Contents
What is a Manga?
Before starting out an article discussing the cost of manga in Japan, it makes sense to know what manga are essential and why so many people across the globe are so obsessed with it.
Well, in simple terms, a manga is a Japanese comic or graphic novel that is usually printed in black and white, and they are available in various different genres.
In fact, we have written articles that are genre-specific to manga, so you can read those articles as well to know more about them.
Manga are also released with bi-weekly or monthly, and some manga, such as One Piece, have been going for decades now, and the stories of manga continue on for a fairly long time, as well.
With that mentioned, let’s address the main topic of this article.
How much does a manga cost in Japan?
So, when you are buying a manga in Japan, the cost of it can easily range from ¥400 to ¥500, which translates to $3-$4 Dollars, while it may defer if you buy that manga from another part of the world or so.
The cost of a manga usually depends on the overall popularity of that manga, just like it does for any other comic book that is released in any other marketplace.
When you are purchasing a manga, you are buying them in various volumes, and each volume has around 8 to 12 chapters in them; some manga have more, others have less.
So, based on the level of chapters, the cost of a manga is also decided while selling in Japan or somewhere else, as well.
Where can you buy manga?
Well, there are two ways in which you are able to buy manga these days.
The most prominent and preferred way of buying a manga is through various online stores, such as Book Walker, ComiXology, etc., as they sell various manga that cost different amounts of money.
Another way of buying manga, and this is most useful if you are in Japan, is buying in in-person, which feels more organic and if you are someone who loves to have physical copies of any reading material you own, then you can go in-store and purchase manga.
Best Sites To Download Manga Books For Free
Manga websites to read online
There are many different websites available online that allow users to read manga for free of cost and that are ad-free, as well.
In fact, I have written separate articles where I have discussed various different popular manga-reading websites, and I have even reviewed some of them, so you can easily read them, as well.
However, one of my most preferred ways to read online manga for free is either by going on a website like Manga Plus by SHUEISHA.
Shueisha is a manga publishing company in Japan, and over at its website, you are able to read all the manga that are published by them, in high-quality, as well.
Another great website where you can read manga for free is MangaDex. MangaDex is also a website that is run by various communities of people who voluntarily work on the website and purchase various mangs on their own for everyone to read on the website.
There are many other websites that you can use for reading manga online.
Also read: Explaining the different types of manga
Buying manga in the store vs. Buying Manga Online
Let’s just quickly compare how it is different from buying manga online versus what it is like to purchase a manga in the store.
Buying manga in the store
When you are purchasing Manga in-store, the main disadvantage or advantage, depending on the place you are staying, is that you mostly get them in Japan.
There aren’t many other stores available across the world that provide users with the ability to purchase manga in their print versions.
However, if you are in Japan, you will find a great deal of Manga stores available that will sell you a printed copy of the manga that you are looking for.
Since it is a store of its own, you will also find a number of popular and niche collections of manga, as well, and if you are a fan of reading and having a physical copy of your reading material, then there is no better place than a manga store.
Plus, since Manga stores aren’t that very popular, sometimes you also get a lot of exclusive discounts over certain manga that you might not find when you are purchasing them online.
Also: Bestselling manga books of all time
List Famous manga stores in Japan
As I mentioned above, there are a number of manga stores available in Japan that sell manga to all of their customers.
Some of the most popular manga stores in Japan include Book Off, Kinokuniya, Yaesu Book Center (Tokyo), Tsutaya Shibuya, Maruzen, Yurindo, Shosen Book Tower and even Animate.
There are also local shops that you might find in Tokyo, but for that, you would need to be a local to be able to find the right shops that sell genuine manga copies.
Best Manga Book Publishing Companies
Buying Manga Online
Buying Manga Online is like buying any other specific e-book online.
It is super convenient, and many people do opt for this method for purchasing any manga online because, as I mentioned above, there aren’t many options available that sell manga in person.
So, if you are someone who is not staying in Japan and if you are a manga fan, then it makes sense for you to buy them online.
Plus, with buying them online, you are able to find a number of grat manga that have high-quality images, and they are quite easy to read, as well.
Along with this, you are also able to easily know about the synopsis of the story and read the reviews of that particular manga that you are purchasing online, based on the reviews of the people who have already purchased that particular set of manga.
Basically, it comes down to your own preference, you can also import certain manga if you like to read manga and have a physical copy of it, but that will add up to a lot of extra charges to your purchase.
List of websites selling manga online
There are a number of different websites available online that sell various different types of manga but also provide users with reading free manga, as well.
As I mentioned above, Book Walker is one such website that sells manga online. However, over at Book Walker, you are also able to read some light novels and listen to certain audiobooks to specific manga, as well.
That is an offer that you don’t see a whole lot on such a website. I have written a review on Book Walker, so you can check that out, as well.
However, when it comes to websites selling manga online, you can also choose Amazon Japan, Yahoo Auctions, CDJapan, and Mercari also.
How much does Doujini cost in Japan?
For those of you who are not familiar with the term ‘Doujini’, it basically stands for manga that are written as a fan-fiction and are self-published by the author
They are not considered to be a mainstream manga and fall more into a niche segment of manga categories. The cost of Doujini goes from anywhere between ¥250 to ¥1000 per manga, which roughly translates to $2-$8 Dollars.
As you can already tell by its price tag that they are a tad bit more expensive than the mass-produced and published manga.
This is done so because the authors of these manga are actually indie artists, and they are hired as freelancers, plus, the overall quality of these Doujinis are often better compared to the mass-produced manga, as well.
Which is why these manga tend to be a little expensive. You can find Doujini manga online and in-stores, as well.
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Best Manga downloader software
How to read manga panels (Beginner’s guide)
Conclusion
Well, there you have it. An article dedicated to determining how much do Manga usually cost in Japan. Manga are something that is quite special in Japanese literature, and their work is something that is recognised all across the globe now.
The overall cost of Manga might seem a little less when compared to the conversion between Yen and Dollar, but it still holds a special value for a lot of people.
There are a number of different manga that are published, which have also turned into very special anime series of their own, and there are various manga that are still getting published that are considered to be absolutely gold in terms of anime writing.
Over at this website, you will find a number of different articles discussing various different manga in various different genres, as well.
You can easily read those articles if you have come this far with this article.
As always, these have been my thoughts regarding this topic. What about you? Do you agree with the prices of the manga? How many manga have you purchased so far?
And do you prefer to read manga in their digital format on your mobile or computing device, or do you like to own a physical copy of your manga?
Whatever your thoughts are, do let us know about them in the comments down below!
