This post will be about manga collecting. I will reveal some tips, that I have found useful and I try to follow (or at least I try). These are MY tips and my opinion. I am not telling anyone to follow them strictly. This is all up to you.
If
you are the kind of person that likes buying every single volume of a
manga only because it is popular or just because you know that it is
manga, or you buy manga so that you can sell it later for a higher price
this guide is NOT for you. For tips about this kind of collecting
please visit tokirocket on youtube. Here is her channel:http://www.youtube.com/user/tokirocket?feature=results_main which is quite interesting, actually.
This is a guide for people, who collect manga and want to keep it for themselves…hmmm let's say forever.
I used to be the kind of person who would buy every manga volume I see. This is the reason I later found that I was stuck with things I didn't like or didn't want and wanted to sell (thank God there were people, who wanted to buy them) or give them as gifts for friends. I had a lot of volumes in languages I didn't understand like German or Spanish and I decided that it's kind of stupid to keep things that I will not be able to reread later on.
Tip One: Which mangas to buy?
The most important thing is to buy manga series that you like. Don't just go off buying anything you see on the shelf in the bookstore, because you may regret it later. Pick the ones which are really important and valuable to you. Also, you may buy certain volumes, not the whole set of the manga. You can buy volumes where major events have happened, or just volumes you like, because something has cute happened, it depends on you. I am telling you this, because you may not like the whole series, but just a part like a volume or chapter. This is totally personal. If you like the whole series, go ahead and buy all the volumes. I am telling you this, because as you know, manga takes space. Try not to get stuck with things you don't like, because you may not be able to sell them later on when you want to get rid of them.
This is a guide for people, who collect manga and want to keep it for themselves…hmmm let's say forever.
I used to be the kind of person who would buy every manga volume I see. This is the reason I later found that I was stuck with things I didn't like or didn't want and wanted to sell (thank God there were people, who wanted to buy them) or give them as gifts for friends. I had a lot of volumes in languages I didn't understand like German or Spanish and I decided that it's kind of stupid to keep things that I will not be able to reread later on.
Tip One: Which mangas to buy?
The most important thing is to buy manga series that you like. Don't just go off buying anything you see on the shelf in the bookstore, because you may regret it later. Pick the ones which are really important and valuable to you. Also, you may buy certain volumes, not the whole set of the manga. You can buy volumes where major events have happened, or just volumes you like, because something has cute happened, it depends on you. I am telling you this, because you may not like the whole series, but just a part like a volume or chapter. This is totally personal. If you like the whole series, go ahead and buy all the volumes. I am telling you this, because as you know, manga takes space. Try not to get stuck with things you don't like, because you may not be able to sell them later on when you want to get rid of them.
Tip Two: How to get familiar with manga series before you buy one?
Before I get into this tip I want to tell you that in my country there is almost no manga and if you want to read some you have to to turn to the Internet.
There are many Internet sites for reading manga online. You can first find and see the manga there, before you buy it. These kind of sites, like Mangafox, Onemanga, Maxmanga or Unixmanga are full of manga series you can read and judge for yourself if you want that certain story on paper or not.
I know that submitting manga online is illegal, but if it hadn't been for that I wouldn't have begun reading and collecting manga… And a lot of my friends also wouldn't have done it.
Here are some helpful links:
http://unixmanga.com/
There are many Internet sites for reading manga online. You can first find and see the manga there, before you buy it. These kind of sites, like Mangafox, Onemanga, Maxmanga or Unixmanga are full of manga series you can read and judge for yourself if you want that certain story on paper or not.
I know that submitting manga online is illegal, but if it hadn't been for that I wouldn't have begun reading and collecting manga… And a lot of my friends also wouldn't have done it.
Here are some helpful links:
http://unixmanga.com/
http://bakabt.me/index.php
Tip Three: Language
One of the most important things is that you buy manga in a language you can UNDERSTAND! If you know many languages, well good for you, you can buy manga, translated in them. If you want to buy manga in Japanese, because it is the original language, the manga has been published into go ahead and do it, but it will be a good thing if you actually know the language. I had manga volumes in Spanish, German and Italian and I felt stupid for buying them, because I wanted to read them, but I could only look at the pictures, since I don't understand these languages. That's why in the end I sold them or just gave them away. The manga I have now is mostly in English and some of it is in Bulgarian, Russian and Japanese, because these are the languages, which I know and I can read.
Tip Four: First hand or second hand manga?
I say that this does not matter. I actually prefer buying second hand manga volumes, because it is cheaper, and I have to say that every single secondhand volume I have bought is as good as new! Of course, I do have first hand manga volumes but for financial reasons I prefer secondhand. But then again… this does not really matter and it depends on your personal preferences.
Tip Five: Care and Organization
I don't agree with some of the things that tokirocket says about manga collecting, but her videos about care and organization of manga were really useful and they actually made me consider the well-being of my own collection so I tried some of her advice and it really works good for keeping your manga books safe and as good as new. I don't have much to say about that but I strongly recommend that you her videos on the topic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pmaP8UiWXM
Tip Six: Price
In my country one volume of manga is quite expensive and I really try to find the cheapest way to buy myself the things I want. This is why I usually buy second hand manga from people that want to get rid of it.
For me a price about 10$ is acceptable. If it's above 10$ I will probably reconsider buying it. However I am willing to give a little more for art books and things like that, because they have much better quality and, of course, coloured pictures.
That's about it.
If you have any questions, please ask me.
If you don't agree with some of the things I have stated you can tell me. I am open for new tips and opinions.
Tip Three: Language
One of the most important things is that you buy manga in a language you can UNDERSTAND! If you know many languages, well good for you, you can buy manga, translated in them. If you want to buy manga in Japanese, because it is the original language, the manga has been published into go ahead and do it, but it will be a good thing if you actually know the language. I had manga volumes in Spanish, German and Italian and I felt stupid for buying them, because I wanted to read them, but I could only look at the pictures, since I don't understand these languages. That's why in the end I sold them or just gave them away. The manga I have now is mostly in English and some of it is in Bulgarian, Russian and Japanese, because these are the languages, which I know and I can read.
Tip Four: First hand or second hand manga?
I say that this does not matter. I actually prefer buying second hand manga volumes, because it is cheaper, and I have to say that every single secondhand volume I have bought is as good as new! Of course, I do have first hand manga volumes but for financial reasons I prefer secondhand. But then again… this does not really matter and it depends on your personal preferences.
Tip Five: Care and Organization
I don't agree with some of the things that tokirocket says about manga collecting, but her videos about care and organization of manga were really useful and they actually made me consider the well-being of my own collection so I tried some of her advice and it really works good for keeping your manga books safe and as good as new. I don't have much to say about that but I strongly recommend that you her videos on the topic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pmaP8UiWXM
Tip Six: Price
In my country one volume of manga is quite expensive and I really try to find the cheapest way to buy myself the things I want. This is why I usually buy second hand manga from people that want to get rid of it.
For me a price about 10$ is acceptable. If it's above 10$ I will probably reconsider buying it. However I am willing to give a little more for art books and things like that, because they have much better quality and, of course, coloured pictures.
That's about it.
If you have any questions, please ask me.
If you don't agree with some of the things I have stated you can tell me. I am open for new tips and opinions.
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