Article
Shutterstock.com (Background); Konami Konata/Kodansha Ltd.Medalist © TSURUMAIKADA/Kodansha Ltd. (Medalist, Sue & Tai-chan); Mingo Ito/Kodansha Ltd. © NIPPON COLUMBIA CO., LTD. (Yuzu the Pet Vet, Panels)

Manga Mania

Learn how this popular style of Japanese graphic novel made its way to the U.S.

By Jessica McKenna-Ratjen
From the February 2023 Issue

Learning Objective: Students will classify polygons found within the panels of a popular series of manga, a type of Japanese comic.

Lexile: 1040L; 760L

Walk into any bookstore and you’ll likely see shelves lined with colorful volumes of Japanese stories with panels that read from right to left. These stories are called manga.

Manga has been a part of Japanese culture for centuries. Early Japanese authors drew stories on scrolls starting in the 12th century. Modern manga like Astro Boy in the 1950s and Sailor Moon in the 1990s exploded in popularity in Japan. But it wasn’t until the 2000s that this style of storytelling became widely popular in the U.S.

One of Japan’s largest manga publishers, Kodansha, expanded to the U.S. in 2008. Kodansha USA publishes about 350 manga titles every year, all translated from Japanese to English.

If you walk into a bookstore, you might see Japanese stories on the shelves. These books are colorful. They have illustrated pages that you read from right to left. These stories are called manga.

Manga has been a part of Japanese culture for centuries. In the 12th century, Japanese authors drew stories on scrolls. In the 1950s, Astro Boy was a popular manga in Japan. In the 1990s, many Japanese children read Sailor Moon. But it wasn’t until the 2000s that manga became popular in the U.S.

Kodansha is one of Japan’s largest manga publishers. The company expanded to the U.S. in 2008. Kodansha USA publishes about 350 manga titles every year. All of these books are translated from Japanese to English.

The team at Kodansha USA continually reviews new Japanese manga series to decide whether they think U.S. readers will enjoy them. They design a brand-new cover for each volume chosen and hire a translator to switch the text from Japanese to English. “Translation can be very much like a puzzle,” TJ Ferentini says. They edit manga translations for Kodansha USA. Editors like Ferentini make sure the translation communicates the same emotions and complex meanings of the original story. “I’ll think, ‘I know what this means in Japanese. But what’s the best way to say it in English?’” Ferentini adds.

Manga covers a wide range of genres, from action and suspense to comedy and romance. “Manga is booming in popularity now more than ever,” Ferentini says. “I hope to see more people discover it and become new readers of manga.”

The team at Kodansha USA reviews new Japanese manga series. They decide whether they think U.S. readers will enjoy them. When they choose a story to publish, they design a brand-new cover for it. They also hire a translator to switch the text from Japanese to English.

“Translation can be very much like a puzzle,” TJ Ferentini says. Ferentini edits manga translations for Kodansha USA. Editors like Ferentini make sure that the translated books have the same emotions and meanings as the original stories. “I’ll think, ‘I know what this means in Japanese. But what’s the best way to say it in English?’” Ferentini adds.

Manga covers a wide range of genres. There are action stories in manga. You can also find comedy and romance manga. “Manga is booming in popularity now more than ever,” Ferentini says. “I hope to see more people discover it and become new readers of manga.”

Now You Try It

This panel from Yuzu the Pet Vet contains polygons. Use the image to answer the questions.

This panel from Yuzu the Pet Vet contains polygons. Use the image to answer the questions.

1A. How many sets of parallel sides does the blue shape have?

1B. How would you classify the blue shape?

A. square
B. rectangle
C. trapezoid

1A. How many sets of parallel sides does the blue shape have?

1B. How would you classify the blue shape?

A. square
B. rectangle
C. trapezoid

How would you classify the red shape? Explain.

How would you classify the red shape? Explain.

Which of the outlined shapes has no parallel sides?

Which of the outlined shapes has no parallel sides?

How would you classify the green shape? Explain how you know by listing three traits.

How would you classify the green shape? Explain how you know by listing three traits.

video (1)
Activities (6)
Answer Key (1)
video (1)
Activities (6)
Answer Key (1)
Step-by-Step Lesson Plan

1.  SPARK ENGAGEMENT.

Before or after reading the article, spark a discussion based on the following questions.

  •  What is your favorite genre of book to read? 
  • If you were to write a comic or graphic novel series, what would it be about? 
  • What types of shapes do comic and graphic novel artists often use? Why do you think that is the case?

2. INTRODUCE THE MATH CONCEPT AND VOCABULARY

  • Display a square. What shape is this? (a square) How do you know? (Answers will vary. Possible answers: It has 4 sides; it has 4 right angles; its sides are all the same length.
  • What you just described were this shape’s attributes. Many shapes share attributes with one another. For example, all polygons are 2-D, or flat, and all quadrilaterals have 4 sides. 
  • One attribute that is important to remember when classifying quadrilaterals is how many parallel or perpendicular lines they have. Have students hold their hands up with their palms facing each other. Parallel lines run side by side. These lines will never touch each other. Have students keep one hand in place while placing the other palm on top, forming the shape of a T. Perpendicular lines form right angles, or 90° angles, where they touch. 
  • Today we will classify shapes by paying attention to the types of lines they have as well as their number of sides.  
  • Play the math video “Shapes All Around Us.” 

3. WORK THROUGH THE “WHAT TO DO” BOX.

  • How many sets of parallel sides do trapezoids have? (1
  • How could you tell if a triangle had a right angle? (If it had a set of perpendicular sides, they would form a right angle.
  • Why was the red shape classified as a hexagon? Explain. (It has 6 sides.)

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