When I think of manga, I immediately think of Japan. However, as this world continues to become more global and interconnected, it is obvious that cultures will continue to influence and inspire each other. As manga continues to grow in popularity in the West, it is worth looking at some “manga” that come from other cultures, in this case OEL manga, manhwa and manhua.
OEL (Original English Language) manga are titles drawn by native English speakers and are inspired by both the storytelling and art style of Japanese manga. This form of manga did not develop until around the 1980s when both anime and manga began to be exported in larger quantities to America. Popular OEL manga include Megatokyo and Nightschool.
OEL manga can sometimes be a controversial term. The author of Scott Pilgrim, Bryan Lee O’Malley, considered his work “manga-influenced comics” although it could easily be argued that this makes it OEL manga. Some people also consider the use of the word “manga” for a comic produced outside Japan to be sacrilegious (although I consider this view quite rigid).
Manhwa refers to comics originally created in Korea. These comics originally appeared around the early 1900s in Japanese occupied Korea but it wasn’t until the 1960s under the authoritative government of Park Chung-hee that manhwa began to grow in popularity as a way for people to express themselves. It is also interesting to note that, in contrast to manga, manhwa is read left to right. Famous manhwa series include Priest and Bride of the Water God.
Manhua refers to comics written in Chinese. Manhua began as satirical newspaper cartoons in the late 1800s and would continue to be used for political purposes throughout the Xinhai Revolution, the Chinese Civil War and the Second Sino-Japanese War. Manhua from the People’s Republic of China is read left to right while manhua from Hong Kong and the Republic of China (Taiwan) are read right to left. Well known manhua include Sanmao and Chinese Hero.
With regards to my own personal experience of these mediums, I’m most familiar with OEL manga. I have collected and adored the works of Bryan Lee O’Malley (as I mentioned before, whether or not his works are OEL is debated) and I also read The Mammoth Book of Best New Manga Vol 2 (a collection of OEL manga from around the world).
For manhwa, I have only read Jack Frost and Bride of the Water God (only the first volume of both of them). I wished to pick up more of Bride of the Water God, only to find out that most of it was out of print. It is also worth noting that I have never read a manhua.
The world is a fascinating place and I think it’s a good idea to branch out from manga and to experience the mediums of other cultures, whether that be from Korea, China or even Western interpretations of the manga medium. Let me know what OEL manga, manhwa or manhua you have read, what you thought of them and if you would recommend any of them.
Hopefully you have found this article interesting and informative and, if you wish to seek any of the works I mentioned, don’t hesitate to use bookdepository.com for all of your needs!