#snakepelt

okay, first, omg thank you very much you have succeeded on melting my heart into a mush 😭

and second, I’m hardly someone who should give others advice since I’m not a professional yet wwwwww but anyway I’ll try my best

1. Plan you ending

yes, do plan your ending first before you start to write anything complex. it gives you an anchor and sense of direction when writing the plot and problems. it doesn’t have to be overly detailed

2. Do write the script form start to finish, plan the arcs

this is important in doing a long story. write out your general plot first. write your main conflict and problems.

then you can start to divide it into tinier plots if you wish to by planning little arcs and bridge them nicely. it would prevent you to stray from your original plot.

to start a serious comic, you must have at least planned all the major plots and the ending, and also already have a structured outline on how much arcs and sub-plot it would have. if not, you’re most likely going to stray and would find trouble with the pacing. Give an arc a hint or a revelation on the main plot and keep them relevant. unless you wanna make a small detour to let you characters breathe from the conflict

you don’t have to plan an over-complicated plot, just the simple introduction, mystery, action, conflict, and conclusion will do. The main point is that you know where your story is going to, and you know how it would reach the finish line

those two are what you should prepare before drawing. now, to the extra advice:

3. Because it’s a comic, make your characters distinguishable

not just for their hair and eye color, but also eye shape, facial features, body shape, etc. Make their expression unique for each of them. Know your character and translate their traits into body language. I usually do this by drawing those facial expressions meme with the same character over and over again.

for example, Soul’s contented smile would differ from Black Star’s contented smile. Bakugo’s surprised face is different from Deku’s surprised face, and of course, even if you switch their hairstyle and eye colors, they’re still distinguishable because they have different facial features

4. Make your characters human, including the antagonists

don’t make them two-dimensional. give them flaw, make them relatable. make us understand why they do what they’re doing even though we don’t agree with their decision and behavior.

You don’t have to like your character as a human, but do give them both good and bad points. there are no real villains and heroes in a good story, just deeply flawed human beings.

5. Growth

this is also important. identify the main issues of your character, and make sure they have changed at the end of your story. it doesn’t have to be a positive growth, but make them change, especially emotionally

write how your characters are at the start of the series, and compare to how they would be at the end

this also applies to character interactions. friendships and familial bonds grow over time, you have to remember that it’s not only romantic and antagonistic relationships that are changing

6. World building

if your story would be set in an epic fantasy or otherworldly concept, then don’t give your readers info dump

introduce your setting slowly, only tell what’s important. and bc it’s a comic, use the background, use the people, use your art style to introduce your world.

we can take A:TLA for example, we don’t see them dumping worldbuilding things and history shit on the first episode. we just see there’s bendings, there’s the avatar, and it is set in a medievalish age. We would naturally see further into the world concept as the character travels around

7. REFERENCES AND BETA READERS

this is pivotal. watch and read many comic/webcomic and focus on their storytelling and art.

also give your first draft to a beta. ask them how your pacing is, how your story is, is there a plot hole, etc. and don’t be afraid, first drafts are bound to change and evolve! don’t be too harsh on yourself if your first attempt is not to your standard!

that’s it I guess?

anyway I’m just writing what I’ve been doing I’m sorry if my advice just over-complicates things wwww I hope it could help you a bit ><

My oc!!

Hmmmm if you want a flat out answer I'd say the manga. It has grittier vibe and ofc more explicit and thorough than the anime, not to mention Kohske's superb drawing and her skill in micro-expressions. The drawing just talks, man... it's so good

But then again the anime also has a very good animation and great soundtracks. It's definitely worth a shot. Although it should be noted that the anime ended in a cliffhanger because the studio went bankrupt.

Still, the animated fighting scenes were so cool and the soundtracks definitely add to the story.

listen

I have a whole Moon-sized love for Blair.

I know her character got ill-treatments through the whole story, but I like to think deeply into her character.

First, her ‘fan-service’ purpose.

I’ll have to stress that Blair is actually a cat. An animal, albeit magical. So she doesn’t actually care much about clothing (or lack thereof). She’s also very comfortable and confident in her body, so stripping or dressing minimally have no impact on her. Also, Blair loves cute things. She wanted to tease Soul solely because she just found that the boy was absolutely adorable when he’s nervous, and she loves making Maka jealous because she’s cute when she’s angry.

Second, I love picturing her as the pair’s adopted mother cat. She’s basically adopting them as her own kittens the moment she followed them back to Death City. Blair might look irresponsible, but she looks after her kittens and absolutely no one could hurt them in her watch.

Proof of this is when she fought Mizune. She talked about witches as if they were garbage, and that was after Soul got his chest sliced open. Next, she followed them to Bor-7 factory, and that was right when the madness started to ‘change’. I guess she sensed something bad and tagged along despite never done that before. Then, she was the one following the gang into the Book of Eibon, even though there’s still another actual witches present.

Also, I love to think that Blair was a trap set by Lord Death to ruin Maka and Soul’s progress because they were nowhere near ready to make a Death Scythe. You can’t tell me that Lord Death, one of the strongest being on earth, could be fooled by a cat. It was absolutely intentional. Whether Blair was in on the plan or not is up to you.

