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Shihan says “Reinventing and Originality”

SMA Editorial Dept. SMA Editorial Dept. 16/09/2020 4 min read
Creating 100% original content is a difficult, nigh on impossible task. You may have thought up a concept you’re convinced has never been done before. You’re brimming with excitement, but just in case, you give your idea a quick search and “boom!”, somebody has got there before you. But fear not, there is a world of difference between “copying” an idea, and “reinventing” it!  
From the Oxford Dictionary “the quality of being new and interesting in a way that is different from anything that has existed before”

The KEY is to know what has come before, then add your UNIQUE TWIST. 

Creating a story is about making “1” out of “0”. To do this, you need to know “0”, or everything that has come before. So before you develop your amazing concept idea, thoroughly research similar concepts (or “0’s”) to help both avoid similarities, and IMPROVE on what has come before.  Making an original story is very daunting, but if you have one original element, even within a well used concept theme, then you have already created something unique.  Record of Ragnarok has taken these lessons and veritably “owned” it! By using well known characters from history and myth, the manga already resonates with its audience by using familiarity and relatability. But once the reader has been hooked in by recognisable characters, implanting originality is a MUST to ensure a unique experience.  So how do you bring originality to something that has been used before?

Reimagine how the character looks visually. 

Bring new depth and interpretation by “expanding” on their backstories. 

Place them in an original setting.

Create exaggerated goals and difficult obstacles.

These 4 major points ensured Record of Ragnarok found its originality and record breaking sales!  The research involved in creating such a story is a tough job. But at its core, Record of Ragnarok is a simple story of humanity fighting the gods for their very survival. It is in HOW this survival story is portrayed that makes it exciting and unique, thereby ensuring its readers keep turning the page!   

Jack the Ripper by llustrated London News for October 13, 1888

Jack the Ripper by Ajichika sensei

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