[merylsilverburg]

Originally Posted by Ryu

I tend to think comics are for more of those 14+ and mangas 9-15. (It's a habit that needs to be broken)

Ah, you made a good point there which could be a good topic too. From what you said, they can't compare because they're both different regarding age...but at the same time (IMO) they can compare because they are both, generally, comics in the end.

Yes, comics in the US are really considered for more of an older audience but manga has a variety of age range, believe it or not. Manga actually is considered a form of literature in Japan, while comics (at least from my view) are regarded as somewhat a hobby and entertainment in the US.

Manga is read from all age ranges because there are different categories or genres for everyone. Children, young-adults, teenagers, adults...there is something for everyone. While in the US, manga may be considered for the ages 9-18, manga in Japan are read by people as old as their thirties.

Comics, on the other hand, are very mature and contain highly suggestive themes and situations. Some comics can be too hard for a young person to understand and the fact that comics are done in color can add to the suggestive imagery (with blood, wounds, etc.). These are most likely for the older audience, due to language and imagery.

Yet, at the same time, there are manga which are...hehe...highly inappropriate for young people (I'm talking about the hentai stuff). Yet, in Japan, this isn't such an extreme taboo...since the culture learned to accept their bodies and nudity, so it's not a very big problem. This isn't to say that all Japanese parents allow their kids to read inappropriate stuff! The occasional nudity and sex scene are just not such a major deal though.

However, because comics are so limited to such an age range, it seems manga can be a bit more available to the general audience.

Think about it; comics have mystery, suspense, action, superhero, sci-fi, horror, and more...but these are very mature and for an older audience who can understand the words and can handle the blood and gore and fighting etc.

Manga has the exact same genres but can appeal to young and old audiences: there are young-adult mysteries, there are very mature mysteries, there are action manga for the young and there are some for the old.