Teen
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Spy x Family, Vol. 1
Tatsuya Endo
A spy, an assassin and a telepath pose as a family.
Manga basics
Manhwa 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, manhwa and manhua are the same idea, comics, from three countries. Manga comes from Japan, manhwa from Korea and manhua from China. They share genres, so you can find action, romance and fantasy in all three. What differs is how they are made, how they are read and how you will find them in English.
Side by side
Manga
- From
- Japan
- Direction in English print
- Right to left. Open from the “back”.
- Usual format
- Numbered volumes collecting magazine chapters, usually black and white in print.
Manhwa
- From
- South Korea
- Direction in English print
- Left to right, like Western comics.
- Usual format
- Many began as webtoons, made in full color for scrolling on a phone. Print editions gather chapters into volumes.
Manhua
- From
- China
- Direction in English print
- Varies by edition. Check the preview pages.
- Usual format
- Many are adapted from Chinese web novels. English print editions exist for a few, such as Heaven Official’s Blessing and Mo Dao Zu Shi.
Which should you try?
If you want the widest choice and the longest list of box sets, start with manga: our how-to-read-manga guide takes a minute. If you enjoy fantasy with a game-like feel, try a manhwa such as Solo Leveling. If you like historical fantasy adapted from web novels, try a manhua. All of them are in the Comic Finder, which lets you filter by style.
One from each
Manga, manhwa and manhua first volumes.
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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Tower of God, Vol. 1
SIU
The first print volume of a Korean webcomic about a mysterious tower that climbers try to conquer.
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.
Teen
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Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation: Mo Dao Zu Shi, Vol. 1 (Manhua)
Mo Xiang Tong Xiu
The manhua adaptation of the Chinese fantasy novel, from Seven Seas.
Teen
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Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint, Vol. 1
Sleepy-C, Sing Shong
A Korean webcomic in print: a reader finds the novel he loved has become real.
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Questions people ask
What is the difference between manga, manhwa and manhua?
The names come from the country of origin: manga from Japan, manhwa from Korea and manhua from China. Manga is usually printed black and white and read right to left. Many manhwa began as full-color webtoons and are read left to right in English print. Manhua editions vary, and many are adapted from web novels.
Is manhwa read left to right?
In English print, yes. Manhwa follows the Western left-to-right pattern, unlike manga, which is read right to left. Many manhwa were created as vertical scrolling webtoons, so the printed volumes are rearranged into pages. Check a few preview pages if you are unsure about a specific edition before you buy.
Which way do I read manhua?
It varies by edition, and sources disagree. Some English manhua books follow a left-to-right layout and some follow right to left, so check the preview pages or the first page of the book, which often explains the direction. Ask the seller if you are not sure before you order.
Which should I read first: manga, manhwa or manhua?
Start with the style that matches a genre you already enjoy. Manga has the biggest catalog and many box sets, manhwa suits readers who like game-like fantasy and web-comic pacing, and manhua suits fans of historical and romantic fantasy. Our Finder can filter by style, age and genre to compare them.
Can I buy manhwa and manhua in print in English?
Yes, but fewer than manga. Solo Leveling, Tower of God and Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint are English print manhwa, and Heaven Official’s Blessing and Mo Dao Zu Shi have English print comics. Availability changes, so check a bookseller’s listing for the print edition before you buy.