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Views #640 | Intermediate 5

Manga Part 3

Ruth and Tre discuss manga and whether its content is too graphic.

Script
Vocab
Quiz


Simon	Ruth

Ruth: So, Tres, you read a lot of comics. Don't you find them really violent in Japan?

Tres: Yeah, there are violent comic books. There are sexy comic books. There are comic books I wouldn't show to mygrandmother.

Ruth: But compared to the comic books in America?

Tres: Yeah, I think in the United States, first of all, the idea of reading a comic book is a bit different. Adults don't read comic books as much as they do here in Japan, so if I really wanted to find a violent, or a comic book that had explicit content, then I'd have to find a special shop, most likely I would have to be 21 or over, just to get into that shop, whereas here in Japan, just go to your local supermarket and there you are.

Ruth: Do the comics have any warnings on them for violence?

Tres: In the Unites States? I believe they would, and I've never shopped for comic books in the United States, but I think they would have something. What about Ireland? How is that?

Ruth: I don't read a lot of comics myself, but both my brother and sister are quite into manga and comics, and I know for Christmas my sister bought my brother a comic called "The Punisher" which was quite violent in places but on the front of comics like that, there's always a sign that says, "Parental Advisory" to warn people that the contents might be explicit. My cousin also works drawing comics for a living and some of the comics that he's given to us have been quite violent, but nothing compared to the ones in Japan.

Tres: What do you think about the comics in Japan? Do you ever sit down and read the violent ones or?

Ruth: No, I don't really like violent comics. I've read more girlie comics, romance ones instead like Fushigi-yugi and that kind of thing

Tres: There's no sexual content in those comics whatsoever?

Ruth: No, I think they were based for primary school children. There was no violence at all.

Tres: Point in case.

Learn Vocabulary from the lesson

explicit content

I really wanted to find a comic book that had explicit content.

When something is 'explicit,' it means that it is stated directly instead of being implied. A comic with 'explicit content' would be one that has sex, drugs or extreme violence shown in the drawings. Most items with 'explicit content' must say it on the packaging, so people don't show their children. Notice the following:

We don't let our children view explicit content.
This disc is full of explicit content.

manga

My brother and sister are quite into manga and comics.

A 'manga' is a graphic Japanese novel that is written for adults. Notice the following:

Reading manga is a very popular hobby here.
I collected quite a few manga in my time in Japan.

parental advisory

The sign, "Parental Advisory," warns people of possible explicit contents.

When something has a label that says 'Parental Advisory,' it is saying that parents should review it before they let their children see or listen to it. Notice the following:

Why does this movie have a parental advisory label?
My parents didn't let me listen to music with parental advisory labels when I was growing up.

girlie comics

I prefer to read girlie comics over violent ones.

A 'girlie comic' is one that is intended for females. Maybe a comic like this would have more of a romantic theme instead of a violent one. Notice the following: