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

One Piece is based on a manga, which then parlayed into a wildly successful anime. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026

The two girls walk in snowy fields, visit temples and aquariums, and study sharks and other sea creatures for a new manga. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026

Unless, that is, it’s designed as a contrast to the later saturations of the girls’ more elaborate designs, and the manga animation insert that stirringly helps to bring things to a bittersweet, though deeply satisfying, close. — Jay Weissberg, Variety, 7 Sep. 2026

The 300,000-square-foot Lucas Museum of Narrative Art contains 100,000 square feet of gallery space with 35 galleries organized according to theme, including adventure, motherhood, community, children’s illustrations, manga and comics. — Brittany Levine Beckman, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026

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