Flashbacks in Manga

GolGotha

Death Scythe
With Anime, it seems that if people think the beginning is too slow, they'll drop it within the first three episodes.

So, do you guys think the same way about Manga?
Do you give it a few chapters to impress you, or a volume?

Do you prefer it when a manga starts off with a flash back?
Or it starting off more action based and then have the flashbacks half way through?

As much as I love action scenes, I often don't care about the characters enough if something bad happens within the first couple of chapters, so I need some sort of build up at the beginning.

Why am I asking this? Well, I'm attempting to create a manga and just looking to see how everyone like their stories to be told...
 
So to help you creating your manga... I would say that unless i already know the manga story from the anime (cause i usually just read the manga when the anime its over and i did like it), the beggining is really important and needs to have something to always makes you read more. If the cap ends normally, i would maybe read one more but in the second if it happens the same, i might quit.

Regarding the anime, yeah i watch 2-4 episodes and if i dont see anything special happening, i quit. The animation can be great but if theres nothing special going on, i quit. I can say i did that to Gargantia, watched until ep 4 or 5 and the animation and visuasl were great but there wasnt anything special happening so... I still got the episodes to watch later if I want.

What i would say is, dont start slow! Depending if its possible or not, cause i dont know what you might be thinking for story, start shocking/strong if possible. Grab the readers right away otherwise... Just take a look at Bakuman anime (cause I think its easier to udnerstand than the manga probably, not sure) and you will learn a few stuff for sure. But i guess you did that already :p

By the way, i see you got an Attack on Titan avatar so Ill say as an example, look at the first episodes from it, the end was always wooow and always making you comeback to the next episode. If you can apply that to the manga, you will get me as a reader for sure, depeding on the subject.

Regarding flashbacks, for me its ok as long as you get something good from them.
 
Thanks for your feedback. Good to know that like anime, there is also a test as to whether it should be carried on.

As much as I want to start strong and leave them wanting more, I'm afraid that a lot of the times it comes off as a desperate attempt as I end up not caring, especially if they kill off a character within the same episode as them appearing.

But then again, perhaps I'm just rather heartless :p

On the topic of Attack on Titan, I didn't actually care when Eren's mother was eaten by a titan in front of him, but what I enjoyed was the concept of destruction and terror the titans brought with them, the fact that humanity would be helpless if we were no longer at the top of the food chain

As for my Manga, I am hoping to go down the medieval route. Covering everything from witchcraft, torture, the plaque/black death Which made humanity helpless, flagellants and obviously war.

But, as I said I don't want to just jump in head first to the nitty gritty parts, as much as I want to open up with people being slaughtered on the battlefield, because I need the readers to care about the people involved and not just glance over the panel. Yet, at the same time I don't want to bore them to death with the characters backgrounds so early on....guess i'll just have to try and find a healthy balance.
 
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For me, as long as the premise is set I'll wait for it to come. I wouldn't want something to jump straight in, but a hint that the plot will kick in soon makes me want to come back for more.

I really tend to enjoy if something a little mysterious is given at the beginning. That hook will keep me coming back even when the action scenes aren't there. Then again, fight scenes don't always do a lot for me. Too many to start with would put me off. I don't mind a flashback so long as they're not too frequent.

A mystery at the beginning is what I really like. I enjoy trying to piece things together with each new chapter.
 
In any work of fiction, be it a manga, book, TV show or movie, you need a hook to draw your reader/viewer in from the very beginning and make them turn pages/watch longer. That's why a lot of stories will begin by throwing you into it, then have the exposition later. However, I would avoid using flashbacks for that purpose - have details emerge through conversation with other characters where possible. If you're trying to absorb someone into a situation, you don't want to break their focus by constantly changing the scene with a flashback.
 
Thanks for both of your opinions. And I agree with you PandoraHane, piecing the story as you go along is something I wish more people would experiment with.

Apologies, don't think I made myself quite clear. I have no intention of constantly changing the scenes with flashbacks.

There's some scenes of my characters upbringing that I'd like to address, now in my opinion these should be addressed first so when later actions happen you actually give a damn about her, rather than rushing into the 'juicy bits' of the story and having these flashbacks later on.

Like, if Fullmetal Alchemist hadn't of shown their childhood first then I probably wouldn't of cared as much about them in comparison to if they showed it halfway through as a 'flashback'.

I was just 'worried' that if I did that it, people wouldn't make it past the first page, so I decided to ask you guys how you like your stories to be told.
 
GolGotha said:
As for my Manga, I am hoping to go down the medieval route. Covering everything from witchcraft, torture, the plaque/black death Which made humanity helpless, flagellants and obviously war.

Looks promosing those words. When you have something to show, just let me/us know. I'll read it and give my opinion. :)
 
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