Ok, so my brother was watching me read Fruits Basket last night, and he said, "Is that girly comic just about this girl who carries a basket of fruit around?" And I answer, "no." And then he says, "Why is it called fruits basket if the basket of fruit has nothing to do with the story?" And all I could answer to that was, "The basket of fruit is only a symbol. It has everything to do, and nothing to do with the story," even though I knew that he'd have no clue what I was talking about.

Symbols is something that I usually only restrict to literature classes in school and don't mention elsewhere. But the truth is, the basket of fruit really is a symbol. And to think of it, manga can be literature.

Does anyone else think that way? I can easily cough up more literary things for more series, but that might ruin it for some people.

If you think that I'm just a worthless nerd after reading that, feel free to say so.

I understand exactly what you are saying and you are right, Manga (most comics in fact) are finall starting to earn literary credit amongst the snobby book types. I think "Watchmen" is on the Time Magazine top 100 novels of all time. And Naruto Vol 6 broke numerous records on New York times list.

I also think you are a nerd.

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Life is tough......but it's tougher if you're stupid.

Some manga might be and some might be quite simple slapstick stuff.
Fruits Basket is in my opinion somewhere in the middle.
We are here because we are nerds.

Manga doesn't "can" be, manga is a form of literature. Why shouldn't it be?

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If it has no text? Which is very unlikely...

Manga is literature, regardless of its content or finesse. Some manga is bad literature, and some manga is good literature -- but it's all literature. After all, it makes use of language and illustrations to tell a story (or set of stories). That makes it literature.

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"They sicken of the calm, who knew the storm." - Dorothy Parker.

Don't forget The Sandman, it's even won awards for books.

Three cheers for nerds

And I gues that settles it. Manga is literature by definition.


Yay Nerds!

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Life is tough......but it's tougher if you're stupid.

i personally think anything that can put into description by any way of communication is literature like wit you can write it down something witty but you can also say it out load. plus all those puns in manga are great source of literature even if i dont understand most of them . oh and this the definition of literature

1.writings in which expression and form, in connection with ideas of permanent and universal interest, are characteristic or essential features, as poetry, novels, history, biography, and essays.
2.the entire body of writings of a specific language, period, people, etc.: the literature of England.
3.the writings dealing with a particular subject: the literature of ornithology.
4.the profession of a writer or author.
5.literary work or production.
6.any kind of printed material, as circulars, leaflets, or handbills: literature describing company products.
7.Archaic. polite learning; literary culture; appreciation of letters and books.

but i think this definition gives to much stress on writing but #6 definately makes manga literature

Last edited by Veltwolfsleer at 5:32 pm, Jul 9 2007

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we are all of the creed
the creed we worship rules us all
the creed of okutoness forever
that and when the next flight to japan

Manga is a form for expressing ones thoughts. Not worse or better than any other method.

There is one thing though - manga is a quicker way for expressing atmosphere. I.e. character surroundings and ambient scenes.

As a bookworm I appreciate that very much, because there is more time to think about characters and feel the situation, rather than reading a lot of pages full of detailed set and setting description.

Is to! They get awards for it to, go see.

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love and peace