As discussed in Chapter 2 of Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics, the Japanese style of comic book art holds several notable quirks. While early manga artists tended to favor simplistic, yet distinct styles that paved the way for a number of internationally renowned characters, contemporary manga artists have since favored a hybrid style that juxtaposes the cutesy, rounded characters of yesteryear with the realistic and richly shaded settings that have since become popular. Building on this, McCloud describes a phenomenon in which Japanese comic artists have used realism to objectify--that is, to emphasize the "otherness" of certain characters, objects, or places--elements of their work and further separate these elements from the reader. I have chosen the work of one of my favorite comic artists, Japanese horror icon Junji Ito, to further illustrate McCloud's point.
Though McCloud describes this phenomenon in the context of Japanese comic book art, he is using it to argue how artistic detail (or the lack thereof) can help an artist connect their reader to a character or setting. In omitting visual details and simplifying character designs, an artist can make their story more relatable to the reader because a reader is less likely to see themselves in a detailed, photorealistic face. The less details that are seen on a page, the more room a reader has to insert themselves into it. But McCloud also mentions how the opposite approach--using more detail to separate the reader from the world or character--can be used to an artist's advantage. In my opinion, Junji Ito is a master of manipulating the reader through detail. He often uses generic, if aesthetically appealing character designs for his protagonists, recycling simplistic faces, clothing, and hairstyles between his stories to bring the classic "everyman" hero to life. He also likes to set his stories in places that should be familiar to most, splitting his worlds between quiet, orderly suburbs and peaceful, picturesque countryside. He lulls his readers into a false sense of security with art that is initially recognizable and "safe," and as the story goes on and the horror elements start to creep in, he adds more detail to make his world more frightening and alien. This can be seen in nearly all of his published works, but for the sake of this assignment, I chose this single page from his horror short "The Window Next Door." Per traditional manga layout, the page is read from right to left:
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| Source: “The Window Next Door by Junji Ito.” Imgur, 1 Nov. 2014, https://imgur.com/gallery/MiQqGaX. |
To begin this week's post, I'd like to first address a few things about the author's duty to his/her readers. When we think of reading material from other countries or cultures, what factors are important to us? What information do we need in order to recognize the significance of the author's work? For me, it's important for the author to find some way to connect to me as a reader. Do we share a common experience? Can I relate your story to mine? This is not to say that a writer's work is rendered unimpressive if they choose not to do this. But I do think it goes without saying that most impressionable works hit us emotionally. I also think that an author should be conscious of the world that they are painting for the reader. Is it true what you're writing? Does it provide some sort of insight into the world as you see it? Are you confirming outside opinions of your culture, or are you breaking the stereotypes that have been placed upon you? That being sai...
The comic is most disturbing because of the words " dear boy". The boy looks disturbed but not afraid. The otherworldly visitor , tho different and monstrous, is all the more frightening because of the tone I imagine him to use, and what he speaks
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