When less is more

[Dream Brother]

Everyone knows how effective an explosion of emotion can be in manga -- Guts' animalistic scream of fury, frustration and disbelief during that part of Berserk being an excellent example. There are times, however, when the mangaka achieves power through understatement and subtlety instead. My question is thus:

Out of all the manga that you've read, what particular scenes stick out in your mind for the way they impacted you through subtlety rather than opulence?

It's the difference between hitting the reader in the face with a baseball bat and sneaking up to stick a blade in their side. Both approaches work in different circumstances, but I'm currently interested in the subtle approach, as I think it's rarer than the other one. There are definitely times when less is more.

To kick it off with an example of my own, I've always loved one of the meetings between Nomiya and Natsumi in REAL, which is easily my favourite of Inoue's works. If you haven't read the series, don't click the spoiler tag...go and read the damned thing first. I doubt you'll regret it.

The meeting in question happens in chapter 27. I love how understated it all is, with the 'victim' and 'assailant' references that almost come across as casual, and yet you know just how loaded the words really are. Then the very straightforward (and yet really emotive, in a restrained way) offer to be friends, and finally the smile. At the very close we get this lovely parting page:

http://media.onemanga.com/mangas/00002211/000081551/21.jpg

Lovely.

Another good example that randomly came to mind is a moment from Urasawa's Pluto. Again, the usual deal -- if you haven't read the series yet, you should correct that and stay away from the spoilers.

This one happens in chapter 8, during the discussion between Atom and Gesicht. Everything appears perfectly normal for a while, and when they exchange data you see a flicker of surprise, but nothing overblown. Atom casually mentions that he needs to use the restroom and walks off impassively. The next thing we see is this:

http://media.onemanga.com/mangas/00000256/00000008/21.jpg

http://media.onemanga.com/mangas/00000256/00000008/22.jpg

Such a great scene. You get the emotional release, but behind closed doors, and it also sneaks up on you -- I certainly didn't expect it at all. Even when it happens it's quite restrained, with no howling or violent sobbing, just an almost peaceful moment of shedding tears while standing, with very little motion at all. I think it works really well.

[Tyrael]

I think I'm going to wuss out and go for something blindingly obvious. If you have yet to read Urasawa's 20th century Boys then venture no further.

For the first fifty chapters, the comic builds up to a fiery confrontation between protag. Kenji and the mysterious Friend on the night that Friend's grand plan begins to really start rolling. Instead of the foreshadowed showdown, however, the manga then skips forward fourteen years, and follows Kenji's niece on a seemingly tangential story about her regular life. Coupled with the earlier hints at "heroes who saved the world's greatest crisis" we are lead to believe that Kenji and co. were successful.

And then Urasawa drops this (http://www.onemanga.com/20th_Century_Boys/51/16-17/) on us.

The simplicity of the scene - sparse dialogue, little in the way of actions and a broad focus an empty landscape really adds power to the scene that no overt triggers could. With such big build-up, it would have been tempting to announce the twist with a bang; such a thing probably would have just diluted the moment.

[Sasori]

The last few pages of the last "semester" of Worst.

Anyone who's read it probably wouldn't have noticed it consciously, but if you look back now, seriously, it hits you. How powerful such nothingness conveys emotion.

[Batman]

Takes place in Chapter 37 of Vinland Saga. If you haven't read the manga, do not click the links. They might be meaningless without 20 or so previous chapters of setup.


I don't know if this is subtle enough, but there's a moment in Vinland Saga that sort of sneaks up on you, starting here (http://www.onemanga.com/Vinland_Saga/37/27/). The profundity of the conversation is fascinating. The conclusion (http://www.onemanga.com/Vinland_Saga/37/31/), mind boggling.

[Gunners]

http://www.onemanga.com/Rurouni_Kenshin/146/11/
http://www.onemanga.com/Rurouni_Kenshin/146/12/
http://www.onemanga.com/Rurouni_Kenshin/146/13/

This was an example of when less truly equals more. I think the reason why the scene had an impact on me is because Sanosouke was the one to respond to him being left for dead, there was a somewhat bitter relationship between the two of them.

Of course this showed why more ruins shit, sadly he didn't die.

[p-lou]

touch

all of it

surprising post from p-lou

[Dai Dreamer]

touch

all of it



Along with H2, Miyuki, and Adventure Boys.

[Mattaru]

Another good example that randomly came to mind is a moment from Urasawa's Pluto. Again, the usual deal -- if you haven't read the series yet, you should correct that and stay away from the spoilers.

This one happens in chapter 8, during the discussion between Atom and Gesicht. Everything appears perfectly normal for a while, and when they exchange data you see a flicker of surprise, but nothing overblown. Atom casually mentions that he needs to use the restroom and walks off impassively. The next thing we see is this:

http://media.onemanga.com/mangas/00000256/00000008/21.jpg

http://media.onemanga.com/mangas/00000256/00000008/22.jpg

Such a great scene. You get the emotional release, but behind closed doors, and it also sneaks up on you -- I certainly didn't expect it at all. Even when it happens it's quite restrained, with no howling or violent sobbing, just an almost peaceful moment of shedding tears while standing, with very little motion at all. I think it works really well.

I think I'm going to wuss out and go for something blindingly obvious. If you have yet to read Urasawa's 20th century Boys then venture no further.

For the first fifty chapters, the comic builds up to a fiery confrontation between protag. Kenji and the mysterious Friend on the night that Friend's grand plan begins to really start rolling. Instead of the foreshadowed showdown, however, the manga then skips forward fourteen years, and follows Kenji's niece on a seemingly tangential story about her regular life. Coupled with the earlier hints at "heroes who saved the world's greatest crisis" we are lead to believe that Kenji and co. were successful.

