CAA: Christian Anime Alliance

Does anybody here have the courage to read manga in public, or have done so without feeling embarrassed about it?

I personally feel that whipping out a manga in a crowded place seems to attract more attention than with anything else, given that the artwork tends to draw people towards what you're reading (big-eyed characters or the frilly artwork in shoujo manga). So I've pretty much kept my reading of manga to myself, and not made it a big deal.

Azumanga Daioh however, with it's "Western" format seems to be the only thing I can read comfortably in view of other people.

I never really thought about it! I have a tendency to read my manga immediately after the purchase, so yeah, I read my manga in public all the time. XD;

I bring mine to work to read in the staffroom^^ Meh, no one cares or really questions. If anything, the only thing I've ever gotten was a "Hey you're reading manga? I used to be big into Ranma 1/2!" So, I'm not bugged about it, and it's ALOT better than sitting there and reading People and/or Star magazine >_<

I browse a couple pages in the book store when surrounded by fellow buyers, but usually keep my Manga reading habits under my hat.

when i first saw this thread, i thought you meant reading mangas out loud in public and i thought "what a strange idea". now that i know what you mean, i have to say yes. and often. sometimes, when my parents go shopping for a long time, they just drop me off at a bookstore and i spend 2-3 hours reading manga there. though in very crowded areas, i do feel that it is sort of annoying when there are people you don't know reading over your shoulder (seriously...) but at the book stores, i usually find someplace remotely empty and quiet to read mangas...

I envy you guys who have bookshops where you have room (and are allowed) to sit down and read for a bit. Ours are only shelves and shelves of books. You are allowed to browse, but absolutely no reading or you have to buy the book or leave the shop.

I usually read manga in public. But no one really pays any attention to it.

Since I work at a bookstore, I tend to read in public a lot.

I actually know a guy who's a regular customer who has read literally every single manga book we carry.

I have in the past, yes. I used to bring manga to school and read it when I was finished with an assignment (in 10th grade, mostly), and I've brought a manga on long field trips on buses before. I don't really think about the reaction of the people around me, though. XD

Yep, and no one ever commented. But the only places I've read in public is in the library, the laundrymat or traveling in the car. Well, so far.

Azier wrote:I actually know a guy who's a regular customer who has read literally every single manga book we carry.

Whoa. That's... dedicated.

I read manga on the train, usually. Its 40 minutes to my station... so I tend to get through a volume of fruits basket with time to spare. But the trains aren't usually crowded. I probably wouldn't whip out any manga in public, though... I tend to draw when I have free time, rather than read.

Not really. I have no reason to take my manga out into public, therefore no reason to read it in public. Although I probably wouldn't mind if I had a reason.

jon_jinn wrote:when i first saw this thread, i thought you meant reading mangas out loud in public and i thought "what a strange idea".

Haha! Now that would really attract some attention!

I'll sometimes read manga in public if I know I'll have a lot of time to kill, like in a doctor's office or on a bus. I haven't gotten any unusual attention, but having an audience does make one extremely conscious of any fanservice or bad dialogue that might pop up.

I hardly ever read manga in public. I just feel too self conscious. But I do read it at book stores sometimes.

I don't have a problem with reading manga in public..I'm usually too into what I'm reading to notice anybody else

Azier the Swordsman wrote:I actually know a guy who's a regular customer who has read literally every single manga book we carry.

Was he reading them all at the bookstore? As long as the guy wasn't blocking the manga aisle like some people do, then I'd like to shake his hand.

Bah, I only read manga at home. If I "read in public" then I'm just skimming random titles at the store. I don't really give a crap who's looking at what I'm reading.

I'll read one whenever I feel like, so if that happens to be in the mall on a bench in front of the bookstore waiting for mom, so be it.

I usually don't buy them since Borders allows me to sit and read there to my heart's content.

I do own some, but I usually don't share my manga interests with people that don't care for it at all (and as far as my friends go, I have a total of 2 who care).

I have gotten caught reading Eyeshield 21 by my football playing friends (I do as well). While it's a decent series, trust me. They butcher football so badly.

That's why I prefer Prince of Tennis. I usually don't mind when a sport I don't like gets butchered.

Well... I'll only read it in public if there's nothing else to do, like if I'm sitting in a waiting room. =P Most of the time I read it at home, though.

Prince of Tennis doesn't really butcher tennis that much. If you don't like it, then how can you so easily judge it? Tennis is my favorite sport, while football is the sport of barbarians. Such lack of thought and strategy...just bashing each other and running. A waste of time.

Destroyer2000 wrote:Prince of Tennis doesn't really butcher tennis that much. If you don't like it, then how can you so easily judge it? Tennis is my favorite sport, while football is the sport of barbarians. Such lack of thought and strategy...just bashing each other and running. A waste of time.

Easy, no need to get so up-tight about it. XD; Let's not turn this into a sports-bashing thread. Either way, you just bashed football, which you obviously don't like, so...how can you so easily judge it? o_o Anyways...

As for the topic, I don't have anything to add to my last post, really. Manga does make for a good read during waiting times, though, with its easy-to-pick-up-again layout.

I like Prince of Tennis.
They just made Tennis matches look like a fight from DBZ with all the names for moves and how they tennis playing is handled.

Same for Eyeshield 21.

Such lack of thought and strategy

You think football lacks stradegy?

Trust me, football so totally involves stradegy or do they make playbooks for entertainment?

I'm pretty sure football is more strategic than hitting a bill back and forth with a racket.

But you're right, tennis is far more entertaining to watch which is why the Super Bowl is the most watched annual moment on television.

I'll just close by saying that according to my personal belief system, football is far more strategic than tennis. While both have a significant amount of strategy (I was joking about the hitting back and forth thing), I believe football overpowers it that way. To say it's nothing more than running and bashing shows you know nothing of the sport.

If you have something more to say regarding this, take it to PM.

I'm the nervous type.

While I'm getting more used to reading it in public, I still prefer to go to the back end of my book store and find a chair to read it in. And while people haven't looked at me directly while I'm reading it, I still feel like I'm being watched by everyone.

However, I don't mind reading next the shelf if they are other manga readers around me, however, I do feel slightly uncomfortable being around them due to them being older then me and having different preferences then my own.

So, I mostly read at home or in private when I can.

I haven't felt the need to bring my meager collection with me in public, but if I did, I wouldn't care. There's no shame in reading manga.

.rai//

I read all the time, everywhere (even on church retreats ^^). Novels, manga, magazines, whatever. I've never been embarrassed about being seen with a particular book or manga, and I've never really noticed much of a reaction from other people.

Nah, I always have my messenger bag with me, and there's always at least one manga stashed inside. You just never know when you're going to have to be stationary for longer than 30 seconds somewhere ... I've never had a problem with reading manga outside of the home. It attracts a lot less attention than sketching in public, I can tell you that much.

I carry a bag as well that has manga and my notebook and coloured pencils. But yeah I read in public all the time. Haven't really thought about the strange looks o.O

I've read my manga in the doctor's office before. Once when my dad took me I took along my volume of Kenshin. And this past then I was sick my mom took me and I had the latest vol. of Full Metal Alchemist. So I read it in pulic. The old guy in the waiting room I think gave me a strange look because I was readt 'backwards' but I really wasn't paying much attention to him. But to doctor I saw I'd never seen before. I couldn't get in to see my usual doctor. And the new guy made fun of my manga! He made me mad, and he had bad bedside manner.