So. For those of you who don't understand what the HECK I was talking about in the title:

Manga - Japanese
Manhwa - Korean
Manhua - Chinese.

I was wondering, what are your thoughts on the different styles? Which do you tend to like bettter?
Have you read any Manhwa/Manhua? (chances are you've read Manhwa, as there are a lot in America!)
Manhua is a lot more rare in America, but scanlations are fairly easy to get. (If you're not opposed to them)
What do you recommend for each type?



The next two posts will be for Manhwa and Manhua recommendations and titles. :3
(I don't feel the need for a Manga post, because there are more than enough of those in this forum!)

Here is a list of Manhwa series out in America. OBVIOUSLY not all. But they're some that I suggest. (Feel free to tell me to add more!)

Originally Posted by Manhwa Series

Angel Diary by Kara and Yoon-Hee Lee
Demon Diary by Kara and Yoon-Hee Lee
NOW by Sung-Woo Park
11th Cat by Mi-Kyung Kim
Arcana by So-Young Lee
Model by So-Young Lee
Bride of the Water God by Mi-Kyung Yoon
Chocolat by Ji-Sang Shin and Geo
Chronicles of the Cursed Sword by Beop-Ryong Yuy and Hui-Jin Park
The Great Catsby by Doha
iD_eNTITY by Hee-Joon Son and Youn-Kyung Kim
I.N.V.U. by Kang-Won Kim
Kill Me, Kiss Me by Young-You Lee
Moon Boy by Young-You Lee
Les Bijoux by Eun-Ha Jo and Sang-Sun Park
Let Dai by Soo-Yeon Woon
ONE by Lee Vin
PhD: Phantasy Degree by Hee Joon Son
Ragnarok by Myung-Jin Lee
Snow Drop by Kyung-Ah Choi
Tarot Cafe by Sang-Sun Park
Shugo Chara by Peach-Pit
DearS by Peach-Pit
Rozen Maiden by Peach-Pit
Zombie Loan by Peach-Pit
MUCH more

Here is a list of MANHUA out in America. (Chinese)

This is going to be much smaller. XD
Feel free to tell me to add to it. :3

Originally Posted by MANHUA TITLES

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon by Andy Seto
Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre by Louis Cha and Wing Shing Ma
HERO by Wing Shing Ma
Shaolin Soccer by Andy Seto
The Storm Riders (Fung Wan) by Wing Shing Ma

IF you know of any more, please tell me!

These sound really interesting!

They are. They have really different styles of art, and the different cultures are portrayed in the stories.


I'm quite partial to manhwa. :3

I actually like manhwa, but more because I'm so partial to the beautiful and detailed art that they usually have in them <3

In Bride of the Water God for example, the art was so amazingly beautiful that it was one of those things I bought without even grumbling about how high it was (with gas inflation and all xD)

Haha. I haven't read that one yet, but it's on my list for when I have money.

I agree though! The angles of the art, the details.. Gah! I love it.

Moon Boy is one of my favorite Manhwa.
So cute. :3

Same with Angel Diary and Demon Diary. Kara and Lee Yoon-Hee have AWESOME stories/art.

The other ones I own are Les Bijoux, I.N.V.U., ONE, Stand By Youth, DearS, Rozen Maiden, Shugo Chara, Zombie Loan...

I adore Les Bijoux's art.

And I'm surprised at how few people know/realize that Peach-Pit is a korean manhwa team, not a japanese manga team!

I don't tend to pay attention where the things I am reading come from. I pick based on whether I like the art style and the story. I end up with a lot of manga this way, but I also have a few mahwa too. Namely Demon Diary which was one of my earlier series.

I totally didn't know Rozen Maiden was manhwa though! I have that one too and just kinda assumed it was from Japan. Wait no... Wikipedia says that the manga-ka are based and published in Japan. v_v;;

They're based and published in Japan, but they are a Korean team. :3 Both the manga-ka are Korean.


So, it's kinda fuzzy about what they'd be considered... >.>

Their style is DEFINITELY closer to average manga style then average manhwa.

Hmm. I guess that puts it in a bit of an awkward position.

It definitely looks more Japanese in style

So far I've only read 2 Manhwa Kill Me Kiss Me and some of Ragnarok, I opened up K2 the manga way when first picking it up and was like "Backwards?" -__- el oh el
Fell in love with K2 and Ragnarok had potential but I ran out of money. Liked em both.
As for the styles? They strike me as pretty similar.

Awww, Ragnarok brings me back... I got the first part of that series (1-3) years ago.. I think I sold them though, cause I couldn't find the rest, and I needed room.. :C

I only have 1 and 2 left of ragnarok...tho I only had 3 to begin with. No idea where that last one went.
Same with Legal Drug I some how only have volume 3 o_O

Haha. I hate when that happens! I lost book 1 of FAKE (Actually, I lent it to a friend who lost it... :c Oh well, I forgive her. She's usually quite reliable and is one of my best friends!)
But my other best friend saw it at half price books and bought it for me. :3

I think most manhwa has awesome drawing style. I really like soft pictures with subtle colors that blend in... and little line art. It almost looks like watercolor, only it's smooth and done on the computer. ^^ Manhwa also has really awesome character designs. Unlike manga, they actually do change clothes every day. xDD

As for manhua... I don't read a lot. I think there's a reason why they're not as popular...

