Do you read raw manga, even if you can't read Japanese?

15 years ago
Posts: 1354
Just curious! I myself never used to read raw manga or scans of raw manga, because I was like: "I can't understand it anyway, why should I bother? I'll just wait for the scanlations!"
But then one series after another just got too interesting to resist, and any time there was a gap of > 1 month between releases, I started getting into the habit of "reading" (or at least guessing at? Lol!) the raws. Eventually, I started reading raw manga that hadn't even been scanlated before, so long as the cover looked interesting, or I could find a summary of it in English, somewhere, so that I could at least imagine what was going on. So much for self-restraint...!
Am the only one that gets so desperate? Lol...
This poll will help me estimate just how desperate people are - the options start off at most desperate and taper off towards least desperate. 🤣
Obviously, please only participate in this poll if you can't read Japanese! Otherwise, the answers will be a bit ridiculous. 😀

15 years ago
Posts: 131
I chose "Yes, but only if there's been a huge gap since the last scanlated release, and I've lost patience."
Normally I try not to read raws since spoilers can definitely ruin a story.
My worst one (though not manga related) was when the 6th Harry Potter book came out.
My bf was reading it before me and just for fun I thought, "hey let's turn to a page and read a sentence." And that one sentence had to be the one saying that
Dumbledore died 🤢
Anyways....I might read raws if a manga series is too good to wait for and it's been too long since a scanlation.
I love Dengeki Daisy, and with over 4 months since a scanlation and the raws 15 chapters ahead, I totally cracked lol 😛
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15 years ago
Posts: 199
Of course, I'm always curious whether the synopsis or a scan seems attractive.

15 years ago
Posts: 53
Yes. I buy lots of raw manga at conventions and I love "reading" them. There are usually a few volumes that the scanlators haven't got to, so I like to try and figure out whats going on. And, I like going back over them after the scanlators release it.
Its nice to have hard copies of your favorite unlicensed manga.
Sometimes, but I just look through them since it's not exactly reading 🤣
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ççççççç[Ô.Ô] tsutopodus© will eat your manga and steal your cats!

15 years ago
Posts: 1354
Looks like most people prefer to wait for scanlations! But I'm very glad to meet other "desperates", lol. 😀
@oneluminousfish, total sympathy for your bf spoiling the Harry Potter books! I had the exact same reaction when my friend spoiled me. I was like, "NOOOOOOooooooo!" (That picture called "The Scream"? THAT was me. 😀 )

15 years ago
Posts: 248
Quote from tartufo
But then one series after another just got too interesting to resist, and any time there was a gap of > 1 month between releases, I started getting into the habit of "reading" (or at least guessing at? Lol!) the raws. Eventually, I started reading raw manga that hadn't even been scanlated before, so long as the cover looked interesting, or I could find a summary of it in English, somewhere, so that I could at least imagine what was going on. So much for self-restraint...!
Am the only one that gets so desperate? Lol...
Nope you are not alone i'm the same 😃
It is mostly epic cliffhangers that make me go look for the raws
Words to live by: "Let sleeping dogs lie"
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15 years ago
Posts: 8
I choosed the first option. I actually really like reading the raws and guessing what's going on even when the manga isn't even scanlated yet. This sounds probably weird, but it's more because I'm playing a little game with a friend of mine at times. We try to make a story and imagine what the characters are saying, deleting the Japanese text and put our own in it. Trust me, it's so much fun to do this, sometimes even more fun than reading the actual story. And we don't only do this with manga but with manhwa and manhua as well.
I remember one time when one of those manga's (I ironically forget which one 😐 My memory = fail) got scanlated and we were really enthuastic about it. It is hilarious to read a manga that you've "translated" (ahem) on your own as well. And it seems that we had it sometimes correct as well. (but that was mostly those scénes like "no!" or something like that. 😛 )
Anyway... on a more serious note I think I'm the same as you. Even when only the cover art and the synopis seems interesting I can't resist looking at the raws sometimes, same goes for manhwa and manhua. 😮 Stupid but true...
Edit: just realised I almost writed a wall of text here, hmpf. =w=
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15 years ago
Posts: 370
I chose the first option. I do this a lot, hahah.

15 years ago
Posts: 448
I do. I also go out of my way to spoil myself. I just don't want to get deep into a series only to find out the author threw some crazy twist that I do not like. This has happened a few times to me before I decided to just start spoiling myself. I also do this with videogames. I look up spoilers from people who already played the game. I do not want to pay 40-60 dollars for a game and get close to the middle or end only to find out that the heroine dies and the main guy ends up w/ her sister who only joins the party towards the end. This actually happened to me btw. Never again.

15 years ago
Posts: 3229
I do, but it's only when people post up spoilers for upcoming chapters.
And when it's H-Manga.
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15 years ago
Posts: 4764
Er...
You can't actually "read" a manga if you don't understand the language. 🤣
But in any case... I do go over it.
I usually scan volumes for scanlating purposes (to evaluate the quality of the raws and the art).
Though I do go over the who volume if it seems interesting enough,
trying to understand the plot.
It's not because I'm desperate, though. Maybe bored.
It's usually either yaoi or hentai. Or something by an author I really like.
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15 years ago
Posts: 38
I look at the drawings, if that counts 🙂
15 years ago
Posts: 124
I havent done it... yet... though this does give me the temptation to do it xD The only problem is that I might go on a 'wonder what happeneing' spree. Quite a few series I want to continue, and learning to read japanese is going too slowly (not too much motivation in that department xD)

15 years ago
Posts: 101
I did it once with even if this love is captivity couldn't resist don't think i was desperate but i just really like this series makes me want to learn japanese so i can read raws