Abstract

This study intends to compare the onomatopoeia used in mainstream contemporary American comics in the superhero and fantasy genres and the ones used in mainstream contemporary Japanese manga in its two most popular segments: shōnen manga (manga for boys) and shōjo manga (manga for girls). It will focus on the manner in which the two languages try to reproduce sounds visually and their similarities and differences. It will also approach the many shapes and sizes they use to approximate the written word to the intended sound on a comic page. The great number of onomatopoeia in each language and their classification according to types of sound will also be commented, including mimetic words, since they are abundantly used in mainstream manga. The comparison should extend to the differences between the use of onomatopoeia in each culture, such as the alphabet, the writing, and the perception each of the two cultures has of the same type of sound and how they translate that into image.