Manga Mondays: Anime Adaptions

Well today's Manga Monday is asking about this:

Do certain anime adaptions give their original mangas justice?

We'll explore three different animes, all different in their own ways.

First, we'll start with one that I just recently started watching:

Kaichou Wa Maid-sama!

Left to Right: Misaki Ayuzawa & Takumi Usui ~
Protagonists of Kaichou Wa Maid-Sama

Kaichou Wa Maid-sama is basically about a strict, female student council president who ends up in a strange relationship with a slacker boy at school. This happens and bang-bing-bam-bom-woop! Kaichou Wa Maid-sama is adapted into an anime. So, I've read the manga long before I started watching the anime. I seriously love the manga to death, and all the characters are pretty freaking awesome. (Recommended read)

However, I was skeptical on watching the anime because I didn't know if I would like it. Some way, it might just put me off, kind of like Twilight... No offense (The last Twilight movie wasn't so bad. I liked it a bit. :D )... Yet, I was entirely wrong. The anime is actually just as amusing as the manga. I enjoyed watching it, and I was laughing at parts I laughed at in the manga. Additionally, the anime (so far) is very close to the manga's story line in details, which makes me very happy. As well as the art... Yay art continuity! :D

But of course, the anime does leave some details out (small details that don't really stray away from the main plot line but actions that lead to the resolution might differ). It's not all entirely bad or makes me want to throw the TV across the room, but obviously, they probably won't include every single detail into a 22-24 minute show. 

The Verdict:

Yes. The anime of Kaichou Wa Maid-Sama does give the manga justice. However, as any normal Manga/Anime lover, I would highly recommend the Manga first, then the Anime.

Misaki & Takumi

Our second look is at a considerably popular manga/anime:

One Piece

Background to Foreground & Left to Right:
Sanji, Usopp, Nami, Luffy & Zoro

To be completely honest, I made a whoopsy on this one... I watched the anime first and then the manga (that was a time where I wasn't really into reading mangas or even watching animes. It was mostly on adult swim and Luffy & Sanji made me laugh). From the episodes I have watched and manga chapters I have read, One Piece really sticks to their story considerably well and deserves a well-needed thumbs up. One Piece has also been extremely successful in the selling of manga and anime.

However, just like any other popular anime, it has fillers. If you have seen Bleach and gouged the insides of your bone marrow while watching that FREAKING BOUNT ARC *heaves*, you will understand that some fillers just shouldn't be aired and that some fillers just shouldn't be made. I am by no means saying that "Bleach is terrible. YAYAYAY One piece!" Bleach just has terrible and non-thought-out fillers. Yet, our friend, One Piece, has had profoundly positive feedback from its fillers, making it not seem like a totally hassle to even watch them. (You might even think it is canon!) And the first filler arc of One Piece actually doesn't appear until after the Logue Arc, which is the 5-6 arc, if you don't include the One Piece movie and include the Buggy Arc Special. (Warship Island Arc is the first filler.) 
As well, the art is pretty identical to the manga, which I love. *3*

Verdict:

Yes. The anime of One Piece does provide the manga justice. I saw the anime before I read the manga, and immediately, I fell in love with its story, characters, and art. Seriously, if you had to watch any super popular anime, I would definitely consider One Piece.

Left to Right: Zoro, Nami, Luffy, Usopp, & Sanji

Our last anime adaption will be:

Air Gear

Ikki ~ Protagonist of Air Gear

Let's be honest here: Air Gear is a pretty freaking awesome and kick arse manga. To be honest, it made me proud that I could roller blade and wish I took engineering and enjoyed it so I could make Air Treck skates.

But that, my friends, is a dream for another day. /sheds a single tear, looking at the dawning horizon

Air Gear is a very fun and fantastic manga, especially with its excelling panel transitions with its roller skating movements. For the artist, they get a thumbs up from me.

However, did the Anime give the manga justice?

Not really. Maybe I am a bit prejudice when I type this, however the more time Simca was on the screen, the more I wanted to punch my television with her face on it. She had WAYY more screen time than she SHOULD HAVE. However, that was not the only reason. They didn't really go into depth with the whole idea of Air Treck. It's so much more than people roller blading and winning badges for kisses. It's like a whole other world. That's the way the manga portrays it at least, and that's what I love about it. It's not a simple sport or some competition for anyone. It's for those people with the talent to soar. Also, the manga art is so much better.

Verdict:

No, the anime did not give Air Gear its just rewards. Maybe I am a bit annoyed by the fact I saw Simca a lot more than I should have, but the matter of the fact is that the anime doesn't serve the manga at all. At moments, I asked myself "Did it happen this way?" It bothers me when things don't happen like they did the books (if I read it), however if the movie or the show put it in a creative way, then props to them. But I just felt the anime didn't serve the purpose of supporting the manga. AND I WANT MORE RINGO, NOT SIMCA. DIE IN A PIT OF FLAMES, SIMCA!!

YAY RINGO!

Well, besides my rant, I hoped you enjoyed this Monday's MM!

See you next time!!

Sara