Art does matter, but the art alone scores nothing.

The ideal, of course, is great story, characters, AND art.

Of those three, to me, art is the least important - as long as I can still tell what the heck is going on!

I won't read anything based on art alone, it has to have a story and/or characters that interest me first. If the story/characters sound borderline, I'm more likely to read it if the art appeals to me, though.

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"[English] not only borrows words from other languages; it has on occasion chased other languages down dark alley-ways, clubbed them unconscious and rifled their pockets for new vocabulary."
-James Nicoll, can.general, March 21, 1992

hmmm... I'm the same, art for me is the least important thing, if the story is good, I'll read just about anything, though there are a few exceptions. I wasn't always like that, though, I used to get turned off ANY manga just by the bad art. Just as an example, I used to think that Perfect Girl Evolution had weird art, so I wouldn't even go near it. Now I love it!

yes, there are even those series out there that dont need to be read!
series of which the art is all you just have to look at,
of which the role of story is neglectable.

but mostly since the story and the art are the product of the same mangaka, they have so much in common that if the art is good the story might be ok too.

Massive fail!


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mwa ha ha ha...
Check out my FF7 hardcore mod (PC version only): http://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=6818.0

You fail in life if you think that art is enough!
If that is it then go into a museum, there are paintings.

Well, of course it does. Art is kind of what helps draw in readers (other than the plot summary, of course), and I know that I definitely have a habit of skipping over manga with bad/confusing art styles.

But it's not as if I sit down and critique the art style for hours or anything. The only thing I care about is that the art isn't sloppy or anything. Past that, I care not.

Plot and characters are more important to me, but art is a definite contender when deciding whether or not to start reading a manga. But when the manga is actually started, it drops by importance. A lot. Except for Alichino. I swear, I'm so obsessive over the art in that manga... It's so pretty.

I usually will start to read if the art is nice, but once I read it, the art is not as important as the story and the character development.

I dont know for me personally, I feel that One Piece's art is unbearable. I stop reading after vol 1, I would rather read any shoujo.

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"we are people because of other people"
"I am who I am because of who we all are"

Akira, Blame! or CLAMP's works wouldn't be half as impressive as they are if not for the art. On the other hand, I did cope with the half-assed art of Hunter x Hunter in the later volumes, because the story was that good.

So, good story/characters can make up for bad art but it's impossible to neglect art completely, since manga is, after all, a form of visual art.

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Don't waste your time or time will waste you.

I'd say differently from you all.

For me, I don't look for "good art" or "bad art" because there's just too many ways to look at an artist's style. I try to see if the art style suits the story or adds to it. For example, you can't have a creepy story with handsome characters. And most mangakas are successful at that. If a story isn't a nice story, it's all right if the art is ugly. If I were reading a nice romance though, I'd want that shoujoish style.

Personally, I find plot more important than art.

the only art i usually don't like is the stereotypical shoujo. it's all good except generally I can never tell any of the male characters apart. there all six feet tall with the same hair and face. maybe it's just me?

Ive probly got alternate plots to some shoujo manga in my head b/c I just barely knew who all the girls kept talking too.....

Oh good, this post was required.
Please do remember that their noses are able to cut glass.

That is so true, it makes them a bit inhuman, which is one reason I don't really read shoujos. Usually, I tell them apart by the clothes they're wearing, or if one guy has shaded hair and the other's hair is just outlined.

Seconded! I can be a bit picky...

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Just a bit too into bad things

(and part of the yaoi scanlation group
Terribletrio!)

i don't like anorexia people or if every single freaking characters in the manga have bangs, even guys, all of the same hair styles......i like indiviudality, so manga like full moon or gentlemen alligance are a no no....too many big eyes chicks with sparkly hair

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The Deviant