How to Read the Panels of Japanese Magna in the Correct Order

Japanese manga is becoming more and more popular here in the states, but if you've just opened a book for the first time you may be confused, and with good reason! Many mangas are still in their original format and appear to be backwards to American readers. With a little practice you'll learn how to read them correctly so you can enjoy this new art form along with everybody else.

Instructions

1. Start reading in the top left hand corner. Japanese manga reads from left to right instead of right to left. The words are still read the same, but the panels are in a different order. This is easiest to see on pages where the blocks are in rows. Read the farthest left hand corner at the top, moving to the middle block, and finally the last block. Then go to the next left panel down and start again.

2. Read top to bottom. After you've gotten the hang of reading left to right, remember to go top to bottom. The easiest way to do this is to start with the last panel you read and figure out which direction you need to go. Normally you'll be moving right, but if you're at the end of a page you'll return to the left side again. Go to the closest panel, whether it be to the side or down, from the last panel you read.

3. Read speech bubbles in order from left to right as well. The bubble on the left is read first, and the closer to the top of the panel the bubble is, the higher it is in the order. This highest bubble on the left is what you normally read first. Conversations that take place in a single panel should be read back and forth. Read the first bubble, jump to the other person's first bubble, go back to the second speech bubble from the person who started the conversation, and so on. Imagine the people actually talking back and forth. You wouldn't listen to one person's entire side of a conversation before listening to the other's responses!

Tips & Warnings

• Practice makes perfect! Start with easier manga that doesn't have a lot of confusing action sequences.

• Manga can also be spelled "magna."