Manga is one of the most popular forms of entertainment out there right now. Some of the biggest manga series out there, like Attack on Titan, have sold over 140 million copies worldwide. While there are certainly some free manga options available, many readers look to purchase manga to own and read physically.
If you're looking to score on some great manga deals this year, we've got you covered on where exactly you need to look. Some retailers are better than others, and it's easy to miss out on key deals. Whether you're a beginner looking for manga or a seasoned reader aiming to pick up a new volume, here's what you need to know about where to buy your manga.
Where to Buy Manga Online
Online, our first top pick is Crunchyroll Store. While shipping under $75 is charged at $7 flat, Crunchyroll Store uses extra care when packaging manga, with multiple layers of protection that no other storefront offers. This was the same shipping process that RightStuf utilized before being taken over by Crunchyroll and Sony. Additionally, manga prices are usually lower than those of most other retailers. Crunchyroll offers a major Holiday sale in December, during which many manga drop to under $5 a volume.
Another great choice is Amazon. You can find a wide collection of manga to choose from, with fast and free shipping if you're a Prime member! Do know that sometimes, the edges of your manga can be banged up depending on what Amazon ships the book in, but bulk orders will have no problems as they're in a box. Amazon also has a great selection of manga box sets, which tend to be heavily discounted when compared to other retailers.
Beyond these two retailers, you can also find manga at Books-A-Million with usually a small discount attached. BAM ships quickly and offers sturdy packaging, which is a plus for any collector. Overall, there are plenty of solid options for online manga purchases. Be sure to look across each storefront to determine where you can find manga the cheapest!
Where Can You Still Find Manga in Stores?
One of the best places to buy manga in stores is Barnes & Noble. Ever since the major manga demand spike in 2020, Barnes & Noble has carved quite a large section of their retail stores out for the medium. You can find hundreds of manga at each store, as many times there are multiple rows and walls dedicated to different series. If you're not sure what you want to read and just want to browse, Barnes & Noble is the perfect place to go.
Alongside Barnes & Noble, another excellent place to buy manga is Half Price Books. Known for its wide selection of used books, you can find manga quite cheap here. Most of the books are in excellent condition, and the retailer even offers new manga for a large portion of available series. The prices on used manga are often comparable to the lowest prices on new manga each year, which tend to appear around the holiday season. It's worth noting that while you can purchase manga from Half Price Books online, it's best to go in store so you can view the used manga before buying it.
When Is the Best Time to Find Discounts on Manga?
Overall, the best time to buy manga is during the holidays. Starting in November during Black Friday shopping season we start seeing the most sales across all retailers, with both the new and used markets discounted. Almost every single retailer out there who carries manga will offer customers dozens of discounts on every genre of manga, from Shonen to Seinen. Most of the discounted volumes from major series like One Piece and Jujutsu Kaisen sell out almost instantly during these sales, so be sure to purchase your manga before it's too late.
However, Summer is also another great option. Most of the sales usually start in July with Amazon Prime Day and stretch through the first half of August, though there are a select few that occur in June. Plenty of storefronts offer major Summer sales, where you can score on hit manga like My Hero Academia, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, and more. Individual volume sales are popular around this time, as well as very select bundles.
Speaking of bundles, it's important to pay close attention to manga bundles that are available at larger retailers like Crunchyroll and Amazon. Bundles and box sets are almost always the best bang for your buck, as you end up paying sometimes around $2 per manga volume. These discounts only occur a few times a year, so keep your eye out.
Noah Hunter is a freelance writer and reviewer with a passion for games and technology. He co-founded Final Weapon, an outlet focused on nonsense-free Japanese gaming (in 2019) and has contributed to various publishers writing about the medium.
