JIMMY WATSON'S MAGIC DINOBOT - AS MANGA AND ANIME ADAPTATIONS

The premise of "Jimmy Watson and the Magic Dinobot" has several elements that would make it a compelling and engaging story for both anime and manga formats. The British Ministry of Defence (MOD) are more than a little interested in Jimmy's work, so much so, they consider stealing the Dinobot on the pretext his father is a spy - a trumped up charge that is not true. But fortunately, this fictional turn of events is thwarted by other high ranking officers and King Charles, who will have none of it, having accidentally stumbled on the notion early enough to step in and call a halt. The invisibility feature and bullet proof construction of the robot are more enticements, as are laser and taser weapons. Drawing the attention of the DSTL in the UK and even DARPA in America, who have been spying on Tim and Jimmy covertly. Since their official military robot programmes have come to naught. Despite throwing buckets of cash at the problems. Yielding noisy and cumbersome machines with limited ranges, of little value in a battle scenario.

Key Elements for a Successful Adaptation might focus on:

THEMES RELATABLE TO THE MAGIC DINOBOT

- Relatable Protagonist: Jimmy Watson, a young boy, is a relatable character who many viewers can connect with. His enthusiasm and ingenuity would resonate with audiences.

- Unique Concept: The idea of a boy creating a sentient robot, especially one as advanced as Anthony, is a captivating and original concept that would stand out.

- Emotional Depth: The story's potential for emotional depth, as Jimmy forms a bond with Anthony, could be explored in both visual and narrative ways.

- Adventure and Excitement: The potential for action-packed adventures and thrilling encounters with other characters or threats would make for engaging storytelling.

- Friendship and Mentorship: The story's core themes of friendship and mentorship between a boy and a robot are universally relatable, especially to younger audiences.

- The Power of Imagination: The idea of a boy creating a robot from his imagination and programming it to life resonates with children's innate creativity and desire to bring their ideas to life.

POTENTIAL CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

- Technical Complexity: Animating a complex robot like Anthony could be challenging, but it also presents an opportunity for visually stunning sequences. For example, such animation was successful in Ant Man and Honey I Shrunk The Kids.

- Balancing Themes: The story could explore themes of friendship, loyalty, and the ethical implications of creating artificial life. Striking the right balance between these themes would be crucial.

- Target Audience: Determining the target audience (e.g., children, teenagers, or a general audience) would help shape the tone and content of the adaptation.

VISUAL STYLE & ANIMATION

- Anime Style: An anime adaptation could feature vibrant colors, expressive characters, and dynamic action sequences.

- Manga Style: A manga adaptation could utilize detailed drawings, dramatic angles, and thought-provoking storytelling.

- Dinobot Design: A well-designed and expressive dinobot character could be visually captivating and memorable.

- World-Building: The story's setting, whether contemporary or futuristic, could offer opportunities for imaginative world-building and visually interesting backgrounds. The original concept would work well if set in Japan or England. Adventures could extend worldwide as part of a global series. An American version could work independently of the adult - Ant Man - introducing robotics and AI in a way that is Science Faction, rather than pure fiction. Being more thought provoking to junior techies, than mere fantasy. So, likely to generate a cult following.

THE DINOBOT'S INVISIBILITY

The ability of the Dinobot to become invisible using enhanced digital cloaking camouflage would add a significant element of excitement and intrigue to the story as follows:

- Visual Spectacle: The invisibility power would create visually stunning sequences, allowing for creative action scenes and suspenseful moments.

- Strategic Advantage: The Dinobot could use its invisibility to gain the upper hand in battles or to sneak into restricted areas, adding a layer of strategy and problem-solving to the narrative.

- Humor and Surprise: The invisibility could be used for comedic effect, with Anthony accidentally appearing or disappearing at unexpected times.

Overall, the invisibility power would enhance the story's appeal and make it even more entertaining for audiences of all ages. It could become a beloved tale for audiences of all ages.

WHAT IS/ARE MANGA AND ANIME?

