Manga uses even more onomatopoeia than anime does because there aren't any actual sounds! That means if the author wants the reader to hear a sound effect or to project a certain feeling into a page, he or she makes use of Japan's large selection of sound words. Think of it like a Western comic book having "POW" and "BANG" during the fight sequences to add more excitement for the reader. What makes manga a different experience for English speakers is that a lot of Japanese onomatopoeia words, into English. Why? Because there isn’t an equivalent word. Keep in mind that Japanese has about 1200 onomatopoeia words, which is three times more than English. That means you're very likely to come across words that are left in Japanese.

Don't fear, though! It just means that manga readers develop a unique ability to read that other people do not. You're used to seeing another language, and you're learning a part of Japanese culture at the same time! It's a challenge but also a benefit so don't let the onomatopoeia scare you away from enjoying a manga fully. So instead of ignoring it, look it up and learn it! It will add a whole new dimension to your manga experience, and you'll see the story closer to how the original writer wanted it portrayed.

Not only is onomatopoeia rarely translates into English, it often remains written in katakana which makes it very easy to spot in manga. Katakana is the alphabet used to write foreign or other "non-Japanese" words, onomatopoeia included since they aren't 'real' words. One of the most common onomatopoeia that appears in a lot of manga is "じーっ" (jii) which is used to represent an intense stare. Since that can't actually be animated, manga writers use the onomatopoeia to show how they want the action portrayed. Other common manga onomatopoeia are "キラ" (kira), showing sparkles or shining, "ダダ" (dada), which is the sound of footsteps, and "ピピピピ" (pipipipi), to represent beeping. Of course those are only a few, but try to find these in your favourite manga to start practising!

Nothing like using an incredibly popular and long-running manga as our example here! Naruto is read and loved by thousands, but how many people ignore the katakana onomatopoeia alongside the English words? Hopefully, after this, you won’t be anymore! Sure, we can tell just from the choice of font that the katakana on pages like this one is meant to represent something intense, violent, and exciting – but when you know exactly what sound or feeling is being represented, that adds whole new meaning to the page!

After all, this is the middle of an exciting fight, and without the luxury of being able to add real sound effects to it, Kishimoto has done what he can to show the reader his intended image. Learning to recognise and understand onomatopoeia like this not only adds something special to your manga, but you’re also learning one of the Japanese alphabets, too!

If you watch anime in the original Japanese instead of dubbed into English, you're likely to hear loads of onomatopoeia even if you don't realise it. For some words and sounds, it might be translated in the subtitles. But for others, it might go right over your head if you don't know what to look for! Onomatopoeia is perhaps less important to catch and understand in anime than in manga, since you have a moving visual, music, and regular sound effects to help get the point across and create a specific mood or atmosphere. But understanding and noticing these sound words adds even more to your anime watching experience, and brings you closer to enjoying it the way it was originally meant to be enjoyed!

Some of the most common onomatopoeia in anime are the words that express feelings, which occur more often than background sounds since anime can just use an actual sound effect. It means fight scenes may be full of "kyaa" and "gyaa" screams, which are the same as yelling "ahh" in English. "Gaoo" is a sound of growling. If you're watching a more romantic anime, you might encounter "chuu" or “buchuu” being used to express a kissing sound, especially when characters are just talking about kissing and not actually doing it. Conveniently, "ahaha" means the same in English and in Japanese, so you already know at least one anime onomatopoeia word! Next time you're watching an anime, listen for some of these special words.

What better way to show an example of onomatopoeia in anime than using one of the ones most famous for its ridiculous fights? JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken uses plenty of these Japanese sound effects to add extra drama to its fight scenes and to fuel the excitement that the anime is creating. Of course, you can find plenty of regular sound effects as well, but the onomatopoeia adds something extra and special if you’re watching the series in Japanese instead of English. After all, nothing spices things up like some extra yelling and specialised sound effects, and they definitely add another layer of entertainment and enthusiasm to JoJo! And with how over-the-top this anime already is, why not just have fun with it?