Why do/don’t you read manga?

[Ayame]

I read manga a lot maybe more than I watch anime because most of the stories I like to read haven't been made into an anime yet and are only available in a manga. I read when we're driving somewhere or sitting and waiting for my siblings or mom and it's easier for me to read than watch in that case. I also find holding a book and reading comforting. 

[Jellal]

I read occassionally but it has to be something I'm very interested in otherwise I would much prefer to just watch the anime. It's easier and a better experience for me to watch than reading. Watching is also something I can do while doing something else such as playing a game or being online and it helps kill the boredom when I'm doing some mundane task in a game. For these reasons I just all around prefer the experience of watching to reading. 

[nyaa]

I don't read manga because I don't have time for it with all the anime that I watch.

[Sakura]

10 hours ago, Jellal said:

I read occassionally but it has to be something I'm very interested in otherwise I would much prefer to just watch the anime. It's easier and a better experience for me to watch than reading. Watching is also something I can do while doing something else such as playing a game or being online and it helps kill the boredom when I'm doing some mundane task in a game. For these reasons I just all around prefer the experience of watching to reading. 

Ya same honestly ~ I would rather watch than read, even though I used to be the opposite of that >_> I think it comes down to the fact that I also watch a lot of anime or shows while playing games too so it's more convenient to watch it one one screen and play something on the other since time is limited  I get more out of watching over reading too these days

[Keyaru]

I don't read it often. I've gotten in the habit of rather watching anime than read it. Although, If I really take an interest in an anime I watched, I'll read it or even buy the manga. I read it more when I was younger in middle school and I'd rent manga books out of the library. 

[Jellal]

On 6/30/2025 at 12:59 AM, Sakura said:

Ya same honestly ~ I would rather watch than read, even though I used to be the opposite of that >_> I think it comes down to the fact that I also watch a lot of anime or shows while playing games too so it's more convenient to watch it one one screen and play something on the other since time is limited  I get more out of watching over reading too these days

I mainly watch while playing a game too, yeah, it helps with boredom. 

[Kari]

On 6/20/2025 at 8:20 PM, Ayame said:

I read manga a lot maybe more than I watch anime because most of the stories I like to read haven't been made into an anime yet and are only available in a manga. I read when we're driving somewhere or sitting and waiting for my siblings or mom and it's easier for me to read than watch in that case. I also find holding a book and reading comforting. 

Me too. There is something about holding a book and reading that I enjoy a little more than watching tv. Of course I think watching anime is a more immersive experience but I find myself reading more often than watching anime. 

[PikaPuff]

I like to read manga more I guess because I've always liked to read over everything, ever since I was a kid I was getting lost in books and even though manga is a little different than a typical book, it still makes me get lost in the story and enjoy the experience of reading. 

[animechat]

On 7/7/2025 at 10:17 PM, PikaPuff said:

I like to read manga more I guess because I've always liked to read over everything, ever since I was a kid I was getting lost in books and even though manga is a little different than a typical book, it still makes me get lost in the story and enjoy the experience of reading. 

I like to read manga, but I mostly read short ones and don't want to read long-running manga; I'd rather watch anime.

[Sasuke]

Typically when I read manga it's because the anime isn't finished and I need to know more. I did used to read it a lot more when I was a kid too, and I think that's largely to do with I had more time.

[Zariel]

I read sometimes but I stick with short ones. I'd pick watching the anime over reading the manga tbh. 

[hamstergod]

Anime is easier to consume because I often watch it while doing something else like homework or farming in a game or doing crafts irl. I can understand Japanese so I don't need to look at the subs to know what's going on. I also like the OSTs etc.

Manga...When you read it you have to focus on reading it. It has to be REALLY good for me to spend time on it - I enjoy reading a lot but my love are novels and short stories. Also when following current manga it's really annoying to have to wait a week/month/several months/year for a new chapter  Not to mention relying on scans. I used to be a translator and I know how hard the poor scanlators work, for FREE at that lol so I'd never complain about that at least. Alternatively you read a manga after it's been out for a while and the hype has died out so there would be nobody to talk about it, which is the lesser evil imo. And third, some JUST GO ON FOR TOO LONG, like I ain't reading allat, geez.... 