Manga is a famous form of Japanese art developed as a comic. For the Japanese, Manga is not just a source of entertainment but a core part of their culture. The word Manga (漫画) consists of two Kanji characters 漫, which means comics, and 画, which means drawing or painting.

In this article, we will discuss the meaning of manga, its origin and evolution, various types of manga, its global impact, the most famous manga to date, and the difference between manga and Western comics.

Japanese narratives of artificial intelligence (AI) and robots have long been characterized as the cultural antithesis to their anglophone counterparts. According to this model, whereas in the West intelligent machines signify a threat to humanity, in Japan machines are partners to humans.

Such shorthand cultural distinctions circulating in anglophone imaginaries can feed back into robotics design practices in Japan. This phenomenon is especially prevalent within emotion-based AI research, where Japanese roboticists cite animacy as a distinctively ‘Japanese’ component of robotics design that fosters human–robot intimacy.

Based on ethnographic fieldwork in Japan, this chapter analyses imaginaries of animacy among Japanese roboticists and animacy’s role in generating intimacy between humans and companion robots. It argues that, while an emphasis on emotionality in Japanese AI narratives challenges distinctions between reason and emotion in anglophone AI research, the complex cultural politics of these distinctions also challenges simplified notions of ‘culture’ in AI research more broadly.

While artificial intelligence (AI) might have only recently caught the world's popular attention, anime and manga about AI have been a staple genre of the medium since the 1970s. Some of the thorniest issues of the current debate, such as AI's place in society, the ethics of its widespread deployment in the community, and when – if ever – should AI be considered sentient, have all been explored in detail in manga.

AI, as it appears in anime and manga, encompasses a broader definition of technology than is popularly known. It not only includes standalone AI software programs such as ChatGPT, Copilot and Gemin, but also the use of AI as a component in larger, more complex, technological entities such as robots and androids. While some of these systems have yet to become reality, the depiction of AI in anime and manga has been eerily accurate in some places. While the superheroes, aliens, and supernatural entities of manga still remain imaginary, artificial intelligence in anime and manga is the proof of concept necessary to show the feasibility of the future AI society.

THE MEANING OF MANGA

If you are new to the world of manga, you may wonder what manga literally means. What is the meaning of the word manga?

The first kanji of the word Manga 漫, meaning comics or cartoons, also carries the conceptual meaning of “to overflow,” “to be unrestrained or carefree,” “to be aimless,” or “to be indiscriminate.” The second kanji, i.e. 画, means “drawing” or “painting.” So, the meaning of the word manga is “a story with pictures or comics in English.”

You may ask why a word associated with overflow, unrestrained, or carefree also means comics. Well, all these words suggest creativity or narrative being “unbounded” by strict rules - hence the idea of manga as a medium for free-form, imaginative expression.

THE SIMPLICITY OF MANGA ART AND ITS SPREAD

Japanese Manga is usually in black-and-white colors. Sounds boring, huh? Something out of the 90s? It’s quite the contrary!

Manga’s beauty lies in its simplicity, and people embrace that. Although it is available in colored versions, most people prefer the monochromatic tone. 

As of now, the world recognizes Japan in two ways. First, the very hard-working and discipline inclined culture, and second, ‘Manga.’ And it is everywhere.

The presence of manga literally everywhere would be baffling to a foreigner, especially those who are not Manga fans. However, those who follow Otaku culture may still desire more.

Whether billboards, buildings, shops, trains, schools, cars, stationery items, food items, or everyday stuff, manga is engraved on everything.

NOT SO NEW MANGA ORIGINS

Considering its art style and storytelling, one would think that manga must have originated relatively recently, but that isn’t the case.

Manga’s foundations lead back to the 12th century when an anonymous artist produced hand-painted handscrolls depicting rabbits, monkeys, and other animals behaving like humans, meant for humor. Later versions and adaptations of the same were made in the 1500s.

The word ‘Manga’ was first used during the Edo period in 1814 by Katsushika Hokusai, the designer of the famous print ‘The Great Wave.’

