Manga's solution to depicting motion in a static medium is one of the form's most distinctive grammars. Speed lines (ζ΅η·, ryΕ«sen), motion lines, impact lines, and focus lines together constitute a vocabulary that the reader processes almost subliminally. This page collects the principal varieties and their conventional uses.
Speed lines: drawn behind the moving object
Classic speed lines are drawn behind the moving figure, with the lines parallel to the direction of motion and the line density indicating velocity. The lines do not represent literal air streaks; they are a learned visual convention. A character running rightward appears with horizontal lines streaming leftward behind them. A character falling appears with vertical lines streaming upward.
Speed lines: drawn over the moving object (blur)
An alternative convention draws the speed lines through or over the moving object itself, suggesting motion blur. This technique communicates extreme speed β the object is moving fast enough that its contour is partially erased. The technique is more cinematic in feel and more commonly used in modern action manga.
Focus lines (radial)
Focus lines radiate inward toward a central point, drawing the reader's attention to a specific element in the panel. They serve as visual italics: the reader is told 'look here.' Focus lines are conventionally drawn from the edge of the panel toward the focal element. Density and number of lines indicate emphasis intensity.
Impact lines
Impact lines emanate outward from the point of impact in a collision, explosion, or strike. They are typically jagged or zigzag rather than straight, and combined with onomatopoeia (γγΌγ³, γγ«γ³) to indicate the moment of contact. A skilled letterer integrates the impact lines and the sound-effect lettering into a single composition.
Vibration lines
Short parallel lines drawn alongside an object indicate vibration or trembling β a shaking hand, a quivering wall, an engine running. Multiple parallel sets of vibration lines can communicate increasing intensity; the count of lines itself carries semantic weight.
Background patterns (kakeami)
Hatching patterns drawn into the background of a panel communicate emotional state rather than physical environment. The 'sweat-drop' background (parallel diagonal lines), the 'flower' background (light blossoms behind a romantic moment), the 'sparkle' background (radial stars behind a beautiful character) β these are all conventional patterns whose visual codes have been stable for decades.