[Taps_kamidere]

I prefer Manga more than anime even though the story is the same I never have to worry about bad animation or CGI... It's more cause I can read manga at 2-3 time the spread of watching anime. Also for those who don't like buying manga, or who can't go to a book store just read it online, if I bought every manga I read I would be in hella debt.... Idk how to describe how broke I would be.

[Forlorn]

On 3/11/2025 at 9:16 PM, Sakura Dragon said:

I know a lot of people on this forum read manga so if like to ask why, you (yes, you) read manga. What is it about manga that you enjoy? Why choose it over the actual anime if there is one? Why would you ever prefer it solely over the anime?

I also want to ask those who don’t read manga why at their reasoning for that is. I personally do not read manga. I would so much rather watch something animated, voiced, music playing, and just giving the immersion I don’t feel manga can give me.

This isn’t mean to spark a debate on whether anime is better than manga. I am just curious as to why you do or don’t read it.

I don't read manga for the same reason that you don't. I can't get as involved like I can with anime.

[Uncrowned Guard]

E‑readers are actually what got me into manga in the first place. Carrying physical books around was never really my thing, so having everything digital made it way easier for me to dive in. But at the same time, they’ve become the bane of my manga experience, too.

Most ebook stores just aren’t great for manga. A lot of series end up locked behind different platforms, and most e‑readers are tied to a single store, so you can’t keep everything in one place. On top of that, the screens are small and black‑and‑white, so you miss out on color pages, and sometimes the text quality just isn’t great, depending on the release.

I’ve thought about just getting an iPad or a proper tablet for manga, since it would solve most of those issues, but I’ve never really wanted to spend that kind of money on a device I’d basically use as a dedicated reader. So for now, I’m stuck in that weird middle ground where e‑readers make manga convenient… but also kind of frustrating.  And this makes my manga reading often a varied experience, where at times I binge-read, but other times I don't want to deal with it.

[efaardvark]

3 hours ago, Uncrowned Guard said:

E‑readers are actually what got me into manga in the first place. Carrying physical books around was never really my thing, so having everything digital made it way easier for me to dive in. But at the same time, they’ve become the bane of my manga experience, too.

Most ebook stores just aren’t great for manga. A lot of series end up locked behind different platforms, and most e‑readers are tied to a single store, so you can’t keep everything in one place. On top of that, the screens are small and black‑and‑white, so you miss out on color pages, and sometimes the text quality just isn’t great, depending on the release.

I’ve thought about just getting an iPad or a proper tablet for manga, since it would solve most of those issues, but I’ve never really wanted to spend that kind of money on a device I’d basically use as a dedicated reader. So for now, I’m stuck in that weird middle ground where e‑readers make manga convenient… but also kind of frustrating.  And this makes my manga reading often a varied experience, where at times I binge-read, but other times I don't want to deal with it.

I've been in a similar situation.  The proprietary aspect makes the mainstream options like the kindle and ipad kind of a non-starter for me for all types of e-material.  I read books and subscribe to a few magazines and periodicals that are delivered in PDF format too - some of which I need to read for work - so I need something that can handle multiple formats well.

FWIW the option that I went with was one of the devices from Boox  (the note pro) that offer access to (for instance) google's play store but still allow you to load your own material from whatever source.  It has a large (magazine-sized) e-ink display, supports several formats, and is great for reading, taking notes, and for marking up things like those PDF periodicals.  My only complaints with the boox are that it is older so the CPU is slow when it comes to drawing and note-taking and the display is monochrome.

