If you’ve been to the library recently, you’ve probably seen our growing manga collection in our graphic novel sections. Manga sales over the past year have hit an all time high, making $250 million in sales in North America alone.¹ So why have so many people become interested in this medium? There are a number of reasons to answer that question.
Manga truly does have something for everyone. There are numerous different genres, from romance to slice of life to action. Everyone can find something that they enjoy. It never gets boring! As it is written in Japan, manga can teach people about other cultures. These stories often take place in Japan, meaning the characters follow Japanese norms. This includes things from their school system to saying thank you before eating. It allows the reader to learn how other people live.
The art is a big selling point for many series. All of the illustrations are hand drawn by the mangaka (manga author). They are often incredibly detailed and allow the reader to be submerged in the story. What could be the number one drawing point for manga though, is how readily available it is. You’re able to download many manga chapters to your phone or read them online, as well as checking them out from the library.
Check out some of our manga here!
Jujutsu Kaisen, Vol. 1 by Gege Akutami
Beastars, Vol. 1 by Paru Itagaki
Horimiya, Vol. 1 by HERO
Your Name, Vol. 1 by Makoto Shinkai
Blue Period, Vol. 1 by Tsubasa Yamaguchi
¹Griepp, M. (2021). Manga sales in North America hit all-time high in 2020. ICv2. https://icv2.com/articles/markets/view/48728/manga-sales-north-america-hit-all-time-high-2020.
