Does the usage of katakana in manga have any specific meaning?


I don't read japanese, but I can distinguish katakana/hiragana./kanji

I've noticed that some mangas use a mixture of both. Does the usage of
katakana in a primarily hiragana/kanji manga mean anything?




These [two](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/a/1931)
[answer](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/a/1932) covers the topic very
well:

>   1. To describe (what feels like) Western origin words
>   2. To describe onomatopoeia (e.g. sounds effects)
>   3. To describe the fact that it is normally written in kanji, but that it
> is written without it because either the writer wants to write faster, has
> no access to the kanji form (as in the case where the writer is given the
> name in a romanized transcription or the writer just heard the name), forgot
> the kanji form, or does not want to bother to write in kanji for any other
> reason.
>   4. To give visual and/or _very_ slight semantic emphasis. Almost like
> using **bold** or _italics_ in English.
>

Most commonly katakana seen to be used for the #4. Much like how we can write
in lowercase and UPPERCASE to give emphasis. Because it's sometimes difficult
to feel the atmosphere when reading such emphasis is generally used in the
words.

What most people don't immediate pick up is that much like reason #1, you can
use katakana to emphasize foreign-sounding of a particular character speech.
It's hard to transcribe a foreign accent (including some but not all verbal
tics) in Japanese, but using katakana can get this idea across to the user.
It's like if I were to talk to you normally, I would perhaps use a combination
of hiragana and kanji, but if I were to talk to you and sound foreign, perhaps
`LIKE A ROBOT`, I would used katakana. This so-called "technique" is used
commonly in visual and written novels in Japan, not just for foreign sounding
words, but also to emphasize the foreign-ness of a particular person's
dialogue.

![Sueness~](https://i.stack.imgur.com/CJB31.png)

Hiragana can also be used in a similar fashion. Hiragana is typically the
first reading/writing language a kid learns as they start reading in Japan.
This is sometimes used to indicated the simpleness or naivety of a character,
in general or at a specific moment. In the Yotsuba& manga, the titular
character Yotsuba's dialogue is written in hiragana without any kanji,
emphasizing her simpler, childlike manner. She also has a slightly different
sized and styled typeface to emphasize her intensity and energy as a kid. In
addition much of these quirks like her pun-filled nuances are [lost in
subsequent localizations](http://manga.about.com/b/2009/09/17/yen-press-
explains-danbo-vs-cardbo-and-other-yotsuba-manga-mysteries.htm)

![4tsuba &](https://i.stack.imgur.com/E5BoPl.jpg)

Those are the most basic nuances to look for when reading manga. If you're
interested in learning more about the language and manga I recommend checking
out the book _[Japanese the Manga Way: An Illustrated Guide to Grammar and
Structure](http://books.google.com/books/about/Japanese_the_Manga_Way.html?id=xaXukH72bl4C)_
by Wayne P. Lammers.




These [two](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/a/1931)
[answer](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/a/1932) covers the topic very
well:

>   1. To describe (what feels like) Western origin words
>   2. To describe onomatopoeia (e.g. sounds effects)
>   3. To describe the fact that it is normally written in kanji, but that it
> is written without it because either the writer wants to write faster, has
> no access to the kanji form (as in the case where the writer is given the
> name in a romanized transcription or the writer just heard the name), forgot
> the kanji form, or does not want to bother to write in kanji for any other
> reason.
>   4. To give visual and/or _very_ slight semantic emphasis. Almost like
> using **bold** or _italics_ in English.
>

Most commonly katakana seen to be used for the #4. Much like how we can write
in lowercase and UPPERCASE to give emphasis. Because it's sometimes difficult
to feel the atmosphere when reading such emphasis is generally used in the
words.

What most people don't immediate pick up is that much like reason #1, you can
use katakana to emphasize foreign-sounding of a particular character speech.
It's hard to transcribe a foreign accent (including some but not all verbal
tics) in Japanese, but using katakana can get this idea across to the user.
It's like if I were to talk to you normally, I would perhaps use a combination
of hiragana and kanji, but if I were to talk to you and sound foreign, perhaps
`LIKE A ROBOT`, I would used katakana. This so-called "technique" is used
commonly in visual and written novels in Japan, not just for foreign sounding
words, but also to emphasize the foreign-ness of a particular person's
dialogue.

![Sueness~](https://i.stack.imgur.com/CJB31.png)

Hiragana can also be used in a similar fashion. Hiragana is typically the
first reading/writing language a kid learns as they start reading in Japan.
This is sometimes used to indicated the simpleness or naivety of a character,
in general or at a specific moment. In the Yotsuba& manga, the titular
character Yotsuba's dialogue is written in hiragana without any kanji,
emphasizing her simpler, childlike manner. She also has a slightly different
sized and styled typeface to emphasize her intensity and energy as a kid. In
addition much of these quirks like her pun-filled nuances are [lost in
subsequent localizations](http://manga.about.com/b/2009/09/17/yen-press-
explains-danbo-vs-cardbo-and-other-yotsuba-manga-mysteries.htm)

![4tsuba &](https://i.stack.imgur.com/E5BoPl.jpg)

Those are the most basic nuances to look for when reading manga. If you're
interested in learning more about the language and manga I recommend checking
out the book _[Japanese the Manga Way: An Illustrated Guide to Grammar and
Structure](http://books.google.com/books/about/Japanese_the_Manga_Way.html?id=xaXukH72bl4C)_
by Wayne P. Lammers.

