Another question came up on the wrapped/unwrapped manga issue. Since the post that prompted it has scrolled down a bit, I thought I would repost it. Liz from Isahaya asks:
“Coming off Tivome’s comment – (‘That’s why in Japan, all manga’s wrapped and the store owner has no qualm about whacking you on the head with a stick if you break the plastic for a peek.’) He’s right, but . . . I’m on exchange in Japan right now, and while they get real unhappy if YOU break the plastic on your own, if you take it up to the counter and ask them if you can look at it, they will open up as many volumes as you want to look at. Do they do the same in the States? It’s definitely a waste of plastic, but it seems like it’d be a bit less of a pain . .”
I haven’t experienced the wrapped-manga phenomenon first hand, so if anyone can answer Liz’s question, please do.
At Cognitive Dissonance, Johanna looks at the shelving issue from a different angle, wondering if anyone out there is sorting manga by genre. I like this idea, particularly when I consider how bookstore manga sections are expanding. It seems like the next logical step in manga’s path to world domination.