I do far prefer the e-ink displays in the kindle and my boox over the transistor-based active-matrix (LED/OLED/TFT) displays.  They don't do video but they're much more readable in sunlight and greatly improve a device's battery life.  For me personally I also get headaches when reading a lot of textual material on an active-matrix display like an ipad or a desktop.  So much so that I actually cut back on my reading volume.  Something in the subliminal flicker caused by the refresh or some sort of eye strain caused by that sort of display I guess.  But the paper-like e-ink displays don't seem to give me the same problem.  I can read stuff on those displays all day and my reading volume has increased again now that I don't have to worry about it.   (Subject to time constraints too, but that's another story.)

Finding non-proprietary material is still sometimes a challenge.  A lot of these devices are expensive too, as you mention.  I've been considering upgrading to the Note Air 5 C, which is basically the same as what I have but has an upgraded CPU and a 10-inch Kaleido (color) display.  But it's over $500!  The only reason I'm considering it is that I've had the old unit for several years now and I can sort of justify spending $500 every 4 or 5 years on a device like this that I know I'll actually use a lot.

[Uncrowned Guard]

4 hours ago, efaardvark said:

I've been in a similar situation.  The proprietary aspect makes the mainstream options like the kindle and ipad kind of a non-starter for me for all types of e-material.  I read books and subscribe to a few magazines and periodicals that are delivered in PDF format too - some of which I need to read for work - so I need something that can handle multiple formats well.

FWIW the option that I went with was one of the devices from Boox  (the note pro) that offer access to (for instance) google's play store but still allow you to load your own material from whatever source.  It has a large (magazine-sized) e-ink display, supports several formats, and is great for reading, taking notes, and for marking up things like those PDF periodicals.  My only complaints with the boox are that it is older so the CPU is slow when it comes to drawing and note-taking and the display is monochrome.

I do far prefer the e-ink displays in the kindle and my boox over the transistor-based active-matrix (LED/OLED/TFT) displays.  They don't do video but they're much more readable in sunlight and greatly improve a device's battery life.  For me personally I also get headaches when reading a lot of textual material on an active-matrix display like an ipad or a desktop.  So much so that I actually cut back on my reading volume.  Something in the subliminal flicker caused by the refresh or some sort of eye strain caused by that sort of display I guess.  But the paper-like e-ink displays don't seem to give me the same problem.  I can read stuff on those displays all day and my reading volume has increased again now that I don't have to worry about it.   (Subject to time constraints too, but that's another story.)

Finding non-proprietary material is still sometimes a challenge.  A lot of these devices are expensive too, as you mention.  I've been considering upgrading to the Note Air 5 C, which is basically the same as what I have but has an upgraded CPU and a 10-inch Kaleido (color) display.  But it's over $500!  The only reason I'm considering it is that I've had the old unit for several years now and I can sort of justify spending $500 every 4 or 5 years on a device like this that I know I'll actually use a lot.

Boox has always been on my radar for this exact need as well, but I’ve never actually had the chance to hold one in person, and at their price point, that makes it a tough leap. And like you mentioned, they’re not exactly performance‑focused devices. Even the newer models still seem to struggle a bit with speed, which makes me hesitant when the cost is already pretty high.

That said, I really do like the appeal of them being full Android devices. Not being locked into a single store is a huge advantage, especially for manga where everything is scattered across different platforms. That flexibility alone keeps Boox in the “maybe someday” category for me, even if I’m not quite ready to justify the price yet.

[animechat]

 I read manga, but I prefer anime. Anime is easier to consume.

Edited March 25 by animechat

[ablackenedrose]

I do read one or two manga series, but I watch far more anime, in large part because I don't need to store streamed anime physically. I don't live in the most spacious of accommodations and don't have that much room to store manga volumes, and trying to read manga on an E-reader generally results in a dramatically worse reading experience for me.

[Foxxkid456]

I love reading manga, because it is a fun time waiting weekly for a new chapter to come out.

[KookyKonata]

Well, I initially started reading manga because I thought the whole "reading right to left" thing was super cool back when I started (2003). This was honestly before I knew that anime was "anime", if that makes sense, and actually got into manga first. Since, I've found lots of great stories, fantastic artwork, and have fallen in and out and in again of great communities because of it. 

After I found out that there were anime of manga, it just further launched me deeper into the medium!