He used the word Manga for his series of picture books called the ‘Hokusai Manga,’in which he sketched scenes from daily life. This is where the word ‘Manga’ was properly established.

THE EVOLUTION OF MANGA

The first artist to describe their pictures as ‘manga’ in the modern sense was Ippyo Imaizumi. However, Kitazawa Yasuji, known as Kitazawa Rakuten established the first manga with four boxes and typed texts. Kitazawa’s manga became an inspiration to so many young artists that he became known as the father of modern manga.

It then underwent different phases that added depth and meaning to the stories.

Over time, this art became increasingly elaborate and complex. It was no longer just for humor but also for spreading ideas and creativity. Therefore, manga is now categorized into different types and genres, catering to its diverse audience.

The golden era of Manga came after the 1980s when its genres and adaptations peaked in creativity. In this era, static manga stories started getting life by turning into animations through anime series, movies, and video games.

THE MOST FAMOUS JAPANESE MANGA

The “One Piece” Manga is the most famous and highest-selling manga ever, selling over 500 million copies. It was followed by ‘Gogol13’, which sold 300 million copies.

Third, fourth, and fifth place in the ranking of the best-selling manga to date, i.e., 2024, are held by the following Manga:

- Detective Conan, which sold 270 million

- Dragon Ball Z, which sold 260 million

- Naruto, which sold 250 million

A major chunk of this success can be attributed to the fact that manga became mainstream in Japan in the 1980s.

MANGA TYPES FOR EVERY TASTE AND MOOD

The widespread popularity of manga can also be attributed to manga creators’ thoughtful approach to creating manga for people of different tastes. Of course, it wouldn’t have been possible if the love of manga had not attracted the creators of different tastes.

There are five types of manga: Shōnen, Shōjo, Seinen, Josie, and Kodomomuke. In addition to these five types, there are manga to satisfy specific tastes, such as horror and sports.

SHŌNEN MANGA – COURAGE, ACTION & ADVENTURE

Shōnen manga is for the ones who are into the Hero stuff. Naturally, it attracts teenage boys more. This category of manga is action - and adventure-packed stories. These stories are not just about cool Ninjas, pirates, or gangsters but also about their way of life, the bonds they make, the paths they take, the struggles they face, and their personal growth.

Shōnen manga is about watching characters like Naruto Uzumaki go from an outcast and hated child to a ‘Hero’ who fights criminals and saves the entire village!

This manga never fails to captivate manga lovers who are interested in heroics, ambition, and courage to overcome their struggles.

You root for the guy hero of Shōnen manga not just because you feel bad for him but because you have seen his struggle and want him to have everything he desires in a world filled with magical beings and spells.

The kanji for Shōnen is “少年”. The character 少 (shou) means “little” or “few,” and 年 (nen) is the kanji for “year.” Together, 少年 refers to young boys or adolescents.


SHŌJO MANGA - LOVE AND DRAMA

Not so adventurous and action-oriented, but a bit romantic, are you?

Well, who says that romance is not an adventure in itself?

Well, philosophy and jokes apart, Shojo will be just the right pick if you are a passionate romanticist.

They tend to focus more on love and relationships, not just romantic relationships but friendships.

The targeted demographic for Shōjo manga is teenage girls. But, well, let’s not bring in racism and gender-based preferences here.

A romance involves both genders, and unlike action, it’s a more common and easily relatable experience that speaks to people from all walks of life. After all, love and relationships are universal themes that everyone can connect with

Shojo will take you through all kinds of emotions, whether love, betrayal, a crush at first sight, bittersweet romance, or life-changing encounters.

A Shōjo manga is about romantic emotions and the struggles to keep your spirit alive and kicking.

Take it: Tohru Honda from Fruit Baskets wasn’t just able to find her place in this world but also helped many others do the same.

You will experience her emotions change with every new person she meets and how she knows what they are to her and empathizes with them. You will feel how a person set on spreading all her love into this world will have to face all its hate first.

The kanji for Shōjo is “少女”. The character 少 (shou) means “little” or “few,” and 女 is the kanji for woman or “age.” Together, 少女 refers to young girls.

