How do you read raw japanese manga?

Question

Okay, so I acidentally downloaded a Cafe Kichijoji raw manga. Well, I thought it was english... I'm totally confused. Now, I have this pocketbook on Japanese characters (Hiragana and Katakana only) with the symbol and the Romanji translation. I tried it, but I don't know the sequence. Do you read it up-down? Or down-up? Left to right or right to left? Okay, I'm talking about the speech balloon, not the window with the drawings. SPEECH BALLOON. Can someone tell me the sequence? Oh, and what's the sentence form? Subject-verb? Or something.... Please help me, I really like that manga and I can translate a few Japanese characters into Romaji.... Oh and does anyone know any sites that translates Romanji to English? Thanks so much!

Answer 1

I took Japanese 101, and it takes me some 20 minutes to decipher even one page of raw manga.

If it is like it seems, that you have no notion of Japanese grammar and phrase structure at all, it would be very difficult that you would be able to understand anything.

You should realise that Japanese is written without spaces between the words, it would be extremely difficult for someone, without prior studying, to parse the sentence properly.

If you'd like to try, I suggest you use an electronic dictionary, as this will make it much more practicable. I would recommend the one available http://www.coolest.com/jquicktrans/ that is very complete and easy to use.

And you should install japanese IME in your computer (it is bundled with windows XP) so you can type the words to search. ( or you may search romaji, not needing it)

The speech balloon should be written in top->bottom columns. Columns should be read right-> left.

though it may be written as English, sometimes.

Answer 2

the sentence form is

Subject + (waは) this has no meaning or like the verb to be + object + (をwo) + verb (positive or negative or tense form)+ question mark (ka か）

So... it is kinda weird when you read it "raw" than translate the line in English

eg. I have eaten my meal. (in English) but translate it in Japanese form would be

I (wa) my meal (wo) eaten have

watashi wa go han wo tabe mashita. (in Japanese romaji)

It would be a lot of work to understand Japanese manga (raw) and there are a lot of slangs that you would never understand if you don't know the language, I wish you good luck!

Answer 3

It's from up to down, right to left. The sentence form is Subject-verb.

Answer 4

Flip back to front and read up down (usually)