Main Differences Between Manga and Manhwa
In the world of comics, there’s always an endless battle between the famous comics manga and manhwa. Because of their quite similar names, fans usually grouped them. However, these both have unique features and characteristics.
Both comics are world-famous and they share some similarities, but also have differences in terms of styles, storytelling, and readership.
In this blog, let’s explore more about your favorite comics and find out how they stand out from each other. So, keep reading to find out the difference between manga and manhwa.
Key Differences Between Manga and Manhwa
What is Manga?
Before diving into the similarities and differences, let’s find out what is meant by manga.
Manga is a Japanese comic that consists of a broad range of genres from romance, sci-fi, mystery, horror, history, comedy, detective, and many more. Right now, it is the most famous and adored comic of the time. As per the reports, in 2023, there were more manga sold than any other novel or comic in the United States.
History of Manga
While talking about the history of this great comic, we have to trace it back to 1945. After the end of World War II, post-war Japan witnessed an immense boom in creativity. We can say that creativity was in full force in those days.
Osamu Tekuza took charge and established the foundation of manga in Japan. The revolution he brought in the world of art and creativity, earned him the title of “The Father of Manga”. He wrote and released some of the most famous manga series, including the Astro Boy.
Style and Structure of Manga
Manga is published in black and white worldwide and is read from right to left. It is typically published in weekly magazines and countless genres. It’s versatlity in genres has made it the most adored and popular comic in the world.
Here are some famous manga series that are loved by everyone:
Shonen Manga
Shonen Manga was written for adolescent boys. It involves inciting incidents and often explores the themes of action and adventure. In most shonen series, the main character has to fight with an evil power and express their tenacity and strength through different adventures. Many shonen works including The Tokyo Ghoul and The Hero Academia got anime series.
Shojo Manga
Shojo manga is written for adolescent girls. This genre focuses on the emotional growth instead of the action or adventure. Many people link it with the romantic genre, because of its romantic titles, but that’s not the case for the entire genre.
Josei Manga
This genre is generally written for adult females. Usually, Josei comic’s stories are based on the themes of emotional turmoil, and romance. Josei manga deals with emotional conflict rather than physical.
Tremendous Influence of Manga
No matter the type, manga has a major influence on the world of reading. It has become more than an expression of post-war creativity, in fact, it has become a main aspect of Japan’s identity. Students and teachers are specifically trained in schools and colleges to write manga.
There’s no doubt that manga has become a phenomenon. Even if you're not a fan of manga, you still have encountered it somewhere in your life.
What is Manhwa?
In general, manhwa is the Korean term for comics and graphics. As opposed to the manga’s black and white style, manhwa is fully colored and it is read from left to right format. While it doesn’t have the variety of genres like manga, its incredibly drawn and written scenes are what make it different. There’s a great emphasis o on the execution of the action, the motion involved in it, and the impact that each strike has. The main difference between manga and manhwa, there are fewer conversations in manhwa as artists focus on using action rather than talking.
History of Manhwa
The history of manhwa traced back to 1910-1945, when Korea was occupied by Japan. It was the time when Japan's influence increased on comics and cartoons. As a result, eventually manhwa began to form slowly. Initially, it was based on political themes, due to which it was banned by the government. Much of the manhwa was viewed as problematic by the government and they actively tried to suppress it. Because of this uphill battle, manhwa did not grow popular until the 21st century.
Digital Evolution - Webtoons
Manhwa faced censorship for a long period, but now it is taking the world by storm. Now these Korean comics can be seen everywhere, thanks to the latest technologies, such as smartphones. In 2004, a website called Webtoons was launched by Korea to release manhwa digitally.
Major Themes of Manhwa
Whether enjoyed digitally or in print, manhwa typically explores three main themes.
The first one is murium manhwa which deals with the coinciding world. These stories dive into the hidden or underground realm, often dealing with the martial arts.
Manhwa stories also revolve around a fantasy world, where magical elements dominate the story.
In addition to that manhwa also share the unique “slice of life stories.” Slice-of-life stories usually deal with the fundamental aspects of daily life and give the message that it’s not important to pursue a bigger dream or an extraordinary task, sometimes the most important thing is to find peace in the fulfillment of the mundane.
Manga vs Manhwa
Origins
Manga is a Japanese comic and manhwa belongs to South Korea. Manga became popular in the 20s, while manhwa saw a massive decline due to government censorship.
Layouts
Manga and manhwa also have different layouts. Manga is always published in black and white while modern manhwa is published in color form and horizontally, similarly to the English and American comics. Moreover, manga is read from right to left and manhwas is read from left to right, depending upon where it is written.
Art Styles
Manga is illustrated colorless, its characters are shown in the black and white theme, and it has stylized and dramatic-looking characters. Whereas, manhwa is illustrated in color form and has more realistic characters.
Writing Style
Stories in manga are divided into short chapters and these are published in daily magazines. While manhwa does not have any divisions in volumes, it is written as an individual and a complete work.
Background Settings
Manga and manhwa both have realistic background settings, but in digital manhwa, the background settings are rather simpler.
Onomatopoeia
Manga uses a unique set of onomatopoeia to describe the sounds and inanimate objects as well as represent the psychological states and emotions. In contrast, manhwa has its own set of onomatopoeia. Even digital manhwa often uses music and sound beats to express emotions.
A Blur Line Between the Manga and Manhwa
Despite having many differences, it is hard to distinguish between manga and manhwa. Especially when it comes to art and storytelling, both are forms of South Asian comics with overlapping influence, making them quite similar at many times. Yet, there is a blur line that makes them different from each other. Both works are almost similar yet tell different tales, and have different cultural essence and narrative approaches that make them captivating in their own right.
Final Thoughts
While manga and manhwa are similar in some ways, the unique differences between manga and manhwa set them apart. The evolution of these comics and the different techniques of storytelling make these comics, an important part of South Asian culture.
Every artistic piece has its importance. Similarly, manga and manhwa are loved by people worldwide. Both mediums have their way of appeal the readers and they will continue to captivate hearts with unique storytelling and diverse characters. Whether you prefer the digital convenience of manhwa or the classic appeal of manga, each has its special and incredible way of storytelling, that will continue to evolve and inspire the world.
