manga

noun

man·​ga ˈmäŋ-gə 

plural manga also mangas

: Japanese comic books and graphic novels considered collectively as a genre

The characters' faces beam the big-eyed, manically jolly winsomeness that in anime and manga signals contentment.

—Peter Schjeldahl

also : an individual comic book or graphic novel of the manga genre

This black-and-white manga is based on the Japanese animated TV series of the same name …

—Library Journal

Examples of manga in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

What was a non-negotiable for you in adapting this manga/anime series into a feature-length film trilogy? —Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 15 Dec. 2025

With very long manga series also come very long anime adaptations that, like their source material, were in large part released weekly and without much in terms of breaks. —Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 13 Dec. 2025

As the photography club merges with the cinema club and the girls start hanging out with the adult manga artist Haruno, that reach expands — not just into the world of manga and anime (and, at one point, competitive eating) but also into sports. —Kambole Campbell, Vulture, 9 Dec. 2025

Directed by Sotozaki Haruo and produced by ufotable, the film adapts the climactic final arc of Gotouge Koyoharu’s blockbuster manga. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Japanese, comic, cartoon, from man- involuntary, aimless + -ga picture

First Known Use

circa 1951, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for manga

• ganga
• pampanga

Kids Definition

manga

noun

man·​ga ˈmäŋ-gə 

: a Japanese comic book or graphic novel