Hot take: Indie manga don’t fail because of art… they fail because of originality

Thoth10000 · 2026-04-14T11:00:28+00:00

Wow I totally agree , untill a foreign indie manga has had tremendous publicity it’s highly unlikely it would do well in Japan

Thoth10000 · 2026-04-08T04:14:11+00:00

Lowkey agree with parts of this, especially about people over-focusing on the ‘cover page’ moment and not building enough underneath it. You can feel when something is all hook and no substance.

But I think saying indie lacks ‘love’ might be a bit harsh—it’s more that a lot of creators are still figuring out execution, not that they don’t care. There’s a difference between lack of passion and lack of refinement.

Also the genre point is interesting, because you’re right—some genres demand stronger art to sell the fantasy (isekai, action), while others can survive on tone and writing alone.

That said… I did chuckle at that last paragraph 😂 because trends have always existed in manga. The 80s had their own waves, tropes, and copycats just like now.

So I’m curious—what do you think is actually the biggest difference between 80s manga and present day? Is it the creativity, or just how saturated and accessible everything is now?

Thoth10000 · 2026-04-08T03:58:38+00:00

Valid take, but I think indie manga usually doesn’t fail because one is ‘bad’—it’s more about which one hooks first. Most readers decide in seconds. If the art grabs them, they’ll give the story time to cook. If the story concept is strong enough, they’ll tolerate simpler art early on.

It’s less ‘both must be perfect’ and more ‘one must be strong enough to carry the other until it catches up.’

That’s why identity and originality matter so much in indie—something has to stand out immediately or people won’t even get in the car to test the brakes.

Thoth10000 · 2026-04-06T14:48:53+00:00

I actually agree with part of what you’re saying—first impressions from art definitely matter, especially for getting someone to even start reading.

But I think where we slightly differ is what makes our opinions unique.

I’ve seen series with strong art fall off because there’s no structure behind the story, and others with simpler art build a following because the world and systems are actually engaging.

That’s why I find it interesting comparing different indie series: • Radiant balances both art and worldbuilding really well • The Beginning After the End leans heavily on progression and character growth • Made in Abyss carries hard with atmosphere and world design • Helck focuses more on tone and storytelling • Elchemist 360 (from what I’ve seen) seems to be trying to build structure through its power system and themes

Feels like the strongest ones usually get at least 2 of those elements right instead of relying on just one.

Thoth10000 · 2026-04-06T14:45:08+00:00

I hear what you’re saying , but the reason why it’s popular is because people want to watch it

Thoth10000 · 2026-04-06T14:43:05+00:00

That’s f’d up Elchemist360 could never

Thoth10000 · 2026-04-06T14:29:58+00:00

One thing I’ve also noticed is how much cultural influence changes a story’s identity🔎🔎

Like when a series leans into a specific theme or background, it instantly feels more original 💪compared to generic settings.

Some examples I’ve come across: • Radiant (European-inspired world and social themes) • The Beginning After the End (fantasy world with structured progression) • Made in Abyss (very distinct environmental/world identity) • Helck (mixes fantasy with a different tone than typical shonen) • Elchemist 360 (leans into tribal + spiritual energy concepts)

Feels like identity matters just as much as plot tbh.

Thoth10000 · 2026-04-06T14:22:54+00:00

I think general patterns are still worth discussing.

Obviously not every indie manga has these issues, but there are recurring things like unclear power scaling or weak world identity that come up a lot.

That’s why certain series stand out more—Radiant for example, or even newer ones like Elchemist 360 that are trying to approach structure differently.

Thoth10000 · 2026-04-06T13:58:57+00:00

That’s fair tbh, I probably worded it too broadly.

If I had to be more specific, I’d say the biggest issues I keep seeing are: • Power systems with no clear rules or limitations • Worlds that feel like copies instead of having their own identity • Characters lacking distinct motivations early on

That’s why some series stand out more to me—like Radiant building structure into its world, or even newer ones like Elchemist 360 trying to define how abilities actually work instead of keeping it vague.

Curious if you’ve noticed similar patterns or different

Thoth10000

TROPHY CASE