Can we normalize…? XDDDD Just kidding but really, I have an idea for a comics genre that I don’t think already has a name. When I try to describe my comic to others and mention what comics I’m inspired by I often name comics like Nana, GALS, Peach Girl, etc. These are stories where style was a prominent part of the story or even the main topic. A lot of what I named aren’t current titles but we have more recent titles like “The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn’t a Guy at All” and “On and Off: Work Life Imbalance” too! Western titles like Jem and the Holograms, Punk Rock Karaoke, the Monster High comic series, etc.
These style focused or highlighting works span across genres from comedy to romance to action and more! It just shows how versatile and impactful fashion culture is! Yeah most characters have to wear clothes and the main characters usually have eye catching outfits that define their personalities but in a style comic this is taken much further I argue. For example, in GALS, Ran wearing gyaru and participating in gyaru culture creates a value divide between her rebellious ways and her always law abiding police family.
Another quality I find are flashy fit checks before or during scene transitions or pivotal character moments. This happened a lot in the Jem and the Holograms comics between all the band members. One could even say that magical girl comics are all technically style comics too but I think you could tell which magical stories have more of a fashion focus versus others. Like the Sailor Moon scouts have iconic style in and out of their magical personas. Or Card Captors Sakura definitely had a fashion focus with _____ literally designing clothes for Sakura and being the inspiration for mahou kei irl. Not every magical girl series is notable for that which to me means that not every magical girl series is a style comic.
Here’s a rundown of the qualities that I think would make a comic/manga a style comic/kei manga:
- Main characters participate in a fashion subculture subtly or overtly (not just wearing cute clothes)
- The plot is effected by fashion subculture participation
- The character development is marked by style expression or vice versa
- Characters change clothes for each day or adventure often triggering a fit check panel sequence or full body shot
- Acquiring apparel through DIY or other means is a frequent topic of conversation
- In later years the comic title becomes iconic for capturing the fashion culture of the time or inspiring a new style culture
I don’t think all of these need to be checked off but those qualities came to mind. Let me know what you think!
I wish this theme or category was recognized enough for there to be sections in a book store or streaming apps. When I come across style comics it motivates me to read stories outside of my comfort zone because I want to learn more.
Do you like to read “style comics” or “kei manga”? Is there a name for this I don’t know about? Am I just crazy?
Reach out in the comments!
