SelfMadeHero's Manga Shakespeare
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CitizenGeek
Guild Member
The art style is excellent and, of course, Shakespeare is the best writer in the history of the english language - you can't go wrong with these books! 
They're very cheap on Amazon.co.uk too.
They're very cheap on Amazon.co.uk too.CitizenGeek said:The art style is excellent and, of course, Shakespeare is the best writer in the history of the english language - you can't go wrong with these books!
The only thing I cant stand about shakespeare is how i cant understand half of what the people are saying. I got so confuse when I saw the romeo and juliet movie and they where saying things that we people of today just wouldnt know what the words mean. I can see this is what is happening in the manga also
But i guess you cant go wrong at the price there selling for :lol:
CitizenGeek
Guild Member
It's not a "true" manga? Because it didn't come from Japan? That's a pretty shallow view on what a "true" manga is, to be honest.
But Shakespearean language is so fantastic that it;s really worth trying to understand it. Trust me, it's not as incomprehendable as many would have you think. Plus, with the manga, you can the expressions and the actions, so the words will be in context and thus, make more sense
Pomtry said:CitizenGeek said:The art style is excellent and, of course, Shakespeare is the best writer in the history of the english language - you can't go wrong with these books!
The only thing I cant stand about shakespeare is how i cant understand half of what the people are saying. I got so confuse when I saw the romeo and juliet movie and they where saying things that we people of today just wouldnt know what the words mean. I can see this is what is happening in the manga also
But Shakespearean language is so fantastic that it;s really worth trying to understand it. Trust me, it's not as incomprehendable as many would have you think. Plus, with the manga, you can the expressions and the actions, so the words will be in context and thus, make more sense
Outlawstar
Thousand Master
"True" manga or not its a great effort by two very talented uk artists who are in a position many of us would love to be in.
Gonna meet'um at Tomo
Gonna meet'um at Tomo
CitizenGeek
Guild Member
Indeed, one of the problems with Western manga is that the artists can be fantastic at manga art (and many of them are great) but a lot of them don't realise that being good at manga art doesn't make you a good storyteller. Starting with the works of the best writer in history, Shakespeare, is a good start.
Outlawstar
Thousand Master
CitizenGeek said:
Well said.
CitizenGeek
Guild Member
Thank you! ^_^
I just finished Romeo & Juliet and it was fantastic! Sonia Leong's art is truly superb and the plot is still fantastic, as is Shakespeare's magnificent script! I'm very impressed!
I beseech thee buy these manga!
I just finished Romeo & Juliet and it was fantastic! Sonia Leong's art is truly superb and the plot is still fantastic, as is Shakespeare's magnificent script! I'm very impressed!
I beseech thee buy these manga!
I wasn't too impressed with Romeo and Juliet, looked like it was drawn with the guide of one of those 'how to draw manga' books. Adding to the fact that it seems kinda cheap calling it manga Shakespeare after all it seems to me that it's just a graphic novel that's manga influenced.
sonia_leong
Dandy Guy, in Space
Aw man, I was dreading this topic coming up on this forum.
To the people who have given Romeo & Juliet a chance and liked it, thank you very much for your support and enthusiasm, I'm glad that you enjoyed it, I am hoping to produce possibly another shakespeare title in future, but will be working on plenty other manga in the meantime.
To the people who have given it a chance and didn't like it, thank you for giving it a go, I'm sorry it wasn't to your taste, and I hope to improve my artwork so that the next time you see it on the shelves, it will seem more convincing.
To anyone who has slagged it off without having a look - GTFO
XD And with that, I withdraw...
(I'm not going to touch the whole "real" manga issue with a barge pole)
To the people who have given Romeo & Juliet a chance and liked it, thank you very much for your support and enthusiasm, I'm glad that you enjoyed it, I am hoping to produce possibly another shakespeare title in future, but will be working on plenty other manga in the meantime.
To the people who have given it a chance and didn't like it, thank you for giving it a go, I'm sorry it wasn't to your taste, and I hope to improve my artwork so that the next time you see it on the shelves, it will seem more convincing.
To anyone who has slagged it off without having a look - GTFO
XD And with that, I withdraw...
(I'm not going to touch the whole "real" manga issue with a barge pole)
CitizenGeek
Guild Member
OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG! Sonia Leong! That's so cool!
I want to tell you that I really, really enjoyed manga Romeo & Juliet! You obviously put a lot of effort into and your interpretation of the plot was just fantastic! ^_^
I think the "real" manga debate is a little silly to be honest - real manga shouldn't be defined by it's origin and your art is up there with the best of them, especially your drawings of Juliet!
What are the other Shakespeare works you'd be interested in doing?
I'm really looking forward to Richard III and The Tempest in September!
I want to tell you that I really, really enjoyed manga Romeo & Juliet! You obviously put a lot of effort into and your interpretation of the plot was just fantastic! ^_^
I think the "real" manga debate is a little silly to be honest - real manga shouldn't be defined by it's origin and your art is up there with the best of them, especially your drawings of Juliet!
