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The Shōnen manga formula goes something like this: take relatable underdog characters marketed towards teenage boys, add melodramatic themes of friendship, loyalty, loss, and struggle plus some cool fights, and sprinkle with redemption arcs, coming-of-age conflicts, and character deaths to taste. What makes certain titles iconic or commercially successful? How do Shōnen stories distinguish themselves from Western coming-of-age narratives like Harry Potter or A Wrinkle in Time?

Anime and manga are frequently altered during the process of translation. Changes can range from small shifts in wording for the sake of comprehension to significant changes in plot and character. How do Western publishers and media companies decide what changes to make for their English-speaking audiences? When do these changes work well, and when do they damage the story? Are fans who don’t speak Japanese missing out?