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Amazing article. I was faced with a lot of these challenges when writing SB. Other insights just fell in naturally, given the kind of themes that made me write the story in the first place. I'm telling you, man: Western writers should watch anime or read manga. Classic and modern literature in both the West and Eastern Europe, fiction and non-fiction, can really help build a writer's style. But a lot of its heart was voided - became cynical over these last generations. Japanese culture is in a bad way, but somehow anime emerges as the pure voice of its heart. For the sake of fun, tears and exaltation of our best virtues, it pays to absorb how they do things. Merging these things can produce true narrative magic, making people feel things deeply again. That was my wager.
I should watch manga. My daugther made me watch Ghibli, and I quickly enjoyed that. I've seen you comment on it before and I'll start with what I've seen you recommend.
The state of western fiction is genuinely sad, because it's bred both bad authors and bad readers. I whole-heartedly agree about classics. How they transcend their own time period and stands stronger now than they ever did.
I'm constantly amazed of how truly good and well-written they are. Reading them is how I learned to shape my craft. And I concur. Building on them with modern eyes is how we create modern narrative magic!
I would recommend something like Demon Slayer to get started. You'll see how the Japanese world build and how these things always end up weaving into extremely human emotional beats. Absolutely no opportunity is squandered to make something feel significant. It is also an uncommon historical period for these supernatural action stories, the Taisho Era - early 20th century. Only media I can remember doing this is the Shin Megami Tensei videogame series and the first Shadow Hearts game. The clash of cultures is perhaps even sharper now, because of the greater technological advancements finally reaching consumer grade. The characters you follow though, are mostly still inhabiting an ancestrally rural Japan. It's truly enjoyable to watch their shock as the world is changing around them in an obvious secularist revolution, oblivious of all the scary things that once were ruled by credence of folklore. It's really good.
Amazing article. I was faced with a lot of these challenges when writing SB. Other insights just fell in naturally, given the kind of themes that made me write the story in the first place. I'm telling you, man: Western writers should watch anime or read manga. Classic and modern literature in both the West and Eastern Europe, fiction and non-fiction, can really help build a writer's style. But a lot of its heart was voided - became cynical over these last generations. Japanese culture is in a bad way, but somehow anime emerges as the pure voice of its heart. For the sake of fun, tears and exaltation of our best virtues, it pays to absorb how they do things. Merging these things can produce true narrative magic, making people feel things deeply again. That was my wager.
Thank you! <3
I should watch manga. My daugther made me watch Ghibli, and I quickly enjoyed that. I've seen you comment on it before and I'll start with what I've seen you recommend.
The state of western fiction is genuinely sad, because it's bred both bad authors and bad readers. I whole-heartedly agree about classics. How they transcend their own time period and stands stronger now than they ever did.
I'm constantly amazed of how truly good and well-written they are. Reading them is how I learned to shape my craft. And I concur. Building on them with modern eyes is how we create modern narrative magic!
I would recommend something like Demon Slayer to get started. You'll see how the Japanese world build and how these things always end up weaving into extremely human emotional beats. Absolutely no opportunity is squandered to make something feel significant. It is also an uncommon historical period for these supernatural action stories, the Taisho Era - early 20th century. Only media I can remember doing this is the Shin Megami Tensei videogame series and the first Shadow Hearts game. The clash of cultures is perhaps even sharper now, because of the greater technological advancements finally reaching consumer grade. The characters you follow though, are mostly still inhabiting an ancestrally rural Japan. It's truly enjoyable to watch their shock as the world is changing around them in an obvious secularist revolution, oblivious of all the scary things that once were ruled by credence of folklore. It's really good.
I think every indie author (particularly those I review!) should read this article once a week for as long as they plan to be accomplished writers.
💜