I believe Dungeons and Dragons might have a stronger demand for novels, since the line involves roleplaying, and novels can be good examples/tools to get the imagination of players flying for such things. For most people, it seems like MtG doesn't involve roleplaying at all.
Okay first off, I wouldn't exactly say 'the big anime boom has passed' when using Duel Masters and Yu-Gi-Oh! as if they're the biggest examples of what this 'market' wants (sorry, I prefer the term subculture).
Last time I checked, I've met more than a handful of fellow anime fans who regard either show as kids stuff. This isn't even considering that you can't generalize anime/manga just as you can't generalize its western counterpart. The best you can say is that anime/manga has been around since Astro Boy and that's it. Booms and declines? More likely it's got constant experiences of both now so it's pretty moot to say either.
What I mean by "anime boom" was the time period, that seemingly lasted until 2009 or so, in which anime and Manga were very MARKETABLE to children. I am not talking about the quality of the media itself, but its marketability to the wider audiences. Right now, most children TV networks barely show anime at all.
Yes, I realize that anime fans don't care about YuGiOh or Duel Masters. Or Naruto or Bleach, for that matter. But those are the sort of stories that a company like Hasbro would have been interested in making MtG into, since they can be easily used to sell merchandise en masse to teens and children.
Judging from the type of merchandise that is successful right now, it looks like a Live Action show featuring some teenaged pop singers would be the go-to strategy at this point to sell cards to kids.
.
I do sympathize with OBGRDGAZ point because this game really needs to find a way to get players digging into the flavor. I barely skimmed Doug's farewell piece and I lost my desire when I read the parts that have him basically saying that the Vorthos are rising. If my LGS is any indication, players like me are at the bottom of the rank because others care more about infinite win-cons and OTK (and to think I took a break from Yu-Gi-Oh! because of that).
This makes sense, but is not exactly what OBGRDGAZ seemingly wanted to do with Manga. He thought it'd be a good idea to try to make MtG cater to children at this point using the same media other successful TCGs used. But in my opinion, it is not the right time.
Manga could be used to make the player base that is both already into the MtG card game and into Manga, get more into MtG's storyline. But you probably won't attract many new costumers this way.
Finally, I can't exactly see much difference between anime characters, anime worlds, and anime fiction from what I've seen in M:tG (recently at least). Whether you like it or not, I can't see the point of whining about letting manga writers have a take. I just wish they can find a way to remind players that this is a fantasy game and make them have some respect for those who want to play a deck that says that.
And that is the problem, I think. I believe Wizards main objective is just selling cards, so in my mind if they were to publish a Manga, it wouldn't be like the Novels that already proved themselves a "failure", but something more akin to the models that have proven to be financial successes. What I picture is an abomination where the characters and plot are designed by the "Marketing Department", something at best with the quality of Bleach and at worst like Marvel's Mangaverse, rather than a true epic like Vinland Saga or Berserk.
Just a few things, one is that Wizards has already released several manga in the past.
The first ended up producing Duel Masters.... accidentally. They commisioned a mangaka to do a book about Magic, but rather than getting something about the storyline, the artist provided them with a book about kids actually playing Magic (akin to Yu-gi-oh.) Rather than just chalkingitup as a loss, they repurposed the manga into Duel Masters.
The others were an adaptation of the Brother's War (with quite frankly awful media translation) and more recently The Purifying Fire, which was far more loyal to the original script.
For most people, it seems like MtG doesn't involve roleplaying at all.
I agree. At first, I'm not sure how I would answer those Spikes who think this game was designed so that flavor will ultimately be discarded. On further reflection, I find them now idiotic and sad. You're a planeswalker for crying out loud. If that's not roleplaying, then washing dishes isn't a chore.
What I mean by "anime boom" was the time period, that seemingly lasted until 2009 or so, in which anime and Manga were very MARKETABLE to children. I am not talking about the quality of the media itself, but its marketability to the wider audiences. Right now, most children TV networks barely show anime at all.
I see. Although, I think you're citing an issue that's actually been plaguing anime fans (both mainstream ones and the classicists who decry them :p). Indeed, to say that the manga approach is kid-oriented is well... wrong. Just wrong. From what I've seen, it's so, so wrong. >_>;;;
Yes, I realize that anime fans don't care about YuGiOh or Duel Masters. Or Naruto or Bleach, for that matter. But those are the sort of stories that a company like Hasbro would have been interested in making MtG into, since they can be easily used to sell merchandise en masse to teens and children.
Something doesn't make sense here. Isn't this game a PG-13 at least? Also, I'm sure I've seen enough cards here that would warrant a nice OT (16+) in terms of manga rating.
Judging from the type of merchandise that is successful right now, it looks like a Live Action show featuring some teenaged pop singers would be the go-to strategy at this point to sell cards to kids.
JThis makes sense, but is not exactly what OBGRDGAZ seemingly wanted to do with Manga. He thought it'd be a good idea to try to make MtG cater to children at this point using the same media other successful TCGs used. But in my opinion, it is not the right time.
