Manga 101
Maybe you love manga and anime, maybe your friends read manga, or maybe you’re not really sure what “manga” means. Manga, pronounced “MAHN-guh”, is a Japanese loanword for “comics”, although in English it has the inferred meaning of comics originating from Japan and Japanese artists, or otherwise showing similarities to the general styles or format of Japanese comics.
There's much more than one "type" of Manga, as with all comics. Manga has developed into its own stylized genre overtime, including many subgenres targeted at various audiences (like Shoujo, Shonen, Josei, Seinen, etc.) or consisting of shared themes (like Isekai/“Otherworldly” stories, Mahou-Shoujo/Magical Girls, or Slice-of-Life, etc.). From action-packed tournament arcs, to deep and thoughtful dramas, to laugh-out-loud comedies – whatever type of stories you prefer, there’s sure to be manga that peaks your interest!
Oftentimes, you may find that popular manga are adapted into anime, (pronounced “AN-ih-may” or “AH-ni-may”) which is another Japanese loanword, short for “animation”. Sometimes it's the other way around, where an anime series/movie becomes so popular, it’s adapted or continued as written manga. If you’ve seen popular anime on TV or in theaters like My Hero Academia, Pokémon, or My Neighbor Totoro, you may already be familiar with their manga adaptations as well.
If you’re looking to try something new, here are a few favorite teen manga selections by genre from our current collection at CCJPL!
(Make sure to also check out our collection of digital manga on Libby!)
Action-Adventure
Claymore
Magus of the Library
One Piece
Sailor Moon
Comedy/Slice-of-Life
Heaven's Design Team
Kiniro Mosaic
Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-Kun
Wonder Cat Kyuu-Chan
Fantasy
Ascendance of a Bookworm
Cardcaptor Sakura
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End
Howl’s Moving Castle
Witch Hat Atelier
Mystery/Thriller/Drama
Beastars
Blue Period
Manga Classics: Romeo & Juliet
Manga Classics: The Stories of Edgar Allen Poe
Paranormal
Demon Slayer (Kimetsu no Yaiba)
Fruits Basket
Manga Classics: Frankenstein
Yokai Cats
Sports
Blue Lock
Haikyuu!!
Run On Your New Legs
Romance
A Sign of Affection
Horimiya
Kimi ni Todoke (From Me to You)
My Love Story!!
Skip & Loafer
Sci-Fi
Cells at Work
Land of the Lustrous
Orange