It's given how – for most of us at least – a far better experience is to watch an anime screening than to read its print counterpart. The motion pictures mean better fight scenes to get hooked to, better animation to rave about and better soundtrack for our playlists.

In all honesty, settling for the convenience of not having to focus on following a storyline through pages robs us of the depth and entirety a story has to offer. An anime, in this context, can perhaps even be called an "abridged" version of the manga it's usually based on. Here are some of the reasons why stepping into the world of manga will undoubtedly be a treat for your otaku soul.              

CHARACTER-INVESTED

Manga lets you spend more time with the characters. Even when the story is not character-driven, it weaves in fun quirks, impactful dialogues, and interesting backstories for the readers' sake. Knowing full well how a perfectly built plotline will collapse under the weight of drawing empty shells for characters. It allows readers to understand how each headspace works, and get a more in-depth feel of the characters to perceive them in a new light.

SIDE-PLOTS

The anime tends to typically skip the extra chapters that explore sub-plots and side stories, instead preferring to trim them to tie up loose ends and continue with the principal design of the story. These extra chapters are just as integral as the rest of the storyline; reading them can clear out a lot of mix ups and head scratchers.

DETAILS

People worry about picking up the manga of the anime they've already seen, anticipating repetitiveness and demotivation in finishing it. While the main story remains the same for the most part, the manga draws in readers using more depth and details. Each scene gets broken up for the audience to capture the image in one go. Sometimes it's so artistically crafted and well thought-out that the act plays out effortlessly in the readers' minds. There's always something more in a manga, be it the drawn out chapters or the creative positioning of symbolism in its art. Of course there are exceptions where the anime is the one that takes its time and prolongs the sequence of a plot point, a fitting example being Episode 25 of Death Note.

LIGHTER SIDE

Anime generally sticks to a preset model of episode numbers and can get too plot-heavy under the time constraint. Manga, on the other hand, can sometimes go on a weekend trip to the lighter side of things – adding comical elements, light-heartedness, and bonding time for its characters. It's a momentary getaway from the intensity and wild pace of the plot on screen. The readers get to take a breather and have a good laugh instead, soaking in the glimpses of sunlight amidst a never-ending downpour.

AN ENDING

A lot of anime end up sketching out a rushed ending because of the episode constraint, sometimes even leaving it at a cliff-hanger and consequently disappointing most of its fan base. In such cases, reading the manga is crucial to get closure and leave that fictional world on a peaceful note. 

Mashiyat Iqbal is a procrastinator, a coffee-addict and an insomniac whose friends say she is hopelessly optimistic but she begs to differ. Send her some much needed luck at tenfinance10@gmail.com