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Arab author writes Japanese-inspired Middle East manga

Primeval is inspired by Al Mohannadi's fascination with Japanese manga and anime. (Supplied)
Primeval is inspired by Al Mohannadi's fascination with Japanese manga and anime. (Supplied)
Jassim Al Mohannadi. (Supplied)
Jassim Al Mohannadi. (Supplied)
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14 Apr 2020 04:04:47 GMT9
14 Apr 2020 04:04:47 GMT9

Amin Abbas Dubai

Jassim Al Mohannadi, a Qatari author who wrote Middle Eastern manga Primeval, said comics, anime and manga were the three factors that played a major role in developing his writing skills.

Al Mohannadi’s stories share similar plots with other popular manga and comic stories.

He said that the concept of his story is simple and that he wanted it to “stay that way.”

“The story is about a clan that has existed since the beginning of time seeking to cleanse the human race for reasons occurred in the past. During these events, a group of humans with ‘distinctive’ abilities appear trying to deter the clan,” the writer added.

“What distinguishes my story from other stories is the combination between Japanese Manga and American Comics, which some readers might find interesting and refreshing,” he said.

Al Mohannadi explained that when he was younger, he had a fascination with Japanese anime.

“I used to watch some anime shows that everyone used to watch like Yu-Gi-Oh and Dragon Ball. But the thing was, I didn't invest in those shows because for me they were just twenty minutes of fun & nothing more,” he said.

However, once he entered a manga comic book store in Bahrain, Al Mohannadi said he explored the bookshop and was interested by the art he found on some of the comic books.

“The first thing that catches your eye is the art. There were many books for huge characters such as Batman, Superman and many other superheroes. All of them were charming with detailed drawings and brilliant colors as if they were drawn by Greek legends,” he explained. “The worker at the bookstore recommended a book for a character called ‘The Green Arrow.’ You can say it was love at first sight.”

Al Mohannadi said after reading the book, he started the process of learning more about Japanese manga.

“The first Manga I read was Fist of the North Start (Hokuto No Ken). It was the best thing I've ever read,” he added.

The author said he would love to visit Japan and that he admires Japanese history.

“Even in the stories I write, the Japanese touch is always there, whether it's through certain characters or locations or even simple outfits,” he added.

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