My impresions of e-book / The Isolated Zone:Shinku Chitai

It's released finally, at eManga. 

eManga offered to DL several file-formats for many devices, so I got some and tried with my devices - iPhone, KindleFireHD.

So far, eManga is only the place you can get this book , but the other web-stores will join soon, such as Amaazon and Barns&Noble, like my other titles (Mizuki, Moon&Blood)

*It's available on Amazon and  Barnes&Noble now.

I've been concerned how the art/letters would be seen as the author. Especially in this time, because I was involved in the editing work with Kimiko Kotani from Kawaii Neko, ... check it! 

(I know some readers complained about kindle/nook edition of Moon and Blood, because some letters are too small to read.) 

The part I was most worried is this. We put a rather long note... yes, it was too much, obviously. Not only difficult to read, but also very bother. It can put you off reading. -.-; I'd have asked to cut it off, I think. (it's supposed to be seen like this below image, but...)

Kindle

There are 2 kindle formats, Fire/e-ink. The aspect ratios are different - what???
Kindle(for e-ink) screen shot(below) 

OMG! (*.*) It's small! Because the dpi is suit for Kindle old version, I think. When you show it iPhone(mine is 4) or KindleFireHD, it has huge blank part like this. Mmm more dpi, pleeeeze! ^^;; You need sixth sense to read it, - or - can you guess?

Magnified...

Murimuri, impossible.  (ヾﾉ･∀･`)ﾑﾘﾑﾘ

Blurrrr! Even reading the letters in the balloons is stressful. 

Format for KindleFire

The horizontal part is too long (and blur a bit), so - looks weird.

I don't know why, but this file had trouble to show with my Kindle for iPhone(freeze). With Kindle, the page goes from the end to the beginning, it's backwards. One-way traffic, for some reason. 

The below image is right horizontal to vertical ratio. This is from my hand-maid kindle format file(mobi). It's for my personal use, so the compressibility of the file is very low. Means - it has high quality, clear and heavy. I wish you could keep such quality for e-books, but...

At Amazon kindle store, the size/a book can't be very large,  and there are some conditions (depends on each publisher, maybe) - so you need to compress the image, sometimes it's high level, I guess. Still... I wish it was crisp, a little more....-,- 

At least readable letters is essential (without stress). Do I distribute my file via Amazon Direct Publishing? You can do if you made one volume several parts.

By the way, Japanese style mobi file (right to left) can be shown by the latest devices (KindleFireHD,  Paper White), but not my Kindle4 (Don't know about Kindle Touch)

 The format of DMG is set "left to right style", so it can't show two-page spread. (because it means the right page and the left page are reversed), pity... :/ Put aside the "2-page spread" problem, still the page ejection of left-to-right style is not comfortable to read manga, I'm irritated with it sometimes. 

I wish Amazon do something to solve this problem, such as offering a new firmware... It's important for manga artists. 

PC Viewer of eManga

Nice to read, magnification is easy and smooth. If only the basic size is bigger a bit, my large monitor works well. ^^; I have a little trouble to read the letters, maybe it's because English(alphabet)  is foreign language for me. 

BTW, the page order is wrong, the manga should have started from left page, but it starts from right, in fact. ><;; It will be corrected soon.

iBooks(below) is shown 2-pages spread, thanks to that(?), this format version is correct. (The center is not connected in accurate, though)

The quality is.... well, so so? "The letters" are  too small to read, but it was our fault, I think. You shouldn't use such small letter in e-book. -.-

Japanese readers count two-page spread as an advantage, but - this is just my impression -  Western readers are not interested in the point very much. (I have no idea how other Asian people take it. Shame!  If you are from Asia, let me know your thought. )

In fact, many Western people read manga on the web at first, scanlator's work.  In such site, manga is shown one page by one page, not in two-page spread. (it's difficult you read manga "spread page style" on the low resolution image/monitor)

 So many ppl get used to the style, and it become the standard - the readers would miss the chance to get the idea how manga is supposed to be enjoyed ?

E-book is getting popular now, and this current can't go back anymore, I think. So I'm worried if the idea of page spread could survive in future. It's one of very important technique of manga composition, it gives the drawing so dynamic and living aspects.

As a creator, you want readers read your works in the way what you composed, in perfect shape. It could be something like you watch movie with a little TV. Small screen can spoil the picture which should been seen on a big screen.

PDF
The image is clear - it's the best what I saw this time. (When you show it on KindleFireHD
or iPhone4) I wish they made the PDF file the way "right to left" style. If it was iPad or KindleFire8.9, you can show and read the file 2page spread.

Do I want to read manga with e-book devise?

Yes and no, personally. If there is any rental system - reasonable one - , I'll definitely take it. It's like reading manga at a book store. If you found a good one, you buy the actual book, to enjoy the manga completely. That's the best system for me. Very idealistic. Very - geeky. XD

Still, e-book allows you read some minor books, wherever you live. It's great thing. Better than nothing (unpublished)  So -  I wish good and reasonable reading devices are coming soon. This is much realistic, right?

Omake
I found KindleFire and iPhone can show eManga viewer. It's nicer than Kindle-file/PDF @.@