How To Read Manga Panels

How on earth do you read manga???

I know I seem like a dork for asking this but I've been trying to get into the one piece manga and I have no clue how I'm supposed to read it.

Is it from right to left or left to right? Big pictures then the little pictures????

So confused.

level 1

· 4y · edited 4y

All manga are read from right to left. Basically the reverse of western comics. Same for speech bubbles. It really does take some getting used to, but soon it will be second nature to you.

EDIT: More detail

level 2

It became such second nature to me that I'll sometimes read a page of western comics like a manga and get very confused.

level 2

especially confusing when you switch to manhwa after a manga.

"WTF IS THIS? IT'S NOT MAKING ANY SENSE!"

realizes left to right after a couple of pages, forgetting you did the same thing the previous week

level 2

I've become so used to it I read all text bubbles right to left then get really confused why it doesn't make sense

level 2

there are manhwa (korean manga) that read from left to right though

level 2

Also, when left and right panels aren't on the same height, then verticality beats horizontality.

level 1

· 4y Pirate

Get a cup of tea
Get snacks, preferably chocolate
Get a really comfortable blanket
Put some OST from the anime on in the background
Read from right to left

level 1

Always follow the lines that the panels form. If 3 panels at the top form a straight line you read them. If they don't and the first panel (the top right) forms a line with the panel below, you go there and then up again. I had a little problem too at first, but when I realised that the lines that the panels form always guide you it's really easy! As far as text bubbles, again you read from right (top, then bottom) and then middle and then left, even if a text bubble on the left is higher than the others. That's irrelevant in manga.

level 1

Right to left.

Il suggest reading some earlier arc (if you intend to start from where you left off),to get accustomed to It. It takes a little bit of time and for alot of people,during that time,they can't enjoy the chapters because they are focused more on getting the hang of it and/or understanding it

level 1

oh boy, I remember when I didn't get how to read it as well, just right to left, top to bottom same with speech bubbles and you'll get used to it in time.

now the problem lies when you try to switch to something else or you are keeping up with both manga and american comics or manhua/manhwa or old manga. where you switch between right to left and left to right or when you read osamu tezuka's manga his panelling is very unique that it gets really confusing sometimes.

level 1

Top to bottom, right to left. The former takes precedence over the latter

level 2

Top to bottom, right to left. The former takes precedence over the latter

Wait, what? Isn't it like the opposite?

Right to left (the latter in your post) takes precedence over top to bottom (the former), If I have a neat grid I'll read the first line right to left before I go down one notch.

level 2

You said that in the most confusing way possible, thank you

level 1

Right to left top to bottom. I think Thats the rule read whatever is higher and more righter lol first oh and square boxes come before all else I think.

level 1

Comment deleted by user · 4y

level 1

Looks like other people already gave good answers. Thanks for asking, and I hope you'll enjoy the series!

level 1

Don't worry, it gets easier. If you ever read manhwa (the Korean manga equivalent), its left to right again.

level 1

The first manga site i used said that i was to read it right to left and i just instantly adapted to it. Sometimes i might make a mess with reading some big frames and small in the wrong order but it solves itself