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

The actor is a longtime fan of anime and manga and is also extremely proficient in martial arts. — Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 20 Aug. 2026

The market traces its origins to the Tokyo Story Market, a dedicated service for screen adaptation rights covering Japanese manga and novels, which launched at TIFFCOM in 2023. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 20 Aug. 2026

The franchise has since spun off into a manga series, a trading card game, a long-running anime series and several movies. — Raven Brunner, PEOPLE, 13 Aug. 2026

Bookworms can find manga and other Japanese merchandise at 3930 NE Loop 820, Suite 300 in Haltom City. — Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Aug. 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