Manga was not officially translated in English for a long period of time. It wasn’t even available on digital devices. The rise of “scanlations” was a result of this. Fans would scan the pages of manga and then use image-editing programs to replace the original texts with their own translations.
Since then, things have improved. We’ll show you where you can read manga online for free. These are the best websites and apps to visit in order to legally read English translations of official manga.
1. Shonen Jump
- Platforms: Web, Android, iOS
- Cost: $1.99/month or pay per issue
- Notable Titles: One Piece, My Hero Academia, One-Punch Man
Weekly Shonen Jump is the name of the magazine in manga. It is one of the oldest and most popular (and perhaps the best) manga weekly magazines. It has a new digital avatar that you should be aware of.
You can read three chapters from any ongoing series, which is called Shonen Jump only in the digital edition. The three chapters that you can read will depend on the series. They may be the most recent three chapters or the first three. You’ll need to subscribe to Shonen Jump if you want read more.
You can access the Shonen jump vault, which contains over 10,000 chapters from a variety of titles. WSJ is the source of some of history’s most iconic manga, including Death Note, Naruto and Bleach. You’ll find plenty of gems, including classics like Hunter x Hunter.
Like the classic WSJ site, the new chapters (usually more than 20) of several manga arrive every week. Shonen Jump announced also that English translations would be available along with the Japanese chapters.
Download: Shonen Jump for Android | iOS (Free, subscription available)
2. ComicWalker
- Platforms Web
- Cost : Free
- Noteworthy Titles: Neon Genesis Evangelion High School DxD Mobile Suit Gundam The Origin
Kadokawa is one of the largest manga publishers in Japan. The company, fed up with scanlations and the lack of free online comics reading, launched their own official service. Yes, it’s completely free.
Kadokawa has a number of popular games available on this site. You can use this service without having to sign up, unlike most of the other options. Registering for an account does add some cool features like the ability to create a library of favorite issues and receive notifications when new issues are published.
ComicWalker stands out for its straightforward, no-strings approach. If you just want to read manga online, this is the place for you. You can also read it from your desk at work, as the site is browser-based. When someone asks what you are learning , say that you are learning to draw manga and anime comics .
3. BookWalker
- Platforms: Web, Android, iOS
- Cost: free, or pay per issue
- Notable titles: Attack On Titan, No Game No Life and Re:ZERO – Starting Life in Another World
BookWalker, also run by Kadokawa is an all-in-one-shop for official and legal digital comics in Japan. Now, the service includes all popular publishers such as Viz, Kodansha and Yen. The Kindle Store is similar, but only for manga.
BookWalker offers different free titles each month. Unfortunately, there is a lot more paid content. You can still download the BookWalker mobile app or use the PC browser to access the website. Browse by categories, genres or publishers.
You can earn coins for future purchases when you make a BookWalker purchase. You can also earn points based on how much money you spend. The higher you rank, the more coins per purchase you will earn.
iOS (Free, offers in-app purchases)
4. Crunchyroll
- Platforms: Web, Android, iOS
- Cost: 7.99 $/month with a 14-day trial.
- Notable Titles: Attack on Titan, Genshin Impact, Orange
Manga and anime often go together. There are sites where you can watch anime for free. How about both media in one package? Crunchyroll offers a great deal to a Japanophile.
Manga titles are also included, in addition to several major anime series. The price is $8/month, which is a great deal. The manga chapters are immediately available after they are released in Japan.
Crunchyroll has been rated as one of the best all-you can-eat manga services. As with any buffet, you will discover some of the most popular comics.
5. ComiXology
- Platforms: Web, Android, iOS, Windows, macOS
- Cost: $5.99/month or pay per issue
- Noteworthy Titles: Lone Wolf and Cub (Attack on Titan), Fairy Tail, The Seven Deadly Sins (Love Hina), Sherlock Bones
ComiXology has been rated as one of the best manga apps available for Android and iOS. ComiXology Unlimited is a subscription service that gives you access to an extensive collection of comics at a flat rate, similar to Crunchyroll.
Amazon will also integrate Comixology in Kindle by February 2022. This will replace Comixology’s web-based reader and store. You can read manga inside Kindle in the future. This is another great reason to buy a Kindle. This has led to some benefits, such as using your existing Amazon account in order to access Comixology’s extensive manga library.
ComiXology may be the best choice for those who want to find a single place where they can buy all their manga. ComiXology offers a subscription-based model as well as the option to buy individual issues not included in the subscription. You can also rest assured, because Amazon owns ComiXology. Your subscription won’t expire without notice.
Should you buy ComiXology Unlimited, or individual issues? ComiXology Unlimited has a long list of titles. See if you think it’s worth the $6 per month. You also have access to other comics, including those from DC, Marvel and others.
iOS (Free, subscription available)
How Do You Read Manga Online?
The best websites to read manga online are listed below. It’s important to consider how you would like to read your favorite books. Manga is usually black and white so you won’t require a color display to enjoy the art. The Kindle is a great device for this, but its low storage capacity may be a problem.