perspective of our biased protagonist.
It's about someone who wants to create a manga, so goes to fine arts school and takes other creative jobs, albeit he believes he's talented enough to already make a good manga. He's always facing troubles in his pursuits, and so often ends up over-analyzing other works to an absurd degree in an effort to solve problems he's facing, usually coming to absurd conclusions. It tackles more than manga, exploring things like animation and tokusatsu. But it's really good at not just relying on simply being referential, as it often has a lot to say about our favorite series- through the perspective of our biased protagonist.
Boasting one of my all time favorite characters, Honoo is our smug protag with great deal of intensity. A lot of the manga is trapped in his monologues of analyzing things, but his biggest charm is despite being mediocre in creative skill, he believes he's a genius who can take on the manga industry. He equally wanks off other's works just as he criticizes them, puffing out his chest believing he has some enlightened viewpoint. Though it's often handled comedically, as we usually see Honoo get knocked down pegs throughout the series- I believe at its core it's a pretty realistic portrayal of a passionate fan's mindset. Which I think is the greatest strength of Aoi Honoo, just how raw the outlook is on anime and manga is through the lenses of Honoo. That kind of special trait is something you can only write by being a fan, but it's beyond just being "inspired" by works, but by holding them so close to your heart that it defines who you are.
That shows more blatantly in Honoo's nature as a character as well, often being indecisive about what kind of manga artist he's 'destined' to be. Because in the end, in all this front of him trying to create a manga, he just really wants to express how much he loves shit.
I feel as if the identity crisis of the manga itself has been embraced so much that it paradoxically becomes its own thing. Characterization wise it's surprisingly grounded and immersive. It creates scenarios where Honoo is passionately speaking about his interests to other people, frequently them being just more cool-headed and casual characters who're willing to listen to him rant. So it often has this "at home" feel of just hanging out in your room talking about the connection between Adachi Mitsuru using three letters in a row for each of his titles, and how it relates to the use of the main heroine's hair being long, short, and then a mix of the both as middle length in the third manga, and how that could possibly hold the secret to how he creates the best heroines.
The way Honoo is percieved in the world is handled with so much tact as well, as it puts emphasis on his intense overly-exageratted manga-like nature. Even if the series anime-ifies its portrayal of real people to an extent, they're still relatively normal compared to the vigorous nature of Honoo. It makes it clear that it really just is him being overly dramatic.
That shows more blatantly in Honoo's nature as a character as well, often being indecisive about what kind of manga artist he's 'destined' to be. Because in the end, in all this front of him trying to create a manga, he just really wants to express how much he loves shit.
I feel as if the identity crisis of the manga itself has been embraced so much that it paradoxically becomes its own thing. Characterization wise it's surprisingly grounded and immersive. It creates scenarios where Honoo is passionately speaking about his interests to other people, frequently them being just more cool-headed and casual characters who're willing to listen to him rant. So it often has this "at home" feel of just hanging out in your room talking about the connection between Adachi Mitsuru using three letters in a row for each of his titles, and how it relates to the use of the main heroine's hair being long, short, and then a mix of the both as middle length in the third manga, and how that could possibly hold the secret to how he creates the best heroines.
The way Honoo is percieved in the world is handled with so much tact as well, as it puts emphasis on his intense overly-exageratted manga-like nature. Even if the series anime-ifies its portrayal of real people to an extent, they're still relatively normal compared to the vigorous nature of Honoo. It makes it clear that it really just is him being overly dramatic.
I love how he arrogantly speaks about other Mangaka as if he's socially on their level, and speaks as if they should be worthy grateful for when he praises them. (He's never met any of them, he's just a fanboy speaking aloud reading their manga.) I love how he lives vicariously through the lives of other Mangaka simply because he believes himself to be a Mangaka as well. Through his airs of confidence you can notice some of what he emotionally goes through. In this instance it's like, he's coping with the fact that he can never take off with manga and be in that position himself. I could gush about Honoo all day.
But honestly it's still cool seeing actual creatives in the industry realized as genuine characters for the manga. The most recognizable probably being Anno, as the undefeatable "rival" for a good chunk of the series.
While there are plenty of manga out there that have to do with being in the industry creating manga, this one focuses more on that just being simply an ambition. It's amazing how well a "manga about creating manga" can tell its story by remaining in the "I want to start a manga" phase all throughout.
The manga's still releasing to this day, I think at the very least it has some discussions about manga that aren't often explored elsewhere, making it stand in out in the crowd of others like it.
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