Teen
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One Piece, Vol. 1
Eiichiro Oda
A straw-hatted boy sets out to become Pirate King.
Japan, Korea, China
Manga, manhwa and manhua
Manga is Japanese comics, manhwa is Korean and manhua is Chinese. Here is how to start reading and which first volumes are worth trying.
Manga are comics from Japan, manhwa are from Korea and manhua are from China. Most are published in English as numbered paperback volumes, and each volume collects several chapters that first ran in a magazine or on a website. Series run from a few volumes to dozens, so check the length before you start.
Manga is traditionally read from right to left. That means the cover you think of as the back is the front, and you read each page, and each speech bubble, starting from the right. It feels odd for a page or two and then becomes natural. Manhwa from webtoon platforms is often designed for vertical scrolling and full color, and some of it is also printed in books.
Pick a genre you already enjoy and start at volume 1. Adventure and sports series are easy starting points, and there are comedies, mysteries, romances and horror for older readers. Manga publishers print an age rating on each book, so check it. The Comic Finder below can filter by style and age, and the best manga box sets are a simple way to get a long run in one go.
Tip
Start with volume 1. If you are enjoying it by the end of the volume, buy the next two or three before you commit to the whole run.
Comics and graphic novels on Amazon
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Find a book
Open the full FinderPick a filter, or type a title they liked. Each result opens the book on Amazon.
Popular first volumes
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Teen
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Spy x Family, Vol. 1
Tatsuya Endo
A spy, an assassin and a telepath pose as a family.
Teen
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My Hero Academia, Vol. 1
Kohei Horikoshi
A powerless boy gets a chance at a superhero school.
Teen
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Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 1
Hiromu Arakawa
Two brothers seek a way to restore their bodies.
Teen
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Solo Leveling, Vol. 1
Chugong, DUBU
A weak hunter gets a second chance to level up.
Teen
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Heaven Official’s Blessing, Vol. 1: Tian Guan Ci Fu (The Comic)
Mo Xiang Tong Xiu, STARember
The official comic adaptation of the Chinese web novel, in a US edition.
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Guides in this hub
All guides
Guide
Best Graphic Novels for New and Experienced Readers
A path through graphic novels that hold up as complete stories, sorted by the kind of reading experience you want, with picks for adults and newcomers.
GuideHow to Start Reading Comics
A practical path for anyone picking up comics for the first time: formats, where to borrow or buy, how to read a page, and first books by taste.
Pages in this hub
Manga basics
How to read manga
Manga opens from the “back” and reads right to left. Watch the diagram, learn the three rules, and pick a first volume.
Manhwa, KoreaBest manhwa to start with
Manhwa is Korean comics. A growing number of series have English print volumes. These are the ones in our catalog.
MangaBest manga of all time: ten to start with
No list can settle “best of all time”, but these ten are widely read, easy to start and worth a first volume. Age flags included.
Manga basicsManhwa vs manga vs manhua
The names come from the country: Japan, Korea, China. Here is what changes on the page, and what does not.
Manga basicsBest manhua in English
Manhua are comics from China. Here is what that means, how to read them, and the English print editions we can confirm today.
Questions people ask
Which way do I read manga?
From right to left. Open the book from what Western readers think of as the back cover. On each page, start at the top right panel and move left, then down. Speech bubbles are read the same way. English editions keep this layout so the art is not mirrored.
Why does a manga book seem to be backwards?
Japanese is written and read from right to left, so the books are bound and read that way. Publishers keep the original orientation so the artists’ panel layouts work as drawn. The cover you would call the back is the front, and the last page is the first.
What is the difference between a manga volume and a chapter?
A chapter is one installment that first appeared in a magazine or on a website. A volume (tankobon) is a paperback that collects several chapters. The number of chapters in a volume and the number of volumes in a series vary from series to series.
What is the difference between manga, manhwa and manhua?
The names come from the country of origin: manga from Japan, manhwa from Korea, manhua from China. Manga is usually black and white in print and read right to left. Many manhwa began as full-color vertical-scroll webcomics, and manhua is often adapted from web novels.
Can I buy manhwa in print in English?
Yes. A growing number of manhwa and webtoon series have English print volumes, such as Solo Leveling (Yen Press) and Tower of God (WEBTOON Unscrolled). Not every series is printed in English, so check a bookseller’s listing for the print edition before you buy.
Is a box set cheaper than single volumes?
Sometimes, but it varies. A box set bundles consecutive volumes, often in a slipcase, and can cost less than buying each volume. Prices change often, and we do not show prices, so compare the box set with the individual volumes on Amazon on the day you buy.