Wednesday, March 28, 2012





In this manga, I found examples of Katakana used as a form of expression through feelings; in English terms, they would be labeled as "onomatopoeia". In the top caption where the gangster is apprehending the traitors you can see the Katakana ”ヨロ” which translated to "yoro" in romaji and typically is used to express "wobbling". This Katakana makes sense when juxtaposed with the phrase " TO HIS FEET!"; thus indicating that the apprehended man is trembling under the strength of his oppressor. Similarly, the Katakana right next to the men says ”ハア、ハア、ハア” which in romaji translates to "ha ha ha". In English, this onomatopoeia typically translates to mean "rapid breathing". The Katakana here once again brings life to the struggling man, as it shows his strife climbing up the mountain. In this particular situation, the Katakana brings the photo to life as it animates the characters through particular expression used to embellish the reading experience.