What are the other Shakespeare works you'd be interested in doing?
I'm really looking forward to Richard III and The Tempest in September!
Romeo & Juliet, wether you class it as manga or not, ( and who gives a monkeys wether it is or isn't, if you like something who the hell cares where it originated, ) is something I won't be buying.
Now, it's not because I don't like the artwork, but rather because it's Shakespeare. Some people like his stuff and fair play to them I say, but I can't stand the guy.
As for the quality of the artwork mimicing that of a how to book, personally I love Sonias artwork and to be honest, i've seen a hell of a lot worse come out of Japan, some of it as multi-volume bestselling series. :? Ok, admittedly i've also seen better, but that's to be expected considering how much longer those particular artists have been in the business compared to Sonia.
Now, it's not because I don't like the artwork, but rather because it's Shakespeare. Some people like his stuff and fair play to them I say, but I can't stand the guy.
As for the quality of the artwork mimicing that of a how to book, personally I love Sonias artwork and to be honest, i've seen a hell of a lot worse come out of Japan, some of it as multi-volume bestselling series. :? Ok, admittedly i've also seen better, but that's to be expected considering how much longer those particular artists have been in the business compared to Sonia.
Argh! Just a bit awkward? 
Let me clear something up. I didn't dislike it because of the fact that it was incorrectly labled as Manga, that doesn't matter so much even though I will admit it does niggle at me somewhat and even though probably wasn't the intention seems like part of the marketing. The use of the term manga has been debated plenty on this board before though so i'll skip ahead.
What I couldn't enjoy about it was the art style itself. While the artwork was technically very good I was distracted by the fact that the style seemed kind of reserved. To me it appeared rather like it was trying too hard to be manga and didn't have much of a personal touch from the artist. It came over to me as being restrained and in the process a bit sterile.
Just to move back about manga influenced artwork, there are several artists work that I enjoy that aren't based in Japan (Daniel Kim for one) but that was partly due to him incorporating his own presence in with his influences. I don't don't read that much manga and when I do I really need to be drawn into it visually. A good story just a lot of the time isn't enough to keep me reading.
This isn't meant as a personal stab at Sonia(so please don't take it that way), just my thoughts like i'd give on anything else.
Let me clear something up. I didn't dislike it because of the fact that it was incorrectly labled as Manga, that doesn't matter so much even though I will admit it does niggle at me somewhat and even though probably wasn't the intention seems like part of the marketing. The use of the term manga has been debated plenty on this board before though so i'll skip ahead.
What I couldn't enjoy about it was the art style itself. While the artwork was technically very good I was distracted by the fact that the style seemed kind of reserved. To me it appeared rather like it was trying too hard to be manga and didn't have much of a personal touch from the artist. It came over to me as being restrained and in the process a bit sterile.
Just to move back about manga influenced artwork, there are several artists work that I enjoy that aren't based in Japan (Daniel Kim for one) but that was partly due to him incorporating his own presence in with his influences. I don't don't read that much manga and when I do I really need to be drawn into it visually. A good story just a lot of the time isn't enough to keep me reading.
This isn't meant as a personal stab at Sonia(so please don't take it that way), just my thoughts like i'd give on anything else.
sonia_leong
Dandy Guy, in Space
Oh no, I wasn't having a go at anyone back on here either! (except the ones who just diss it without even looking at a sample XD and most of you will have flicked through it so you're not in that category of bastards)
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, if you like my stuff, that's great, if you think it looks like a rat's arse, you will just see it as a rat's arse. It's like interpreting an ink butterfly on a folded piece of paper!
XD
But as to whether I put my own touch on it... um... it really is just how I draw. I don't really know how to draw in a style that is much different ^_^;; For me to try to draw in a more western style would make me seem like I'm trying too hard!
I mean, I can use different colouring and inking techniques, and try using different media, but... I can't change the way I naturally represent people. From the first time I put pen to paper, my drawings of humans have always come out looking a bit manga.
*sudden realisation*
OH NOES! One trick pony!!
*flails in despair*
I'm gonna try and do a realistic portrait now, just to see if I can
;;
Everyone is entitled to their opinion, if you like my stuff, that's great, if you think it looks like a rat's arse, you will just see it as a rat's arse. It's like interpreting an ink butterfly on a folded piece of paper!
XD
But as to whether I put my own touch on it... um... it really is just how I draw. I don't really know how to draw in a style that is much different ^_^;; For me to try to draw in a more western style would make me seem like I'm trying too hard!
I mean, I can use different colouring and inking techniques, and try using different media, but... I can't change the way I naturally represent people. From the first time I put pen to paper, my drawings of humans have always come out looking a bit manga.
*sudden realisation*
OH NOES! One trick pony!!
*flails in despair*
I'm gonna try and do a realistic portrait now, just to see if I can
;;