I’ve been thinking about this argument for awhile… like a year or two and I think I finally know how to explain how I feel when it’s brought up and dismissed.

Just because you don’t agree, doesn’t mean at some level there isn’t a real point to why people don’t like OEL/manga-influenced/ameri-manga comics being called manga. Here’s my point:

Different cultures, make different feeling comics. They can have the same art style and even the same stories but they’ll still be different because the cultures and symbols and ideas are different. I like both Japanese and American comics… hell I like European comics and Australian comics and basically anything that catches my fancy however all of these comics have different flavors. There are some people that want Japanese comics *specifically* for the type of flavor they offer and not just the art or the stories. PLEASE NOTE THIS! Some people like to see a different take and culture reflected from their comics. I was like this when I first got into manga. At the time American comics/movies/animation all felt the same, had the same ideas, ran the same way AND I WANTED NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT and Japanese stuff seemed like a breath of fresh air… sadly the Japanese stuff has it’s own cliches and over used icons, and bad comics BUT this change of flavor really matters to some people. And they just want the flavor that they want and not something created to look like that flavor.

So, I can see why maybe people don’t care how much you love ameri-manga they’re not going to want it, buy it, or want you to call it manga. Because to them it’s like lying. It’s just not the same flavor.

It’s sort of sad that a lot of OEL comics are being marketed and packaged as JAPANESE comics. It’s like buying a bag labeled Cool Ranch flavor and ending up with Salt and Vinegar instead. Salt and Vinegar is great if that’s what you want to eat but damn it if they wanted Cool Ranch they’re not going to want Salt and Vinegar. Or at least they’re not going to give that flavor the chance it deserves after being tricked into buying it. >_< Runs away screaming from own analogies!!! Hides!