Manga is a general term the Japanese use to refer to all kinds of cartoons, animation, and comics. Outside of the country, the term is generally reserved for comics that are created and originally published in Japan.

It’s an art form that’s proven to be extremely high in demand, with fans in almost every part of the world. Due to its growing popularity, its influence can also be felt in various films, tv series, literature, and art pieces.

Yet despite its popularity, people outside of Japan still find it tough to find printed and translated volumes. Plus, there’s also the issue of physical books taking up valuable space. If you’re following multiple long-running series, this can quickly become a hassle, so opting for a digital format makes sense.

Where to Read Manga Online

We’ve assembled a list of quality sites where you can read manga online. Each of them offers a combination of free and premium content at a fair price. Bonus: if you’re also into manhwa, manhua, and webtoons, these sites feature those comics as well.

1. Viz Manga (Browser and App)

If you’ve been into manga for a while now, then you’ve likely heard of Viz. It’s the biggest distributor of English-translated manga in North America. They’re in charge of some of the biggest manga titles right now, including One Punch Man, My Hero Academia, and Tokyo Ghoul. You have the option of buying print or digital manga from their website or app. Aside from buying, sometimes they even offer select series for free!

2. Crunchyroll (Browser and App)

Crunchyroll is known as the Netflix of Anime, but they’ve also expanded into the manga medium. It’s one of the few legal sites that offers a wide range of anime and manga genres. For only $6.99/ month, it’s the best site there is for those on a budget.

It’s completely ad-free and the latest chapters are available as soon as they get published in Japan. They also offer a one-time 14-day trial so you can explore their premium services and decide if it’s worth it.

3. Comixology (Browser, App, and Kindle)

If you also read DC, Marvel, or Image comics, you might have encountered Comixology. It’s known as the best digital distribution platform for all things comic-related, and that naturally includes Manga. So if you’re a fan of both American and Japanese comics, then this is your digital one-stop-shop!

You have the options of paying per issue, or choosing a monthly subscription of only $5.99. Keep in mind that once you go for the monthly subscription, you also get access to a ton of superhero comics and graphic novels. It’s a pretty good deal in my opinion.

4. Book Walker (Browser and App)

Book Walker sells only two things: manga and light novels, making it extremely easy to browse. It splits things up into easy-to-navigate categories that shorten your search time and make things less confusing. The fact that it’s solely focused on manga makes it even more focused than a one-size-fits-all app like Comixology.

Founded by Kadokawa, a Japanese publishing firm, this platform is similar to Kindle. Pick what you want to read, pay for it, and it’s in your digital archives forever. There’s also a ton of promotions and sales that you can take advantage of when purchasing manga.

5. Shonen Jump (Browser and App)

Shonen Jump is one of the oldest, and arguably the best weekly manga magazines. It’s the origin of some of the most iconic manga of all time, including Naruto, Bleach, Death Note, and HunterXHunter. Shonen Jump is their digital arm for delivering manga to the market, with Vix managing its English counterpart.

It lets you access select chapters for free, but you get access to everything when you become a member for only $1.99/month. Those two dollars of yours can unlock more than 10,000 chapters across different manga series. English chapters are also available at the same time as Japanese chapters, so you won’t need to wait long for your latest read.

6. Comic Walker (Browser)

Comic Walker was also launched by Kadokawa. Fed up with scan-lations, they went and made their own official manga-reading service online for free.

Of course, not all of their titles are available here, but a significant amount of them are. You can use the platform without signing up, but registering gives you access to some awesome features, including adding your favorites into a library. This is your go-to website when you want to read manga without any hassle.

Manga to Read

So you’ve decided on a platform to read your manga. Now what? If you’re finding it hard to decide on a manga series to start on, here are a few of my personal recommendations.

1. One Piece by Eiichiro Oda

For lovers of adventure.

Devil fruits are mystical fruits that grant special abilities to those who use them. The catch? They can never swim in the sea. Monkey D. Luffy is a boy whose body became rubber after accidentally eating a devil fruit. With his pirate crew, they sail the seas in search of the greatest treasure known as “One Piece.”

2. Mushishi by Yuki Urushibara

For lovers of the supernatural.

Mushi are ubiquitous creatures with supernatural powers. Ginko is one of the few people in Japan who are aware of these creatures. As a Mushishi, he roams from place to place, helping out people who are unwittingly affected by mushi.

3. Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya

For lovers of romance.

Toru Honda loses her mother and winds up living in a tent in the woods, while still attending school and her part-time job. When she’s invited to live with the Soma Family, she finds out that each member is cursed to transform into one of the animals from the Chinese zodiac when they’re stressed, weakened, or embraced by the opposite sex.

4. Slam Dunk by Takehiko Inoue

For lovers of basketball.

Hanamichi Sakuragi is an aggressive social outcast who has absolutely no luck with girls. That’s until he meets Haruko, the girl of his dreams who’s not even afraid of him! In order to impress her, he joins the school’s basketball team, where he is introduced to a whole other world that he slowly falls in love with.

5. Vinland Saga by Makoto Yukimura

For lovers of history.

Vinland Saga is a retelling of Denmark’s conquest of the British Isles during the 11th century. It follows a young warrior named Thorfinn who witnesses his father, a legendary Viking warrior, get cut down. His pursuit of vengeance takes him across all of northern Europe, honing his skills until he can defeat his father’s killers.

6. Nichijou by Keiichi Arawi

For lovers of comedy.

Nichijou literally translates to “every day” and blends real and relatable everyday situations at school and at home with absurd drama. It pokes fun at almost every manga genre and trope, with a small cast of ladies whose exaggerated reactions to everything regularly turns them into magical girls and Super Saiyans.

Reading Manga Online Legally

Amateur scans, translations (scanlations), and illegal sites are rampant in the manga industry. There are only a few sites that offer completely legal manga services. If you’re looking at a website that offers manga for free without any strings attached, then it’s most likely a pirate site.

It’s not surprising that most official sites ask for payment for their services. Those who work in the manga industry need to live too. I know it’s hard not to get tempted with all the free chapters you see on pirate sites, but let’s do our best to support the industry.

Getting your manga from official and licensed sites not only guarantees the quality of the product and services that you get, but also ensures that the manga industry stays afloat and keeps providing you with great content.

I hope this article has given you a direction of where to get your manga, and a few series to check out when you’re browsing. Happy reading!

Do you have a favorite manga series? Share it in the comment section below!

 

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