I’m not a manga consumer, but a few things occur to me here. When a Japanese reader seems more like he/she is looking at a flip book, it’s because so many of the pages are “pictures” of words and reactions and feelings. Like “Oh! Oh no!” or argh, mmmm, damnit, whaaa?? That kind of thing and dramatically drawn. In an English version we would be whipping through too. Our minds would be set to a more passive, soak up, TV mode.
The Japanese friend you quote at the end meanwhile is a designer. She’s soaking in a lot more than Argh. She’s looking at the myriad of ways these are being depicted and framed maybe.
Hmm I'm a pretty fast reader but I also reread a lot. Does that count as reading more slowly? It might be a result of this speed but some works I read/consume definitely don't stick in my memory. It's easy for me to spend a week or so devouring a 700-page fantasy tome because most of the time, it's quick light entertainment. Something fun to make me feel good. The works that make me think, that linger in my mind - those I make more time for. I take breaks from them, I reread them, I type up my notes & thoughts. Same goes for manga.
I imagine being a slow reader makes you choose more carefully what you read? That's a beautiful thing too.
I’m not a manga consumer, but a few things occur to me here. When a Japanese reader seems more like he/she is looking at a flip book, it’s because so many of the pages are “pictures” of words and reactions and feelings. Like “Oh! Oh no!” or argh, mmmm, damnit, whaaa?? That kind of thing and dramatically drawn. In an English version we would be whipping through too. Our minds would be set to a more passive, soak up, TV mode.
The Japanese friend you quote at the end meanwhile is a designer. She’s soaking in a lot more than Argh. She’s looking at the myriad of ways these are being depicted and framed maybe.
Hmm I'm a pretty fast reader but I also reread a lot. Does that count as reading more slowly? It might be a result of this speed but some works I read/consume definitely don't stick in my memory. It's easy for me to spend a week or so devouring a 700-page fantasy tome because most of the time, it's quick light entertainment. Something fun to make me feel good. The works that make me think, that linger in my mind - those I make more time for. I take breaks from them, I reread them, I type up my notes & thoughts. Same goes for manga.
I imagine being a slow reader makes you choose more carefully what you read? That's a beautiful thing too.