SEINEN AND JOSIE - STORIES FOR GROWN UPS

Vagabond and Paradise Kiss Seinen and Josie types of manga.

Stories where deeply rooted ideologies, idiosyncrasies of the society, philosophies, psychological tendencies, personal goals, elaborated historical events, and their significance all come into play are very complex, right?

They may be tough to read, and you feel like you will miss something if you misinterpret even one sentence.

But you get so attached to the story that you go, “WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!!!” after every page. You just can’t leave without knowing.

This is Seinen for you and Josie for you. These are manga for adults. They are kind of like elder siblings to Shōnen and Shōjo.


SEINEN MANGA

Seinen is targeted towards adult men, and Josie is more centered towards adult women.

They include stories of self-improvement, career challenges, and complicated relationships. Nana, for example, isn’t just about music or romance; it’s about life’s messy, beautiful complexity.

The most famous ones among Seinen are Berserk, Vinland, Saga, and Vagabond.

The kanji for seinen is 青年.

青 (sei) means “blue,” which, in this context, symbolizes youth or someone in the prime of life, while 年 (nen) means “year,” indicating a focus on a specific life stage.

Seinen manga often tackles more mature and complex themes, reflecting the interests and challenges of young male adults. These include work, relationships, and society. The focus here is on the transition from youth into adulthood rather than gender.


JOSEI MANGA

On the other hand the kanji for josei for josei manga is 女性. Here 女 (jo) means “woman” or “female,” while 性 (sei) means “nature” or “gender,” together forming “female” or “woman.”

Unlike Shōjo, Josei manga typically explores more mature themes like romance, careers, relationships, and personal challenges, catering to the interests of adult women.

Some of the famous josei manga are Chihayafuru by Yuki Suetsugu, Nana by Ai Yazawa, Paradise Kiss by Ai Yazawa, and Nodame Cantabile by Tomoko Ninomiya.

KODOMOMUKE MANGA

The word “kodomo” (子供) means “children,” and Muke (向け) means “for.” So Kodomuke manga or 子供向け 漫画 means “manga for children.”

As the name suggests, Kodomomuke manga is primarily for young children, typically from preschool to early elementary school age.

These stories often focus on simple themes like friendship, teamwork, and moral lessons, with easy-to-understand language designed to entertain and educate young readers.

The following are the most popular Kodomomuke manga series:

Doraemon: A manga series about a robotic cat from the future who helps a young boy, Nobita, navigate life using futuristic gadgets.

Anpanman: The word “Anpan” means a sweet roll filled with red bean paste. The Anpanman manga series is about the adventures of a superhero with a head in the shape of Anpan, who protects his friends from villains like Baikinman.

Pokémon Adventures (Pokémon Special): The word Pokémon is a short form of Pocket Monsters. Pokémon Adventures manga series features the adventures of young Pokémon trainers.

Shin-chan (Crayon Shin-chan): A manga series about a mischievous 5-year-old boy named Shin-chan and his everyday antics.

Yo-Kai Watch: The Yo-Kai Watch manga series is about a young boy who gains the ability to see and interact with supernatural creatures known as Yo-Kai.

The adaptation of all these famous manga series into anime was natural, and those turned out to be more famous as kids love animations.


MANGA MONOCHROMATIC ART STYLE

For Mangakas, as the Manga Artists are called, the monochromatic art style is a deliberate choice and not just a matter of tradition and cost.

Though some manga, especially the covers and special editions, are available in colored versions, most are still published in black and white. This presents a real challenge for the artist, though.

It is a big deal to convey so much emotion using only black and white, with just contrast, line work, and shading. Moreover, artists must also maintain a distinctive style so their work is instantly recognizable.

All of this, combined with the skillful use of negative space—areas left intentionally blank—creates a stark, dramatic aesthetic that can be compelling, powerful, or subtle, depending on its use.

And the backgrounds and pictures aren’t always perfectly detailed. The level of detail in the backgrounds and images varies based on what the mangaka wants to emphasize in each panel. 


