I just now realized a problem in a statement I used to agree in, "its fine if the art is bad if the story is good" in reference to manga.
As I realized that the visuals of a series matters greatly to me I started to think wonder why I agree with it in the first place. Of course its obivous in itself its saying that its fine if a series doesnt have the standard well done semi realistic style. This is a fine.
I understand that it comes from a place of going out of your way to not have a knee jerk response to art that doesn't comply to what have been socialized to understand as good art(most of the time of the human figure). But that comes in contrast with the simple fact we're dealing with a visual medium. The presentation is important as its the way a story is told in this medium.
If I am to use my a little faulty memory a bit I remember how this would be said a lot to series that has say amateurish artwork. Artworks clearly trying to replicate the standard and how in spite of this bad artwork the story it is telling is a good one.
I would counter this arguement as I think it focuses on an aspect that others become underdiscussed. This focussing on the artsyle to me it comes from being more used to the language of still artworks moreover ones that centers on the human figure. We only really know when we are able to express what we know and so if you're less knowledgable or even just less used in talking about the language of comics we fixate on only aspects we understand, undermining the possibilty of a full reading of the art.
Another would be the simple fact "Does the work even aims for similar aesthethics?". Its useless to evaluate a work that is only here for fun with one that tries to say something more with the same standard. Same so with the art, a manga that is intentionally erratic or unusual in style cant really be evaluated the same way as one that is trying to be cute because they have different end goals.
And so thats my problem with it. Its a statement made to dispute a small minded reading of an art from a medium you're unfamiliar with using the logic of said reading rather than expandning on how the language of a medium differs from one another and how what work in one doesnt work in another. Also an inability to recognize what the work itself trying to be and thus sees the wrong problems and strength in them.