Many anime fans are familiar with the manga, because a lot of the productions are based on this medium, note Naruto, Dragon Ball, and Bleach, to name a few. But this season, the custom has been broken more forcefully, as the Tower of God webtoon adaptation reverberated in popularity this season. But what are webtoons and what makes them different? They are currently a global phenomenon, with readers and creators from all over the world.
First, it is worth specifying that a webtoon and a manhwa are not the same. Like the manga, the word "manhwa" is just the Korean translation for the word "comic." However, webtoon series are a type of comic, but specifically for digital media, which makes it very different from print media. The webtoon series are occasionally printed on paper, but for the most part this is only for collectors. Instead, webtoons are designed to be read vertically on screens, specifically on phones and tablets. This unique style is characteristic of this medium, and although it takes a little getting used to, since by inertia we could start reading from right to left and then realize that we were reading it wrong, it is certainly gratifying once you dive into the stories .
Unlike American manga or comics, webtoons are generally not based on panels and page designs. Instead, webtoons use an "infinite canvas," in which the reader scrolls down to the end of the chapter. The length of a chapter of a webtoon varies quite a bit, but generally they are long. If you tried to print just one chapter you would take at least 30 pages for most of the series, and some would be almost blank. In fact, these blanks can be quite confusing, but they do serve to create pauses in the reading of the story and make the big revelations more impactful, providing tense and dramatic moments, something a manga can hardly imitate unless it is between a page change.
In fact, if the use of vertical reading and the size of the chapters are not enough differences, it is worth mentioning that webtoons are always in color. While many webtoons use negative space to help with that load, it's still pretty impressive to think about the work of publishing new chapters always in full color. In many cases, a webtoon will change its background colors to black and white to represent changes over time, such as a transition between day and night, or between past and present. In fact, the effect they use to go from coloring to black and white tones is also a rather interesting effect that increases the emotional impact of reading.
Similar to a manga, a webtoon can deal with almost any genre or theme. The reader can find series on school life, professionals, sports, fantasy, science fiction, practically everything. And in case you find a long-running series, you'll find plenty of other titles to read as you wait for the next chapter. However, it should be noted that not all webtoon authors are Korean, since there are many creators around the world, offering a wide variety of artistic styles and narrative themes that make webtoon a fresh platform for entertainment.
Admittedly, some manga readers are reluctant to give webtoons a chance, perhaps because of the sudden change in styles or because they feel very attached to the manga industry. However, the readability offered by webtoons even on a smartphone is a great advantage for the reader experience. Certainly, I'm sure that most read light novels by unofficial means through their smartphones (increasingly tiring the eyes in the process) so why not give webtoons a try? Certainly, this medium also offers adult-themed stories, but let me warn you that for some reason Koreans often include infidelity in their narratives (Netrare), are you ready for that?
Original writing: Crunchyroll