Originally Posted by Mage

I think most manhwa has awesome drawing style. I really like soft pictures with subtle colors that blend in... and little line art. It almost looks like watercolor, only it's smooth and done on the computer. ^^ Manhwa also has really awesome character designs. Unlike manga, they actually do change clothes every day. xDD

As for manhua... I don't read a lot. I think there's a reason why they're not as popular...

Haha. I'm sad there isn't as much Manhua out.. :c

But yeah, the art is amazing in Manhwa! It's detailed, and the angles.. Gah.
everything about it.. the whole style.. >.> It's eyegasmic. :0

I love manga. xDD Maybe it's the shoujo art that I like.. big eyes, cute characters, good story.. hehe~ and there's a lot more that I can read online, unlike manhwa/manhua.

I've read a few manhwa~ the art is beautiful.. I love how Korean artists draw. xD But I still prefer manga, unless the plot of the manhwa is really good.. :]] There's one called My Girl and I love it as much as manga. xDD Very pretty people in there. n__n

I haven't read any manhua that I know of. xD; Maybe because I don't know any? :lol: Oh wait, maybe there is one.. I think it's a oneshot called She Is Cinderella.. it was drawn by a Chinese person, but the art was really similar to any shoujo manga, so I almost mistook it for one. ^^;

Originally Posted by suppi

I love manga. xDD Maybe it's the shoujo art that I like.. big eyes, cute characters, good story.. hehe~ and there's a lot more that I can read online, unlike manhwa/manhua.

I've read a few manhwa~ the art is beautiful.. I love how Korean artists draw. xD But I still prefer manga, unless the plot of the manhwa is really good.. :]] There's one called My Girl and I love it as much as manga. xDD Very pretty people in there. n__n

I haven't read any manhua that I know of. xD; Maybe because I don't know any? :lol: Oh wait, maybe there is one.. I think it's a oneshot called She Is Cinderella.. it was drawn by a Chinese person, but the art was really similar to any shoujo manga, so I almost mistook it for one. ^^;

My Girl?
You mean the one with "Jinny"?

:0 I love that series. :3

Yup, that's the one. xDD
I forgot the tennis player's name.. tae hee or something? D: I can't remember Korean names.. but, I kind of feel sorry for him.. if you read up to the latest chapter, you'll know what I mean. xD I don't want to give away too much. :lol:

Haha. I know, I just read it. :c

But I didn't really like him anyways, He was a jerk!

Hm... I felt like the main character guy was taking advantage of the girl because she was a celebrity.. confusing. ><

I'm really into manhwa. A couple of my favorites are Demon Diary, ONE, Tarot Cafe, and Model. I really didn't expect to like Model, because I can get really picky with the art I like...but I really got into the story. xD Tarot Cafe has the best combination of art and story. (almost cried after reading a few T_T) And so much attention goes into the art. *fans self* What I would give to draw like that!

I haven't had a chance to read any manhua. Haven't even seen them in stores or seen any scanlations to sample them either. o_o

I'm actually a little tired of manga. A lot of my favorite series ended or haven't been finished, and I haven't quite found any good ones to replace them. ^^; Some seem to get a little repetitive. I usually give each series a chance - a couple of chapters, but recently just one chapter - and I drop them if they don't interest me. It used to be the art that would lure me in, but now I'm looking for an engaging story with humor and the thrill of action. *is still looking* 8D

Peach-Pit is a Manhwa Series?
Oh my. I never knew.
Although I have more manga, I am really enjoying Manwhas.
Their artwork have a different style that I prefer more. I guess it's because it doesn't have the asian flair.

Well, because there's a lot more available titles for me translated from manga (into chinese), that is most often what I read. However, I've read most of the manhwa titles you've listed, and haven't read any of the manhuas in your list (even though I'm chinese myself, their styles are quite... muscular and traditional). This is partly due to the different styles in which you've segregated them. And remember that's not what all manhua looks like. Some manhua artists do have a japanese style despite their background, but in terms of art style manhwa is most fussy about that and can tend to take on the most detail. The human shapes also are more lithe, but that's just regarding some of the art from your examples.

The focus on style, however, is not what keeps me reading. Which is why I somehow often end up with japanese manga. Their mangakas really have a knack for stories. Their styles are not as extreme as what you would consider manhua, but not always the main focus either, like in manhwa. But these aren't really limitations... I do watch american anime once in a while.

As much I like a nicely designed "graphical novel" I do not mind where it comes from but what's about :) Read some really good manga and some great manhwa, tho Im not sure if I ever read a chinese manhua.