Ask John: Does Japanese Have Different Names for Manga and Foreign Comics?

Question:
Do the Japanese have different words for American and Japanese comics? Or do they apply the term “manga” to comics from anywhere in the world? Are there Japanese terms for American or Korean comics?

Answer:
In Japanese language, the terms “manga” and “comic” are used interchangeably and refer to any comic book style art. When it’s necessary to distinguish differences, for example, for analytical comparison, American comic books are “America no manga,” Korean manhwa are referred to as “Kankoku no manga,” and Japanese comics are “Nihon no manga.” In most cases unnecessary for Japanese speakers to make distinctions with the term “manga” because foreign comics are relatively rare in Japan. To the best of my knowledge, there are few Korean manhwa published in Japan, and imported American comics are only available from select specialty stores. Typical Japanese bookstores and average Japanese manga and anime specialty stores don’t carry American or Korean comics.

I’d like to place emphasis on the fact that Japanese use of the word “manga” as an interchangeable substitute for “comics” doesn’t necessarily mean that English speakers should use the term in the same way. In Japan, the word “manga” may be a generic, all-purpose description for sequential graphic art, but in English, the word “manga” has a different meaning. In English, the word “manga” refers to Japanese comics. After all, no one in America would naturally refer to Peanuts comic strips or Superman comics as “manga.” The Japanese use of the word “manga” can be compared to the American term “fast food.” To Americans, any over-the-counter convenience food is “fast food” regardless of whether it’s burgers, chicken, pizza, Mexican, Asian, Greek, or anything else. For average Japanese speakers, the word “manga” is a convenient shorthand. For Americans, it’s a distinctive term with a precise meaning.