John ForrestFMP

Task 4Pitch Presentation

For my assignment I decided I was going to create a graphic novel using the ever growing popular Japanese art style manga while taking inspiration from western comic artists and illustrators.

I also intend to create an animated opening that would be for the anime counterpart of my graphic novel.

However in order to prepare for this I first researched into the target market and the audience of manga in Great Britain while also finding what is popular and sells and why.

I did this by:

• Going into Manchester to ask all the popular retail chains who sell manga about what they find popular and what is trending

•Creating and handing out surveys in Manchester and around college finding out about the general audience and age range.

• Researching from secondary sources about Manga and Anime demographics and genres

This research gave me a clear idea of my....

Target Audienceand

Market

The Two Step Flow Model

This part of the market are the trend-setters who will go out there way to find new manga and anime to watch and are more likely to pay for their manga.

This part of the market generally access their manga through the internet and find out about manga and anime through friends

My graphic novel is for ages 16-20 as from survey results this is the age range that read manga in Great Britain

When talking to places such as Forbidden Planet they told me that the more popular manga’s get publicity from their anime counterparts which just confirms that the animated trailer is a good marketing technique.

Even though the shõnen demographic is aimed at boys in Japan over here they seem to be the most popular manga and anime and are accessed by both genders. So I will follow the guidelines of this demographic.

Aberrantno Exile

Aberrant no Exile (Exile of the Aberrant) is set in an inner city area which will be based off of Salford and areas of Manchester. It will be set in this time period although technology and science will have advanced further then in real life.

Around the world governments have discovered that within the human race there are a few with a rare dormant gene and by using advanced technology they created a brace which attaches itself permanently to these peoples arms and brings out their extraordinary gifts.

With these new gifts the Aberrant as they are called became governments tools used for right and wrong against other nations. However in Britain civil conflict broke out between those without abilities as they felt like second class citizens.

Four years on and the government have scrapped the scheme leaving those who have permanent abilities treated like pariahs and criminals. We follow the story of Illaine Winters who tries her best to blend into society after her brother was taken prisoner for being a reckless aberrant but because of the brace on her arm she barely manages to hold down her job at the local supermarket and lives in a small bedsit.

Bradley ‘Bass’ Crane is a fifteen year old aberrant boy his mum and dad are not but they own a pub called the Two Headed Horse and it an illegal hangout for the local aberrants. One fateful day when he is picked up from school by a friend of his parents Illaine Winters he suddenly becomes a wanted fugitive when his parents are taken in for harbouring criminals he is now Illaine’s responsibility to be kept from any harm

As Illaine tries to escape with Bradley deep into the city they come across a battered and bruised young woman who goes by the name Boanna. Her appearance and personality is quirky and strange but what is the most unusual is that she has aberrant abilities but does not need a brace because of this she is the most wanted person in Britain and Illaine wants nothing to do with her but Bradley insists they can’t leave her alone.

Although most aberrants are now considered criminal scum there are still a select few that are still used by the government. Their roles are bounty hunters for rogue and reckless aberrants and one who takes this role seriously is Alfonso Mahsa. Considered one of the best he has been set the mission of capturing Boanna but after hearing first hand suspicious things from the minister of Aberrant Defence. He may not have been on the right side after all.

Boanna

Bohemian

Antiquated

Free Spirit

ShepherdTransfiguration

Illaine Winters

Elemental Practical

Self Preservative

Addictive Personality

Stoic

Bradley ‘Bass’ Crane

Sullen

TsundreHot Headed

Defensive

Alfonso Mahsa

Mutated

Feline

Law Abiding

Fiercely Loyal

Gentleman

The Universe

Prisoners

Shackles

Mutations

Inner City

Divide

Pits

InspirationOne of my main inspirations for the story came actually from the story The Sneetches by Dr Seuss as it tells the story of the same race discriminating each other for a simple star mutation on their belly and how their roles become reversed when the machine comes into play and that translates to the brace.

I also took loose inspiration from Marvels X-men as well as it is about mutated people who have to over come certain diversities.

Art StyleLooking at older Japanese artists such as Hokusai you can see the clear link in modern manga how lines and strokes create texture and tone to the piece while bold block colours make shapes which is how the human figure breaks down.

You can see in artwork from Isoda Koryusai how the weight of the lines done by ink accentuates boldness of features and distance which is often used in modern manga.

Art StyleAlthough I still wish for my graphic novel to be in the style of Japanese manga and anime I have also looked at taking inspiration from graphic novelists such as Frank Miller whose dark graphic style really appeals to me. From this I have decided that I also wanted to show the difference between the aberrants and the normal people visually as well as through the story.