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 duo also provided updates on Season 2 of Tomorrow Studios’ Netflix hit One Piece, based on Eiichiro Oda’s beloved manga, which recently started production in Cape Town. —Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 19 July 2024

Something Very Bad Horror Series Gets Green Light at Netflix Word of Curtis joining the live-action adaptation of Eiichiro Oda’s popular manga series first emerged in October 2023, when One Piece co-showrunner Matt Owens revealed that the role was basically being written with her in mind. —Andy Swift, TVLine, 19 July 2024

The brothers are currently in production on the final season of Stranger Things for Netflix, and have a handful of other projects lined up with the streamer, including the series The Boroughs, which will begin production this fall; and a live-action adaptation of the manga series Death Note. —Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 July 2024

Your novel, as translated by Sam Bett, has a leanness in its language and imagery that is reminiscent of a great manga or a movie script. —Paula L. Woods, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

circa 1951, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

manga

noun

man·​ga ˈmäŋ-gə 

: a Japanese comic book or graphic novel