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Mar 22, 2016 2:30 PM
#1

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Jan 2015
713
I'm wondering if there's anyone who just reads manga and doesn't watch any anime. If so, why? My list says otherwise but I prefer manga and I'm reading more now. I am a very slow reader so reading the manga to finish the series quicker really doesn't apply to me. I guess this is the main reason why a lot of people read manga right? Since watching the anime takes longer? I know why some prefer watching anime, you know music/visuals, makes it a more immersive experience. Would like to hear the other side of the story as well from manga readers.

Mar 22, 2016 5:03 PM
#2

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May 2013
93
I can't remember last time when I watched anime (well, I don't read comics that much either lately...).

It's like asking why someone prefers watching TV series above reading books. Some people like watching the richness of a story and other like to imagine it?
Mar 22, 2016 5:07 PM
#3
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Jan 2014
79
Mangas have a complete story

Most anime dont have a proper ending
Mar 22, 2016 5:49 PM
#4
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Jan 2013
10764
You called?

Well, between the main reasons fo is
-Pacing, I'm da boss on this street son, I go at mi pace.
-The fact that it's been years since was last able to stare at a screen doing nothing and not go crazy
-(Usually) complete stories, unless the might axe happens, it's still better than just the incomplete story
-Much more stuff is available, this is a kind of irrelevant argument since one can watch anime and read those series, but anyways.
-Following the above argument, much more stuff that I want to read is available. I'm someone who mostly put charm above anything else on a series.
-I'm a dingus and adorably cute
-As you said, it's much less time consuming, I can go throught a story much faster than if on the animated medium
-"It's moving" and "It have sound" doesn't appeal to me, well, you kinda feel the movements and the sounds usually pops into your head as you read. I'm actually much less immersed with anime since just looking at the screen and having things going on for you irks me and I stop midway constantly.
-It's much more convenient reading manga than watching anime, easier set-up, less tiring

Kinda basically, as soon as you enjoy less watching something than reading something, it's when you make that transition
I don't think "anyone", as in a decent number of people, have this full transition of only manga, since it is a hobby which animation sounds more appealing.
Also I'm cute
gone bai bai
Mar 22, 2016 10:05 PM
#5
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Jul 2018
564060
well i am new to anime and manga and currently i am reading only mangas i watched the first episodes of few series didn't like them much so i am planning to just read mangas and watch a few animes.
Apr 10, 2016 5:59 PM
#6

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Dec 2013
18
Me, though I've added 3 like this week. For me, I don't really have the attention span to watch things? But the biggest thing for me is that with anime there's a set amount of time it'll take to get through it and with manga, you can get through it at a way different speed. Does that make sense? I don't know
Apr 10, 2016 7:03 PM
#7

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Feb 2014
7844
Well, I'm trying to get there.
Apr 10, 2016 10:38 PM
#8

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Aug 2010
887
I like both but lately I've been only reading manga because most of the time stories are usually completed unless they get axed. I really hate incomplete anime's because I always like to finish/know the ending of things.

Apr 10, 2016 11:40 PM
#9
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Feb 2015
3
used to watch anime and no manga. Then after the 50th anime without an ending I started to wonder why the hell these series never finished the story. Then I realized that anime is essentially just an advertisement for manga, and usually cuts out half the scenes so it is difficult to start at the same point in the manga where the anime ends cause you missed out on a lot of things that you would have seen if you just started with the manga in the first place. So I began like 50/50 anime/manga, and then I realized that I had watched most of the anime that looked interesting to me, so I just went full manga.
Apr 11, 2016 1:49 PM

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May 2010
895
I mostly read manga these days. The time thing applies to me. A Bleach volume takes me 20 minutes to finish due to it being mostly art, whereas I have to sit through many episodes to get the same thing.

Movement, color, sound and style only appeal to me when it adds flair. For example, Nodame Cantabile is awesome because you can hear how Nodame plays her haphazard yet appealing style. I still find Haruhi Suzumiya's adaptation still insanely great, and the pacing and timing in Hataraku Maou-sama makes the show.

However it's very hard to find those kind of shows. Most of the time it has to be innate in the source material so that studios can tweak it for TV. So rather than waste my time trying to find those shows, I'd rather go straight to the source. At least if the anime is an amazing adaptation, my consolation prize is that I will still get a complete story if I only read the manga and never try the anime.
Apr 24, 2016 8:16 PM

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Sep 2013
173
I love the feel of being in control of the speed of the story. It's part of the reason why I'm breezing through Naruto so easily. One hundred forty chapters in two days? Do you know how long that would have taken if I was watching the anime (well, okay, longer because of Naruto's infamous filler, but you get my point)?
Apr 25, 2016 1:42 PM

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Sep 2015
843
I'm trying to just focus on manga now on, so my anime list has been untouched and possibly full of spider webs o_o