I........ actually don’t read manga that much guys.....

mostly bc I’m usually so picky fhgkdkfgj pls don’t get me wrong, there’s tons of mangas/manhwas/webcomics that I like, but I only follow a few. I usually follow something that I use as some kind of reference to build my own story, mainly for the art and characterizations, etc so yeah wwww

for ones I obviously read were Fullmetal Alchemist and Soul Eater, ofc, but you def already know about them wwwwww

so uhh I guess I’m just gonna list what I currently follow? I’m currently liking manhwas/webcomics bc it’s easy to read on mobile. these are all that I check p regularly:

1. Gangsta. by Kohske. (seinen, adventure/thriller) Yeahhh p obvious I love this one lmao, it’s mature and pretty dark and interesting even though the plot’s pretty simple. Also, Kohske is cruel. She’s one of mangakas I look up to fgsgsjfd. It’s about mafia fights and drug problems and superhumans. plot is angst-heavy, but the characters are so lovable and did I mention everyone was hot asf? it’s currently on hiatus tho.

2. Otoyomegatari by Kaoru Mori (seinen, romance) this one’s so obvious lmao I like pretty clothes and it’s a great reference for me to learn to be a mangaka. The plot follows the stories of couples and marriages in medieval central asia. I must warn that the art details on this manga is beyond insane. Eyegasm.

3. Kono Oto Tomare by Amyuu (shounen, music) if u like chihayafuru u def would like his one wwwww. it’s about Koto and traditional japanese music. the romance is so cute jhdfsjfgsjkafgjkghgjdgd

4. Akatsuki no Yona by Kusanagi Mizuho (shoujo, adventure/romance). I’m honestly so into  historical mangas wwwwww. it follows Princess Yona and her ‘dragons’ on their journey after Yona was exiled from the palace.

5. Boku no Hero Academia by Horikoshi Kohei (shounen). Yeah this one’s maybe the only popular shounen I follow rn wwww but I haven’t checked it since like four months ago or smt wwwww

6. Flawless by Shinshinhye (webtoon, romance). it’s about a story between a blind boy with advanced senses and a headstrong girl. seriously good romance and even the side characters are all so complex and flawed. The male lead is a bit twisted and so manipulative while the heroine is stubborn and v independent.

7. 7 Wonders by Metalu (webtoon, fantasy/romance) idk if this had been translated or no, I read it in my native lang wwwww. it revolves around Indonesian folktale of Jaka Tarub and Nawang Wulan.

8. The Villainess Reverses The Hourglass (manhwa, romance). Aria Roscente was sentenced to death bc of her adopted family’s schemes, but god gave her a chance to change her fate by sending her back ten years earlier, and this time Aria vows to be a real villainess to punish people who wronged her.

I love this one so much bc we have a villain as a protag, who actually acts like a villain. She actually knows she’s evil, is ruthless, but still so charismatic that we can’t help but think that her actions were justified. I’m weak against greatly written villains. She’s also deeply wicked to the core, and not turning into your typical glorified good hero. Did I also mention she’s a strong woman who absolutely doesn’t need no man? yeah absolutely good shit

9. Suddenly I Became A Princess/Who Made Me A Princess by Plutus & Spoon (manhwa, fantasy, isekai). seriously, I normally don’t do isekai guys but I like this one so much wwwww. Basically an orphan fell asleep (suicide?) and woke up in the body of Athanasia, a princess she’d read about in a novel. The catch is she knows the whole plot of the novel and she knows Athanasia’s gonna be murdered by her own father, the emperor. So we follow Athy as she tries to avoid her death. Good. Found. Family. Shit.

Also the dad’s so tsundere hjgdskgfdk I love him.

10. Lessa by POGO (manhwa, dark fantasy) Completely Underrated™. it splits into a trilogy; Lessa, Lessa: The Crimson Knight, and Lessa: Servant of Cosmos. the last one is ongoing. Following the adventure of Lessa, a fallen god who fathered a demonic race called the Demans, and Rano, a human searching for his sister who was abducted by the demans.

This one also got a pretty dark in theme, considering its heavy symbolic with gods, angels, disciples and believers. I must warn that the art is maybe not for everyone bc it could get pretty disturbing like let’s say, Madoka? but instead of cute girls we have devilish/satanic figures lol. But honestly, the art is very pretty, and it speaks. Definitely my favorite manhwa so far.

Bonus, the ones that already completed (or, ehm, indefinitely on hiatus)!

1. Chang Ge Xing by Xia Da (manhua, seinen) currently on indefinite hiatus, but the published chapters are definitely Worth It™. it follows Princess Chang Ge, who was chased out of the palace after a coup, and living as a man while trying to gather strength for a revenge. I’m a historical fanatic I told you wwwww, but also the heroine is so complex, ruthless, cunning, manipulative, but also independent and v charismatic. The kinda heroine I love the most ughhh.

she seduces princesses and even elected as the male lead’s ‘sworn brother’ lol also she has a wife at some point. A++

2. Zetsuen No Tempest by Shirodaira Kyo (shounen, dark fantasy) follows Mahiro and Yoshino as they try to crack the murder case of Mahiro’s sister Aika through magic, wizards, and logic, at the end of the world. Heavy Shakespeare references. if u don’t have the time to read the manga, the anime is a pretty dang good choice too.

that’s it for now I guess? I def forgot a lot bc I don’t read much these days.

if you have any rec that’s similar to these mangas I’d like to know wwwww

I-uh.. haven’t wwwww

that is a tricky question bc I watched a lot of kid animes in my childhood wwww like Chibi Maruko-chan or Honeybee Hutch

But my oldest memory of ‘teen anime’ is either Hunter x Hunter or Inuyasha (which actually had a waaay better dubbing compared to other animes). And Rurouni Kenshin too.

For the manga, I remember I’ve read Detective Conan somewhere on the second grade lmao I’ve even bought some volumes too, bad Zi.

I mostly read shounen mangas as a kid, but I also remember reading a LOT of shoujo wwwwww bc there was a manga rental near my school and the shoujo section was HUGE.