“The Power of Onomatopoeia in Manga,” an Essay by Natsume Fusanosuke with Translators' Introduction

Natsume Fusanosuke is one of the founding critics manga that pioneered a style formal analysis in 1990s. Natsume’s first important foray into his “theory expression” (hyōgenron) was seen collaborate work, Manga no yomikata (How to read manga) 1995. He later streamlined those ideas twelve-episode series wa naze omoshiroi ka: sono bunpō hyōgen (Why so interesting?: Its grammar and expression) for NHK television 1996. The accompanying expanded book (1997) consists well-ordered, individual essays on elements such as line, character creation, panels. In present translated essay, eighth chapter part one, explores how hand-drawn onomatopoeia—or comic-book interjections—are quite nuanced, conveying additional information about time space larger narrative flow, which asserts uniquely characteristic Japanese comic books. This early representing beginning scholarly arc, its examination onomatopoeia are vital tools storyteller. argues these graphic giongo, gitaigo, other mimetic expressions also reveal audiences predisposed reading processing verbal both words pictures. translation introduction make available English key text history studies Japan.