MANGA DESIGN OR LACK OF THUMB RULES

The level of detail depends on the flow of the narrative. When emotions are meant to be heightened, the details in the characters are more pronounced. On the other hand, the backgrounds become less prominent, highlighting the characters.

When we talk about facial expressions, mangakas follow a simple mantra, “The eyes say it all!”. The big, flamboyant, and explicitly detailed eyes are a result of this. Apart from this, they also use other iconography techniques to put more life into the character, like the following:

- A sweat drop on the character’s forehead signifies tension, stress, confusion, or embarrassment.

- A pooping vein might represent anger and frustration

- Spiraling or squiggly lines near a character’s face might show dizziness, illness, or distress

- Subtle and thin lines under the eyes on the cheeks represent blush or shyness

The reading pattern that manga follows is also particularly unique because it is deeply connected to the Japanese roots. We start on the right and move towards the left. The right-to-left direction is not just for the dialogues but also for the panels.

Manga is known for its innovative use of panel layouts, which are often more fluid and dynamic than Western comics.

Japanese manga doesn’t follow strict rules for the flow and design of the panels; rather, it shifts according to what is being portrayed. This allows the mangaka to better control the pace and tone of the narrative.

For example, large, full-page panels (or “splash pages”) might highlight a dramatic moment or stunning artwork.

Diagonal or overlapping panels can create a sense of movement, urgency, or chaos, making action scenes more immersive.

Small, close-up panels can focus on a character’s facial expression or a crucial detail, heightening the scene’s emotional impact.

Adaptations – we can’t stop at just books, can we? With so much emotion and such a great connection, manga fans won’t be satisfied with just the printed pages, right? They want it to spill everywhere with TV shows, movie adaptations, soundtracks, and whatnot.

JIMMY WATSON - His mother, Marion, teases her son about his dreams to build a large robot ant with a drawing of her son riding on the ant's back. Then it comes true.

ANIME BRINGS MANGA TO LIFE

Manga’s adaptations in anime (animations) are the most successful category, with 100s of millions of viewers worldwide, and the industry is valued at JPY 2.9 trillion (roughly $23 billion) as of 2022, which is expected to grow to $62.7 billion by 2032.

Anime TV series had around 24 episodes per season until a few years ago, but this norm has changed recently, with the number reducing to half. The seasons are divided depending on the number and length of each story arc and its significance to the plot. Obviously, we can’t forget the cost of production.

The quality of these series has also changed significantly over the years. Especially if we compare the anime from the early 2000s to today. The average production cost for one episode today starts from around $80k and goes as high as $150k for one episode of an anime.

If we look at the experience side of it, anime brings out the manga’s statistic images,

adding movements, soundtracks, and voice, taking the overall experience to a whole new level.

FAMOUS ANIME

Anime adds a whole new dimension to manga’s entertainment by adding animations to the still black-and-white drawings.

Long-running anime like One Piece (1000+ episodes and still going), Naruto (over 700 episodes), and Bleach (392 and still going), together commonly referred to as the big three, have had tremendous success and generated billions and billions of dollars in revenues.

Some other successful anime include, “My Hero Academia,” “Death Note,” “Attack on Titan,” “Jujutsu Kaisen,” “Demon Slayer,” “Fullmetal Alchemist,” “Kuroko’s Basketball,” “Neon Genesis Evangelion,” and “Tokyo Revengers.”

And it is not just a TV series. Anime can also be movies or films with a more focused narrative and a denser story.

Films can be produced independently, like the highly successful “Your Name” and “Weathering with You,” which earned over $400 million and $181 million worldwide, respectively. Alternatively, they can be made as part of an anime series like “One Piece Film: Red” and “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train,” or simply, “Demon Slayer: Mugen Train.”

LIVE ACTION

These live-action adaptations aim to capture the essence of their respective manga, translating the visual style and story into real-world settings with actors and practical effects. Some well-known adaptations include One Piece, Death Note, and Tokyo Ghoul. Even Hollywood has attempted this, with somewhat mixed results.