As Oliver and Tenten sat down in the training grounds, surrounded by the sounds of the village and the rustling of leaves, Oliver noticed a slight hesitation in Tenten's expression. She had been nodding along, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm, but there was one thing she hadn't quite understood yet.
"Wait a second," Tenten said, furrowing her brow. "You keep saying 'manga' and 'comics'—what exactly are those?"
Oliver blinked, realizing that this was probably the most important part of his plan.
Oliver paused, realizing that he'd been talking in terms that might be too foreign to Tenten. Unlike him, she wasn't from Earth, so the concepts of "manga" and "comics" wouldn't be as intuitive. He had been so used to the idea of comics and manga that he hadn't stopped to think about how foreign the concept might be to someone who had never encountered them before.
He chuckled lightly, scratching the back of his head. "Right, sorry. I forgot you wouldn't know what that is. Okay, let me explain."
He shifted his legs, sitting cross-legged on the ground beside Tenten, who was still holding her weapons. He took a deep breath before beginning his explanation.
"Right," he said, scratching the back of his head. "Let me try again, then. You know how we train with weapons and how we've learned by watching other ninjas, right?"
Tenten nodded, her expression thoughtful. "Yeah, we learn by seeing the techniques in action, then practicing them ourselves."
"Exactly. Now imagine, instead of just learning by watching someone in person, you could also learn by reading about it or looking at a story where everything is drawn out, step by step. That's what a comic is. It's like a story, but told through pictures instead of just words. So, you get to see what happens instead of just reading a description."
Tenten raised an eyebrow, clearly still trying to picture it. "Okay, but that's a little different from our scrolls. Is it like looking at pictures of jutsu techniques?"
"Not quite. The pictures aren't just about techniques or training—they're about the whole story. So, comics are usually drawn in a more realistic way, almost like art where you can really feel the emotions of the characters. The characters in comics can have very detailed, life-like appearances. You get a lot of focus on the action, the fighting, and the drama, but the characters are realistic and serious."
Tenten's eyes widened slightly as she tried to grasp the idea. "So, the characters look real, like someone you'd see on the street, but they're doing these wild things, like… saving the world or something?"
"Exactly," Oliver confirmed. "Comics tend to be about heroes, the struggles they face, and their journeys. The characters look like real people, but their stories often have them fighting powerful enemies, saving people, or dealing with dangerous situations. But there's more focus on their realistic emotions—like fear, anger, love, and loss. It's like they're almost alive in the pictures."
Tenten took a moment to digest that. "Okay, I think I get it. But what's manga, then? How's it different?"
"Ah," Oliver said, his eyes lighting up, "this is where it gets fun. Manga is also a comic, but it's more about the style. The characters in manga often look cuter and more exaggerated, with bigger eyes, smaller bodies, and expressions that show emotions very clearly. It's a bit more stylized, a bit more expressive. So, instead of focusing on making them look like real people, manga makes everything a little more… dramatic and sometimes even playful."
So it's like the same idea, but the characters look more childish?" Tenten asked, now fully intrigued.
"Exactly!" Oliver grinned. "In manga, the characters look more like caricatures of people—sometimes they're adorable, and sometimes they look intense or super strong. But the big thing is that the action and stories are just as exciting as in comics. It's like turning the energy up a notch, making everything bigger, bolder, and sometimes even a bit cuter."
Tenten laughed, clearly getting it now. "That sounds fun. So manga is more for entertainment and comics are more… serious?"
"Not necessarily," Oliver said, shaking his head. "They both can be fun or serious, but manga tends to have a lighter touch in the way the characters look. It's just a different kind of art, with a unique feel. It's about expressing big emotions in an easy-to-understand way through fun visuals, and comics focus on more realistic depictions."
Tenten smiled and leaned back against the ground, clearly impressed. "I think I get it now. You're talking about creating entertainment through pictures and words, right? Like something that can teach, inspire, and even make people laugh—all through art. That sounds amazing."
Exactly," Oliver replied, his face lighting up. "That's exactly what I'm hoping to do with my manga. I want to show people how to survive, how to fight, and how to handle emotions. But I also want to make it fun and engaging."
Tenten sat quietly for a moment, thinking about all the possibilities. "You're going to change things with this, huh? A whole new way of learning and experiencing ninja life."
Oliver's grin widened. "I hope so. And you know, there's no manga or comics here in this world yet, so what I'm doing will be the first of its kind."
Tenten raised an eyebrow, curious. "Wait, you're the first person to do this kind of thing here?"
"Yeah," Oliver nodded. "This world doesn't know what a manga is yet. They don't have the same type of books I'm talking about. And I think that's what makes it so exciting. It's something new, something different.
Tenten's eyes sparkled with admiration. "That's incredible. You're creating something brand new that nobody's seen before."
Tenten smiled softly, understanding his quiet resolve. "Well, I think it's awesome, and I'm definitely going to help however I can. You've got a big vision, Oliver. I believe in you."
"Thanks, Tenten," Oliver said, his heart swelling with gratitude. "With your support, I think this might actually work."