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![Naruto 2-page spread](https://i.stack.imgur.com/riYOv.png)

Taking this double-page spread for example. There are total of 8 panels, but
it's divided into three different segments from the top to the bottom.

I've tried reading from the top-right, to the bottom-right, then starting with
the next pane downwards. I know Japanese manga is read right-to-left, and I'm
having some trouble reading this particular part.

As a rule of thumb, how do I properly read manga with multiple panels like
this?


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2013-08-01T00:46:21.007
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2015-09-22T00:33:25.510
2015-05-14T20:17:15.883
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question
naruto panel-arrangement
How do I read manga with multiple panels?


You would typically read it in a S shape from one row to the next, always
returning far right panel when you start a new row.

[code]

    +-------------------+
    |    2    |   1     |
    +-------------------+
    |  6  | 5 | 4 |  3  |
    +-------------------+
    |    8    |    7    |
    +-------------------+
    
[/code]

So on the first row, start from the far right and you hit the far left panel
of the first row, move to the far right panel of the second row. Then at the
far left panel of the second row, move onto the far right of third row and
finish the page.

However because of the flow of action in this particular page the order of
panels goes more like this:

[code]

    +-------------------+
    |    2    |   1     |
    +-------------------+
    |  3  | 4 | 4 |  3  |  <-- the 2nd and the 4th Hokage are acting simultaneously
    +-------------------+
    |    6    |    5    |
    +-------------------+
    
[/code]


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2013-08-01T03:01:27.020
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2013-08-01T15:08:56.603
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answer


If the panels are arranged outside the norm, there isn't a general rule on how
you should read it.

You kind of have to take in all the content at once, and use the context in
order to try to figure out chronologically what happens first then next. For
example, @Krazer had to figure out that both Hokage were acting simultaneously
to know the order of the middle pannels.


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2013-08-01T03:14:54.647
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answer