Really? I don't know, I kinda saw it more as this game taking a leaf out of popular anime/manga by simply spicing up the fantasy flavor a little bit via stories and stuff.
Manga could be used to make the player base that is both already into the MtG card game and into Manga, get more into MtG's storyline. But you probably won't attract many new costumers this way.
But wouldn't the alternative of making this game more kid-friendly be just as bad (if not worse)? This game has already accomplished much of what you're describing in terms of using the story. Heck I've seen one or two fans easily fit the Neowalkers into anime archetype molds. Honestly, the only thing you need to draw us really in is by giving us anime-style alternates. (At least that's what I'd like to see, fufufufufufu... :p)
What I picture is an abomination where the characters and plot are designed by the "Marketing Department", something at best with the quality of Bleach and at worst like Marvel's Mangaverse, rather than a true epic like Vinland Saga or Berserk.
Hmm... I don't know. I just read the summaries of some of the Kamigawa books and I thought what was described didn't differ much from what you'd see in Rurouni Kenshin, Fushigi Yuugi, or even Inu Yasha.
The others were an adaptation of the Brother's War (with quite frankly awful media translation) and more recently The Purifying Fire, which was far more loyal to the original script.
Manga Chandra is indeed pretty cute and I certainly wish someone would finish scanlating the whole series. However, I do admit she's a little skinny in this rendition but I've also seen some more well-proportioned anime artwork of her.
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StaffWhat I mean by "anime boom" was the time period, that seemingly lasted until 2009 or so, in which anime and Manga were very MARKETABLE to children. I am not talking about the quality of the media itself, but its marketability to the wider audiences. Right now, most children TV networks barely show anime at all.
Yes, I realize that anime fans don't care about YuGiOh or Duel Masters. Or Naruto or Bleach, for that matter. But those are the sort of stories that a company like Hasbro would have been interested in making MtG into, since they can be easily used to sell merchandise en masse to teens and children.
Judging from the type of merchandise that is successful right now, it looks like a Live Action show featuring some teenaged pop singers would be the go-to strategy at this point to sell cards to kids.
.
This makes sense, but is not exactly what OBGRDGAZ seemingly wanted to do with Manga. He thought it'd be a good idea to try to make MtG cater to children at this point using the same media other successful TCGs used. But in my opinion, it is not the right time.
Manga could be used to make the player base that is both already into the MtG card game and into Manga, get more into MtG's storyline. But you probably won't attract many new costumers this way.
And that is the problem, I think. I believe Wizards main objective is just selling cards, so in my mind if they were to publish a Manga, it wouldn't be like the Novels that already proved themselves a "failure", but something more akin to the models that have proven to be financial successes. What I picture is an abomination where the characters and plot are designed by the "Marketing Department", something at best with the quality of Bleach and at worst like Marvel's Mangaverse, rather than a true epic like Vinland Saga or Berserk.
The first ended up producing Duel Masters.... accidentally. They commisioned a mangaka to do a book about Magic, but rather than getting something about the storyline, the artist provided them with a book about kids actually playing Magic (akin to Yu-gi-oh.) Rather than just chalkingitup as a loss, they repurposed the manga into Duel Masters.
The others were an adaptation of the Brother's War (with quite frankly awful media translation) and more recently The Purifying Fire, which was far more loyal to the original script.
I agree. At first, I'm not sure how I would answer those Spikes who think this game was designed so that flavor will ultimately be discarded. On further reflection, I find them now idiotic and sad. You're a planeswalker for crying out loud. If that's not roleplaying, then washing dishes isn't a chore.
I see. Although, I think you're citing an issue that's actually been plaguing anime fans (both mainstream ones and the classicists who decry them :p). Indeed, to say that the manga approach is kid-oriented is well... wrong. Just wrong. From what I've seen, it's so, so wrong. >_>;;;
Something doesn't make sense here. Isn't this game a PG-13 at least? Also, I'm sure I've seen enough cards here that would warrant a nice OT (16+) in terms of manga rating.
Ugh, don't remind me. >_<;;
Really? I don't know, I kinda saw it more as this game taking a leaf out of popular anime/manga by simply spicing up the fantasy flavor a little bit via stories and stuff.
But wouldn't the alternative of making this game more kid-friendly be just as bad (if not worse)? This game has already accomplished much of what you're describing in terms of using the story. Heck I've seen one or two fans easily fit the Neowalkers into anime archetype molds. Honestly, the only thing you need to draw us really in is by giving us anime-style alternates. (At least that's what I'd like to see, fufufufufufu... :p)
Hmm... I don't know. I just read the summaries of some of the Kamigawa books and I thought what was described didn't differ much from what you'd see in Rurouni Kenshin, Fushigi Yuugi, or even Inu Yasha.
Manga Chandra is indeed pretty cute and I certainly wish someone would finish scanlating the whole series. However, I do admit she's a little skinny in this rendition but I've also seen some more well-proportioned anime artwork of her.