Digital Manga is on the rise in the United States and Canada, and in 2024, the format generated $3.3 billion 2024. Consumers get access to manga, graphic novels, and lite books in a few different ways. The first is to buy them directly from an e-reader with a robust online store. The Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble NOOK, and Rakuten Kobo have a vast selection of content. The second and most popular is using an e-reader with Google Play, and you can download official apps, such as Google Play Books, VIZ, Manga Plus, Shonen Jump, K Manga, Manga UP!, and many more.
There are many advantages of using an e-reader to read digital manga. E-readers are lightweight and portable, perfect for taking your manga collection on the go. Adjustable brightness and reading modes reduce eye strain, which is ideal for long reading sessions. Many e-readers offer built-in dictionaries and translation tools, perfect for unfamiliar Japanese words
Screen Size
- Smaller screens (6-7 inches) are compact and great for one-handed reading but may limit panel views for manga.
- Larger screens (8-10 inches) provide a more immersive experience but may be bulkier and less portable.
- 13.3 tends to be the sweet spot for manga; however, there aren’t many around, and they are costly.
- Consider the size and format of your preferred manga when choosing a screen size.
Resolution and Color Display
- High-resolution screens offer sharp text and images, which is crucial for appreciating the artistry of manga.
- The recent Kindle Colorsoft and Kobo Libra Colour release significantly improves image clarity and color accuracy.
- Color e-readers can be more expensive than their black and white counterparts.
- Assess the importance of color in your manga reading experience and choose accordingly.
Online Store or Apps?
Apple Books, Kindle, B&N NOOK, Kobo, and other popular platforms have licensing agreements with major publishers and distributors to make digital manga available for their customers. The pool of distributors for the North American market is small, so they all do business with the same companies. This ensures that the duplicate content is available no matter what platform you use. Pricing has parity, no matter who you do business with.
However, if you have an Onyx Boox, Meebook, Bigme, or other Android e-reader with Google Play and Google Play Services, things are pretty different. Many manga companies have a large frontlist and backlist catalog. They also distribute digital manga not only in the Americas but also in Japan. So, if you have a favorite series, the English version of the manga is published on their app the same day it comes out in Japan. This ensures you get new volumes or issues faster using the publisher’s app.
Verdict
I would recommend Amazon or Kobo for an e-reader brand with an online store where you can buy manga and then read it on the e-reader or go with their official apps for Android and iOS. Not only do they have an extensive selection of content, but they also have self-publishing platforms where artists can upload their works to either store.
For Android e-readers, I recommend any modern black and white e-paper device from BOOX or Bigme. The Boox Palma 2 makes the most sense since it fits in your pocket and has the same form factor as a smartphone. The new Bigme B7 is also a good device; both have modern versions of Android. One of the significant advantages of either of these brands is the shadow marketplaces for manga. There is no shortage of apps that allow users to read for free. Most aren’t on Google Play, but if you love manga, there are places to go, significantly improving the sheer amount of digital content that traditional companies like Amazon have.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.