Toonami Cofounder Explains a Major Way Manga and Comics Differ

Cartoon Network made a big splash that continues to ripple to this day with the programming blocks of Toonami and Adult Swim, which have introduced new generations to some of the biggest anime franchises ever released, and recently one of the co-founders was able to break down what he believes to be one of the main differences between manga in Japan and comic books made in North America. Jason Demarco, one of the co-creators of Toonami and currently acts as a Vice President within the ranks of Cartoon Network, took time to share his thoughts on the differences between these two mediums!

Toonami is looking to expand greatly in the future by creating original anime of its own, with the much awaited adaptation of Junji Ito’s Uzumaki that is being created by both the programming block and the animation studio of Production IG. Recently, at Comic-Con 2020, Toonami revealed another of their upcoming projects in Fena: Pirate Princess which will also be produced by Production IG and will get a simultaneous release on Crunchyroll for its initial twelve episodes. Aside from these new creations, Toonami has been responsible for introducing new generations to the likes of Dragon Ball, One Piece, Gundam, and almost too many other properties to count at this point.

Twitter User ViaJoshHunt shared a blurb from his interview with Jason Demarco, as the co-founder of Toonami breaks down one of the major differences between manga and comic books wherein the author of manga properties has far more control over the characters that they write than the authors of comic books in North America such as Marvel, DC, and more:

Toonami has definitely had its ups and downs in the past, going off the air for a few years before making a triumphant return as part of the programming block of Adult Swim. With the block airing big anime hits such as My Hero Academia, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, and Dragon Ball Super to name a few, it seems as if Toonami isn’t only thriving, but seeking to expand and become the biggest it ever has been during its history.

Do you agree with the co-founder of Toonami’s beliefs when it comes to manga versus Western comic books? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly on Twitter @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and the world of Toonami!