What I love about reading manga: Unlike anime, manga allows you to sort of communicate with the mangaka. Be it through their little introduction, little monologue sketch or a 'thanks for reading this manga!' comment, I feel more connected to them. Also, I feel honoured that the mangaka has shared something in their life to the readers(like a story about their pet).
Apr 26, 2016 9:58 AM
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Jun 2013
29
When I decide to pick up a series then the eternal question arises - anime or manga? But I realized the answer is usually manga, especially when it comes to long running ones. It's not because it's better medium but adaptations tend to be worse. And of course reading manga takes less time.
Apr 26, 2016 10:43 AM

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Jul 2014
2556
Me too!
As people have said manga is much more manageable - you get through at your own pace, usually much faster than through anime. And sitting through anime is boring.
Manga is much more diverse, you don't have Matsumoto, Asano or, I dunno, more adult stories by Moto Hagio in anime all that often.
Manga is more, hmm, how to say it, personal or artistic, as in it isn't done by a comittee in order to sell some other stuff.
Less censorship.

I watched anime for a couple of years (2013-2015), when there were a couple of series that didn't feel like they wasted your time, but currently I don't see anything truly appealing.

The only thing that saddens me about sticking with only manga, is that there're much less discussions about manga to take part in. Anime subforums are livelier, and reading manga often feels lonely. (Which also has to do with the huge variety - everyone reads their own thing.)
deadoptimistApr 26, 2016 10:48 AM
Apr 26, 2016 11:55 AM
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Jun 2013
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deadoptimist said:
The only thing that saddens me about sticking with only manga, is that there're much less discussions about manga to take part in. Anime subforums are livelier, and reading manga often feels lonely.


This. I cringed when I saw Guyver manga profile page here.

When the series I read or watch is discussed by a lot a users, it's a nice bonus to the overall experience - reading other people's thoughts about particular work. That's sometimes a dilemma for me - choosing between a supposedly better source material or the adaptation with a lot of buzz around.
Apr 26, 2016 12:58 PM

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Jul 2014
2556
kruci said:
This. I cringed when I saw Guyver manga profile page here.

When the series I read or watch is discussed by a lot a users, it's a nice bonus to the overall experience - reading other people's thoughts about particular work. That's sometimes a dilemma for me - choosing between a supposedly better source material or the adaptation with a lot of buzz around.


Damn, it really looks sad.

I agree, discussions are an experience in itself, sometimes they are more fun than the actual series, but only the most popular manga generates any, and even then they're much slower than those in the anime half.
Ok, there's the diversity, that I've mentioned, so people are spread thin, but I start to suspect that also the types of people may be different.
Maybe MAL it's not the right site for it too, but from what I see active manga discussions elsewhere are few.
Apr 26, 2016 3:35 PM

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Aug 2015
21717
Leeiteee said:
Mangas have a complete story

Most anime dont have a proper ending
Complete story? Most manga are incomplete and/or don't have a ending

Unless you read nothing but completed manga (even some of them don't have a proper ending), you will probably run into more incomplete or ongoing manga then completed.

Manga is nice but I do prefer anime, I find that things I watch are more memorable then reading.
Apr 26, 2016 11:03 PM
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Aug 2015
36
I used to watch a lot of anime on Toonami when I was a kid. But then mostly Toonami takes a long hiatus so my mom gave me my first manga at a yard sale to help me get through it. It was dragon ball! So yeah nowadays I just read manga more than I watch anime.
May 11, 2016 7:21 AM

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Oct 2014
52
The only reason I got into manga in the first place was anime. But I've long since become more of a manga person. I just prefer manga for its art and pacing (it has little to do with the progress of the story). I guess I just understand the artistic value behind the manga more (like how the mangaka draws out the panels, the art style, the emotion that you can read from the way the page is laid out etc). Whereas anime (to me) seems less thought out (most I've seen just copy the manga panel by panel).
May 11, 2016 1:25 PM

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May 2014
784
I don't think there's to many people who just read manga.
May 11, 2016 5:23 PM

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Jan 2015
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Yep!

As others have mentioned, I cannot sit and stare at a screen for very long. Hell, even a 2.5 hour long movie is pushing it for me. Even when I am watching Netflix, I usually have it running on my second monitor while playing a game that doesn't require sound.

With manga, I can sit and read for as long or as little as I like. It is super easy to find a stopping point when reading. Also as others have mentioned, the story is more complete. Nothing beats the anticipation of flipping the page, and seeing what happens!

My BIG problem with anime is filler. Filler filler filler. It will be the death of me one day. Even though some manga has it, most of the time it doesn't FEEL like filler to me. I'm not sure if that makes sense to anyone else but me.

So yes, these days I only read manga.
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May 11, 2016 5:35 PM
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Jul 2018
564060
Now in most cases with full 24 minute episodes. When ever I watch anime it feels like a waste of time which causes me to skip majority of the episode... So yea i guess for me its because of the time issue but there's also the case that I enjoy reading more then watching.

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