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How to Start Reading Manga in Japanese (Even as a Beginner)
A practical guide to reading your first manga in Japanese: which manga to choose, what furigana is, how to read the pages, and a simple routine for learning words.
Tap a highlighted Japanese word to see its reading and meaning.
In this article (7)
Reading manga in Japanese is one of the most enjoyable ways to learn. The pictures help you guess the meaning, and the dialogue is short. But your first manga will feel slow, so a good start matters.
The short answer
Start with a manga that has on every kanji, choose a story you already know or love, and read in short sessions. Read each page for the gist first. Then look up only the words that block you.
Choose the right first manga
- Look for furigana. Manga for younger readers usually prints furigana above all kanji. Manga aimed at older readers often has less.
- Pick everyday topics. School life, friends, family and food use words you will meet again. Heavy fantasy and technical stories use many rare words.
- Re-read something you know. If you know the story, you can follow the plot while you learn the language.
- Check a sample page. If you can understand about half of the text with the pictures, it is a good level. If almost every word is new, choose something easier.
Many learners recommend slice-of-life manga for beginners, because the language is close to daily speech. A sample page in a bookstore or online preview tells you more than any list.
How to read a page
Japanese manga is read from right to left. On each page, start at the top right and go down. Inside speech bubbles, the text is usually vertical, from top to bottom, with the next column to the left.
- Look at the picture and guess the situation.
- Read the bubbles in order without a dictionary.
- Mark words you could not guess.
- Look up 5 to 10 words, not every word.
- Read the page again.
Words you will see a lot
Sound effects and exclamations are part of the experience: , , . They are not always in a dictionary in the same form, so learn them as you meet them.
A simple routine
- 10 to 15 minutes a day. Short and regular beats long and rare.
- One chapter, three passes. First for the story, then for words, then again without stopping.
- Keep a small list. Write 5 new words a day by hand with the sentence they appeared in. See why handwriting helps.
- Do not worry about reading speed. Speed comes after you meet the same words again and again.
When will it feel easy?
It varies a lot. The more kanji and basic grammar you know, the less you need a dictionary. For a sense of how much that takes, see how many kanji you need.
Our workbook
We are creating a workbook that explains the real vocabulary and slang from popular manga for learners of Japanese. If you want to hear when it is ready, see the workbook page.