The Comparison between Persepolis and Japanese Comics in terms of the Masking Effect

Generally speaking, Japanese comics which are called 'Manga' always have the various masking effects. The effects are including many resources. For instance, many lines are used to emphasize about representation of speed and attention. Furthermore, much national style is very often used to describe the sounds. Especially, using this national style is very useful means for emphasis. Because of these masking effects, the readers would be felt drawn toward the comic much more. It is true that the effects are so strong for emphasis that the scenes in the comic sometimes do not need to include the speech by characters.

For example, we can see the Japanese masking effect in the article "Understanding Comics"(p.43). In spite of the fact that the character of girl who holding the figure of bear does not speech anything, the reader must be able to figure out the situation that she is running away from the car even though we cannot know the reason. Because of many lines and the Japanese style, the reader can catch the image that the scene has a tension and emergency. By the way, the function of the letters "ギャァァン" which the sound is happened from the tire just emphasize the speed and a tension, but no meaning.

On the other hand, many scenes in Persepolis sometimes do not use not only any masking effect but also the background. For instance, in the beginning of the chapter "The Cigarette", the author does not use any effects and even background over whole of the page (p.111). And then, the reader would be really hard to see where they are meeting and chatting. Because of Marji's narration, the readers can know that they are in school. However, because of Marji's narration and the lack of the background and any effects, the reader would be able to focus on just their conversation that is trying to skip the class. Actually, I think this is also one of the masking effects that she dare not use any effects.

Therefore, it depends on the purpose of the scenes what the author wants to emphasize whether the author use the masking effects or not. It is important that the author use the masking effects effectively for the readers that they can draw the appropriate representation in each scenes and chapters.