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Shihan says “A story has a relatable emotion at its core”

SMA Editorial Dept. SMA Editorial Dept. 15/07/2020 5 min read

“A story has a relatable emotion at its core”

  Some might think that a manga survives because of incredible worlds, supernatural powers or amazing visuals. That is partly true as visuals are the first thing people see when they pick a manga.   

But every story needs a relatable protagonist to move it forward.

  As the saying goes, “you cannot please everyone”. Your story doesn’t have to reach everyone, that’s why genres, age restrictions and different media exist. The more options for all those different tastes, the bigger the chances that everyone will find content they enjoy.   But your story should be clear in the way it relates to the reader. There are many ways to make a story relatable. The protagonist’s age, profession, social status, gender are some qualities you can use . The drama of the story;  the loss of a loved one, the love for your cat or dog, the everyday life of a student, finding your purpose in life, are thoughts or experiences that most people had at some point.  

A professional manga artist has to write for the audience. That means that an author has to be specific and conscious of the reader.

  Wakako was made from the combinations of the author’s LOVE for eating and drinking outside, as well as the representation of those that go against social judgements and actually enjoy dining out alone without caring for how they are perceived. Especially the ladies.   After reading Wakakozake we could say that people that enjoy it are: aged around 20s~40s, have regular jobs, people that enjoy food or drink, young ladies or men that relate to dining out alone, people that like to have quiet time, people that don’t like big parties., people that like to explore new places…etc. These are all specific characteristics of the kind of reader Wakako is reaching out.    Besides that, her uniqueness and especially her EMOTION of looking forward to that beer or dish after a long day at work is an universal emotion that anyone can understand.    This is where Wakakozake shines through, her looks, her social status, her individual hobby and her emotion, all of these are Wakakozake’s unique selling points that connects to the reader.   If you want to read more about Wakakozake, you can read for free the first 5 chapters here https://smacmag.net/v/wakakozake/wakakozake_c01-05/#1    
SMA Editorial Dept.

SMA Editorial Dept.

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