
I did actually enjoy reading these graphic novels, although I think it would be really hard to incorporate teaching these into my classrooms. If my students enjoy reading them, I will definitely encourage them to do so. On the other hand, unless I was doing a unit on different genres or was doing a unit on different versions of fairy tales, I don't know if I would actually teach these. While they are fun, there isn't really a whole lot of literary merit to these. Anyway, onto the comparison!
Text and Dialogue:
Narration: Naruto and Pinocchio are both told from outside narrators, although at the same time, each story is sort of through each character's eyes. Both Naruto and Pinocchio give the reader their opinions and reactions to other characters and the events that are happening.
Balloons: Naruto definitely uses balloons. There are the standard circular balloons when a character is talking calmly and the balloons are more jagged to show excitement or anger. If a character is thinking, then the words are written write overtop, not in a balloon or anything. Pinocchio has square boxes when there is narration (mostly placing the scene) and there are the circular balloons for when characters are speaking.
Captions: There weren’t really any captions in either of the graphic novels, but there are prologue type scenes where the setting is being set or a character is doing a flashback. I suppose these could be considered captions because there wasn’t dialogue or anything like that.
Emanata: Naruto definitely had some emanata, usually to show some idea or thought the characters had. Pinocchio didn’t really have much emanata, at least not that I noticed.
Labels/signs: there weren’t a whole lot of signs or labels, but there were a few. Naruto had some different pages that looked to be chapter dividers and there were also pages where Kishimoto would describe how the characters have evolved. Pinocchio had a sign for the carpentry shop, but beyond that I don’t think there was a whole lot.
Lettering: Naruto-a computer font, but meant to look like someone could have written it. Pinocchio-pretty much the same
Sound effects- both graphic novels use sound effects, Naruto more than Pinocchio. Both were used to emphasize what was going on in the scene
Visual Features:
Characters: the characters in each are drawn differently. Pinocchio had more square-ish figures and it was easy to tell the difference between the characters because there weren’t a whole lot introduced throughout the novel. Naruto was more like the standard Japanese type characters, but a lot of them look alike, especially because some were introduced and then left the story quickly.
Objects: Naruto would eat food and there were weapons and scrolls. It was mostly stuff that one wouldn’t see all the time, but were real objects. Pinocchio was much the same; his room looked like a real person could live there because the objects were life-like.
Icons: I don’t think there were really any icons in either of the graphic novels. It was just mostly objects.
Scenery: Pinocchio had simpler scenery, although it was not less effective than Naruto. Pinocchio mostly took place in a small town, but in different parts of the town. Naruto had a town, a school, wilderness, and so on, but the scenery was life like. However, there was a lot more going on in the scenery in Naruto than in Pinocchio.
Depicted action: both novels had a ton of action going on. There was fighting, but there was also some mental action going on (Naruto struggling with himself against his destiny, Pinocchio lamenting his life and Geppetto’s “death)
General Layout and Design:
Borders: there weren’t really any borders in either of the graphic novels, at least not that I noticed.
Gutters: both novels used gutters, used to separate the boxes from each. A lot of times, the boxes with gutters were used to show different shots in the scene
Panels: both novels had panels, both small and large. While a lot were horizontal, there were a few that were vertical
Open Panel: while there weren’t a lot of open panels, there were a few. For example, Naruto has open panels for the demon fox guy and for some action shots. Pinocchio mostly has open spaces in the very beginning when the scene is being set, but also when an important character came on the show
Splash: there were a couple of splashes in both. Pinocchio has it for setting the scene or for large action shots. Naruto has it for some of the “chapter introducations” and also when Naruto does his doppelganger trick a couple of different times.
Angles and Frame:
Bleed: there were a few bleeds in Naruto, like when he is talking to the vampires. Also, a lot of times when his nose grows, it goes into the box next to that picture. Naruto didn’t really seem to have a lot of bleeds, at least not that I noticed.
All of the different shots: (there are so many different shots, that I decided to combine this into one). Both of the texts utilize much of these shots. There are close-ups of characters, especially when something important is revealed that is shocking. Head shots are also used, although there are more close-ups. Head-shoulder shots are used, usually to show action that is going on. There are definitely full-figure shots, and long shots are often used to set the scene, same with extreme longshots.
Rhetorical techniques:
Exaggeration: Pinocchio has bolded words that are usually meant to show excitement or sarcasm. The look on Pinocchio’s face whenever his nose grows is often comically shocked/angry. Naruto also has bolded words and the facial expressions are often exaggerated (tears literally streaming down a character’s face)
Empathy/identification: in both graphic novels, it is pretty easy to sympathize with the characters. Pinocchio is sad when talking about his father and it is pretty believable. The reader wants Naruto to graduate and is happy when he does so
Mood/tone: Pinocchio is a dark graphic novel and is pretty violent for a wooden puppet. Naruto is violent too, but it seems different than Pinocchio. Naruto can make the reader laugh, so it does have some comedy in it
Simplicity/complexity: the dialogue and the plot are pretty simple for both. Pinocchio is simpler than Naruto in what is going on in the scenes.
Irony/satire: I didn’t really think there is really any satire or irony in either of these novels. I think Pinocchio tries to be ironic when Geppetto turns out to be the leader of the vampires (his turning caused Pinocchio to seek revenge and then it turns out he is fighting his father) but this is a poor form of irony, so I wouldn’t really count it
Realism: the characters are pretty real, once you get past the puppet and magical/ninja/demon thing, but the characters have feelings and they struggle. However, the worlds are realistic at all
Order/disorder: the stories are orderly. There are flashbacks, but it is easy to tell when these begin and end so it’s not hard to read
Juxtoposition: didn’t really notice it for either
Relationships: the characters struggle with each other and with themselves in each graphic novel
Point of view: outsider. Neither story is told from a character who is in the novel, but the p.o.v. does show the struggles, triumphs, and emotions that the characters go through, so the p.o.v. isn’t detached