Comics, when translated into Vietnamese, become “truyen tranh” where “truyen” means story and “tranh” means picture. Thus, the perception of comics in Vietnam is that it is for small children. This isn’t different from other countries who think that comics are just for little kids. However, due to Japanese comics or manga’s influence in its neighboring countries and the rest of the world, this conception slowly changed for the better. Manga introduced the world that comics are not just for kids and that a wide variety of demographics can enjoy reading manga. Thus in Vietnam, they don’t look at comics the same way as before.

Vietnam’s History in the Comics Industry 

Vietnam’s comic industry started just like any other; art used to teach children good morals and lessons in a fun and interesting way. It started in newspapers and then created into albums. Vietnamese comics became a tool to spread entertainment, propaganda, and education. 

During the 1960s, the number of comic artists increased as Vietnam’s comic industry continued to flourish. One of the most famous Vietnamese comic artists also drew illustrations for stamps. Vo Hung Kiet’s works are popular up to this day.

In the 1970s, international comics came into the picture, especially from China, France, and America. However during that time, it was of poor quality in terms of paper and translation. On the plus side, comics were popular enough to be translated into Vietnamese.

Popular Comics in Vietnam

While local comics are popular amongst Vietnamese millennials right now, it cannot be denied that manga had a lot of impact for them growing up. Due to manga’s accessibility and anime adaptations, no wonder it took a huge part in Vietnam’s comic industry. Thus, the top three most popular comics in Vietnam during the past two decades came from Japan.

Doraemon

It’s no surprise that this is on the top of the list. This manga is popular all over the world. For sure, if the children have not read the manga, they have seen the anime. The manga follows third-grader, Nobita, on his day-to-day adventures with his best friend, Doraemon. Doraemon is a cute cat robot that provides Nobita all the things that he needs for the day, however the item could also be the cause of Nobita’s problems. Overall, this Vietnamese translated manga took the number one spot as the most popular manga that children read, and even as adults, still enjoy the comic as much.

Detective Conan

Now, popular manga in Vietnam is not all about having friendly adventures. Detective Conan is a manga that focuses on Shinichi Kudo, a high school student who is a famous detective. As a young genius detective, he cannot avoid making enemies out of the bad guys. Thus, he was force-fed a drug that will make him younger than he actually is. Shinichi is now a Conan, a 6-year old boy.

What a plot to behold. No matter how grim it sounds, this manga is still targeting young children to adults and it’s fairly effective. It is the second manga on the list. This proves that comics are not only only for children and does not only tackle simple issues. Detective Conan is not just popular as a manga as it also has an anime adaptation with over 1000 episodes. 

Dragon Ball

If you have not heard of Dragon ball, then where are you living? Dragon ball is a worldwide phenomenon amongst kids. In Vietnam, it is more famously known as “7 Viên Ngọc Rồng” or “7 Dragon Jewels”. It revolves around a character named Son Goku, along with his friends, as they defend Earth against alien invaders. This manga is action-packed with lots of awesome fight scenes. 

Dragon ball was translated into Vietnamese multiple times and was reprinted and republished countless times. This shows how in demand manga is and manga translation and localization always helps. 

Vietnamese Manga Translation and Localization Services

Manga is big in Vietnam. Everyone prefers to read in their mother tongue or if you are learning a new language, it actually helps to read in the language you are learning in. Thus, expanding Vietnam’s comic industry through manga translation and localization is essential to reach the correct target audience. 

CREATIVE CONNECTIONS & COMMONS INC. offers manga translation and localization services catering to more than 30 languages worldwide including Vietnamese. Not only that, we offer other manga-related services as well, such as manga typesetting and manga coloring. Our professional translators and linguists have comic translation experience that rivals big translation companies for a fraction of the price. Ten years in the translation industry cemented CCC’s reputation as a globally competitive company. What are you waiting for?