Manga fans have more access to official, licensed manga than ever before. Scanlation groups still exist, but they’re no longer the only option for simulpubs when it comes to English translations. Best of all, publishers have priced access to their work competitively. By doing so, fans across the world have legal means to read their favorite titles while indirectly voting for the licensing of more works with their money.
Shueisha, Kodansha, Square Enix, and more big-time Japanese publishers have released official apps dedicated to their titles. Aside from easy access, their format lets fans discover titles they may have missed before. Newly published manga can also earn new readers more easily through these nifty apps.
10 MANGA Plus by SHUEISHA
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- Platforms: Android and iOS [Web platform available]
- Regions: Worldwide except in Japan, China, and South Korea
- Payment Model: Free
Shueisha is the largest publishing company in Japan, and a publisher with titles that are now ubiquitous with the word “manga”. One Piece, Dragon Ball, Naruto, and Bleach are just some of the titles that brought this billion-yen company worldwide acclaim. Although it remains focused on domestic dealings, they launched MANGA Plus as the global counterpart of their Japan-exclusive app, Shonen Jump+.
Through MANGA Plus, fans can read the first three and last three titles of currently serialized work in:
- Weekly Shonen Jump
- Most titles from the Shonen Jump+ app and website
- Some titles from other Jump imprints
As of 2023, simulpubs of manga under several Shueisha imprints were made available through the app.
9 Shonen Jump Manga & Comics
- Platforms: Android and iOS
- Regions: U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, the Philippines, Singapore, and India
- Payment Model: Monthly Subscription
For $2.99 a month, manga fans can access the entire Shonen Jump library, with caveats, on their app. Publication rights across different countries may restrict access to a few beloved titles. But there’s no shortage of stand-out manga in Weekly Shonen Jump’s vault of more than 15,000 titles.
Like MANGA Plus, Shonen Jump allows fans to read the first three and last three chapters of any title. They can unlock every chapter in-between through a subscription. Fans can even download up to 100 chapters for offline reading.
Shonen Jump also offers a seven-day free trial for fans who want to see what they can access before paying.
8 Viz Manga
- Platforms: Android and iOS [Web platform available]
- Regions: US and Canada
- Payment Model: Monthly Subscription
Viz Media launched a premium subscription service for its manga platform after Shonen Jump’s overwhelming success. Priced at $1.99 a month, Viz Manga’s new service was created to promote legal and official avenues for fans to support their favorite manga. If fans are not enticed by the low price, Viz hopes titles slated for simulpub and its archives will.
Among these simulpub titles is the new series Gokurakugai and fan favorite Komi Can’t Communicate. Legendary mangaka Rumiko Takahashi’s ongoing series Mao will also be on the app, along with her entire back catalogue.
7 Crunchyroll Manga
- Platforms: Android and iOS [Web platform available]
- Regions: Worldwide except in Japan, China, France, Germany, Italy
- Payment Model: Monthly Subscription
Crunchyroll is primarily known for its streaming platform, but it has long offered official translations of major series. Since 2013, the digital manga platform hosts titles from Futabasha, Kodansha, Kadokawa Shoten, and Shonen Gahosha for worldwide readers. Titles with physical or digital editions published by other companies are not available on the platform.
What makes Crunchyroll unique is its library. Shonen Jump, MANGA Plus, and Viz Manga share many titles, but Crunchyroll carries a few esoteric manga that can’t be found on other platforms. A Crunchyroll subscription also grants access to its anime library.
6 BOOK☆WALKER
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- Platforms: Android and iOS
- Regions: Worldwide (Some books region-locked by licensing restrictions)
- Payment Model: Coin; Per Title Subscription
Kadokawa's official online bookstore has been around since 2005, but it took another decade before its English version found any stability. The wait was worth it, as the platform gave English readers a one-stop platform to purchase both manga and light novels.
On their website, Kadokawa states that they sell “over a million e-books from over 1,200 publishers” on BookWalker, and have plans to expand their offerings. The store itself normally has incredible sales for both English translations and Japanese-language versions of their titles.
5 INKR
- Platforms: Android and iOS [Web platform available]
- Regions: Worldwide
- Payment Model: Monthly Subscription
INKR Comics has roots in what most publishers try to eliminate in launching official apps. Pirated manga aggregator MangaRock was axed to establish the company. INKR Comics now legally localizes and distributes manga, and splits revenue with publishers and content creators. TokyoPop and KadokawaGempak Starz are among their partners.
The now-legal entity also offers new comic creators a chance to publish their work on the platform. Its self-service CMS platform gives any creator who is approved for their service to “package, publish, and monetize their content”.
4 K MANGA
- Platforms: Android and iOS [Web platform available]
- Regions: U.S.-only
- Payment Model: Points and Premium Tickets (paid), Normal Tickets (free)
Kodansha’snewly-launched app for the U.S. simulpubs the massive manga publisher’s titles as they come out in Japan. K Manga also has 400 titles available for fans on launch. Blue Lock, Ya Boy Kongming, along with finished titles such as Attack on Titan and Ghost in the Shell is up for American fans.
The publisher’s decision to use credit systems to unlock chapters was initially controversial. Despite this, Kodansha has received enough support to launch the service as planned. Kodansha also offers economic coin packages for fans on a budget.
3 WebComics
- Platforms: Android and iOS [Web platform available]
- Regions: Worldwide
- Payment Model: Free, Subscription available
WebComics carries Japanese, American, Korean, and Chinese titles that can only be read completely on its mobile platforms. Almost every title on the platform can be classified under romance, Boy’s Love, and Girl’s Love. Every manga, manwha, webtoon, and comic is full-colored. Novels are also available in-app.
What’s notable about the platform is it has separate tabs for regular titles and original works. WebComics give complete beginners a place to improve as they create and receive compensation for it. Aspiring creators can look up their guidelines on WebComics' official site.
2 Manga Up!
- Platforms: Android and iOS [Web platform available]
- Regions: Worldwide except in Japan
- Payment Model: Coins
Square Enix is largely known for their excellent videogames. Yet fans may not know that it had a manga publishing arm as far back as 2003. Originally owned by Enix Corporation before its merger with Square, Gangan is the mother publisher of Fullmetal Alchemist, The Case Study of Vanitas, Soul Eater, and other influential titles.
Manga Up! provides international audiences access to over 200 titles including exclusives. Favorites like My Dress-Up Darling and The Apothecary Diaries are present alongside new translations such as I Lost My Adventurer’s License, but It’s Fine Because I Have an Adorable Daughter Now.
1 Mangamo
- Platforms: Android and iOS
- Regions: Worldwide
- Payment Model: Free, Subscription available
Mangamo caught everyone’s attention back in 2020 when it offered new readers free two month trials. Years removed from its launch, it still provides a legal way for fans to legally read titles from established publishers. It also gives non-subscribers access to up to four free chapters per series daily.
Kodansha, TOPPAN, Comic Smart, North Star Pictures, and 15 other publishers to date have partnered with Mangamo to release titles. In spite of being a startup, it has an in-house editorial team, directly licenses manga from publishers, and translates them into English.