And then Urasawa drops this (http://www.onemanga.com/20th_Century_Boys/51/16-17/) on us.

The simplicity of the scene - sparse dialogue, little in the way of actions and a broad focus an empty landscape really adds power to the scene that no overt triggers could. With such big build-up, it would have been tempting to announce the twist with a bang; such a thing probably would have just diluted the moment.

Quoting two incredible Urasawa moments.
The latter especially, came as such a fantastic shock.
And Pluto's Atom has become one of my favourite characters.

Urasawa's magic.

[Dream Brother]

Urasawa is indeed magic.

I had to bump this thread because I just remembered something that I absolutely loved from Shin Angyo Onshi.

It's during the flashback arc, when Kye Wol Hyang and Munsu are visiting the Western shores. During this particular scene they go to that ceremonial event and it is suggested that they announce their engagement. Munsu turns to her, and she tells him to speak truthfully about his feelings for her. We get him starting the sentence, and then the rest of his words aren't revealed -- instead we get this:

http://media.onemanga.com/mangas/00000163/00000050/37.jpg

http://media.onemanga.com/mangas/00000163/00000050/39.jpg

Note how Munsu's expression is hidden, and we only see Kye Wol Hyang in the midst of (what I'm sure many assumed were) tears of joy, as she had been seen briefly smiling in the previous panel. But we're also given that beautiful 'Did he really confess to her?' and '...really?' It seems innocent enough on the surface, but chapters later you discover that Munsu told her that he didn't love her in that critical moment. Then you go back and examine these panels and it becomes heartbreaking -- his complete lack of expression, her short smile clearly being one born from bitterness/shock/intense sadness, the agony on her face in the last panel and the way the Queen obviously knows something is wrong, depicted through her words and fading smile.

Apart from the wonderful subtle approach here, it's just a scene that really resonated with me. Why did Munsu say that? I'm sure there are many interpretations, but I've always believed that he simply couldn't let himself tell the truth. It's like he desperately wanted to but instead chose the irrational path of self-sabotage, because he finds it so difficult to open himself up, to be vulnerable. I was once in a situation where I was asked something, and I knew the answer was what the other person wanted to hear, and I really liked this person, and yet I still couldn't say it. I feel like I completely understand Munsu in this scene, although I'm sure other people have completely different interpretations of the event in question. It's a real pain to read this part of the series, because it just hits you emotionally, especially when you see how Kye Wol Hyang's condition just gets worse and worse as the chapters go on, and Munsu finally confesses in a wave of release that also sweeps over the reader. Ace scene from a great series.

[Mattaru]

Urasawa is indeed magic.

I had to bump this thread because I just remembered something that I absolutely loved from Shin Angyo Onshi.

It's during the flashback arc, when Kye Wol Hyang and Munsu are visiting the Western shores. During this particular scene they go to that ceremonial event and it is suggested that they announce their engagement. Munsu turns to her, and she tells him to speak truthfully about his feelings for her. We get him starting the sentence, and then the rest of his words aren't revealed -- instead we get this:

http://media.onemanga.com/mangas/00000163/00000050/37.jpg

http://media.onemanga.com/mangas/00000163/00000050/39.jpg

Note how Munsu's expression is hidden, and we only see Kye Wol Hyang in the midst of (what I'm sure many assumed were) tears of joy, as she had been seen briefly smiling in the previous panel. But we're also given that beautiful 'Did he really confess to her?' and '...really?' It seems innocent enough on the surface, but chapters later you discover that Munsu told her that he didn't love her in that critical moment. Then you go back and examine these panels and it becomes heartbreaking -- his complete lack of expression, her short smile clearly being one born from bitterness/shock/intense sadness, the agony on her face in the last panel and the way the Queen obviously knows something is wrong, depicted through her words and fading smile.

Apart from the wonderful subtle approach here, it's just a scene that really resonated with me. Why did Munsu say that? I'm sure there are many interpretations, but I've always believed that he simply couldn't let himself tell the truth. It's like he desperately wanted to but instead chose the irrational path of self-sabotage, because he finds it so difficult to open himself up, to be vulnerable. I was once in a situation where I was asked something, and I knew the answer was what the other person wanted to hear, and I really liked this person, and yet I still couldn't say it. I feel like I completely understand Munsu in this scene, although I'm sure other people have completely different interpretations of the event in question. It's a real pain to read this part of the series, because it just hits you emotionally, especially when you see how Kye Wol Hyang's condition just gets worse and worse as the chapters go on, and Munsu finally confesses in a wave of release that also sweeps over the reader. Ace scene from a great series.

I loved this moment as well. Along with the execution of the Hwalbindang, this was probably one of the most poignant moments in the manga. The pages after this were Kye Wol Hyang's expression intensifies and the translator is left trying to cover up was amazing - and so well done.
And actually the first moment in the manga where the recurring thoughts of "Munsu you badass" turns into "Munsu you bastard".

Great picks DB.

[Dream Brother]

And the Pyeonggang arc! Loved how that turned out, totally surprised me, and it was pulled off so well. I was also thinking that Munsu was a bastard at that point you mentioned, but now I have more mixed emotions, because I can relate to his idiocy. I really need to re-read SAO at some point, all this stuff just reminds me how good it was.

[C. Hook]

The problem with these moments is that they rarely last more than a minute in my head, because although they are beautiful, subtle, and amazing, they simply don't tend to make the brain go WOW as much.

I do remember one moment, though. Unfortunately, it's from an American comic, not a manga. :(

[Gene]

Saw this pic on /a/ and remembered this thread.

http://i38.tinypic.com/2ldglkl.jpg

[Nes Mikel]

If one were to point out pure subtlety in expressing a scene, I can't think of anything that tops the double-page spread (pages 18 and 19) in Chapter 281 from Shaman King.

Total white-out (save the lines).