Confused by most manga? Not sure how to critique it? The Otaku USA staff gives an inside look to how they grade manga that is not at all tongue in cheek:

(3) The Palate

Next, take a good, bold sip of the manga. Hold it firmly in your mouth. You will notice at once that the manga is actually inside your mouth. You seem to be feeling the smell of the manga as though the smell were tangible. Alternately, you can lick around the outside of the manga. Does the paper remain firm to the touch, or does it tremble and soften? Indulge the acidic, bitter sensation of the ink and the woodsy, oaky flavor of the pulp. Now slurp the manga around in your mouth as you set about judging the body of the manga. That slurping, complete with whatever gurgling sounds it may produce, is an essential part of manga reviewing. The fanservice (in shojo manga, the bishonen elements) is what causes the faintly burning sensation, which now fills the mouth. It appears to give the manga a feeling of substance or lack of substance.

This entry was posted on Monday, March 10th, 2008 at 9:00 am and is filed under Internet, Manga, News & Views. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.