In Japanese, the word "anime" simply refers to all animation. Outside of Japan, the term "anime" refers specifically to Japanese animation. Anime comes in a wide variety of genres and encompasses both film and television animation. It can be aimed at children, teens, or adult audiences. "Manga," on the other hand, refers to Japanese comics and graphic novels. Manga is read from right to left and is also typically (but not exclusively) published in black and white. Manga is usually published chapter-by-chapter, either in print magazines or digitally (or both!), and then collected in tankobon volumes, which you can find on our library shelves. There are a wide variety of manga genres, and manga can be aimed at audiences of all ages. There is often an overlap in content and style between anime and manga. A popular manga series may be animated and turned into an anime; likewise, a popular anime may receive a manga adaptation. The Free Library of Philadelphia offers anime DVDs, manga (print and digital editions), and manga how-to-draw books. Some locations also offer anime watch parties and other similar programs. Talk to your local librarian about what’s new at your branch!
Manga series can stretch for dozens and dozens and volumes, but these ones are short and easy to finish quickly.
These classic manga series have been popular for decades. Try these titles if you want to find out what all the hype is about!
New hits and popular classics from a variety of genres.
The latest, greatest anime.
Favorite anime and manga-related books and series.
Young Adult Teen anime fans are invited to join the us at the Field Teen Center from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm! Request your favorites,… more details Sat, September 14, 2024 9:00 AM
Parkway Central Library
1901 Vine Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Adult Young Adult Taught by Shebani Rao. Make a comic about your connection to Chinatown! This workshop will explore comics as… more details Tue, September 17, 2024 5:30 PM
Independence Library
18 South 7th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
Come and hang out with the Anime club! Watch some of the best Anime while meeting new people. Candy provided. For… more details
Thu, September 19, 2024 2:30 PM
Holmesburg Library
7810 Frankford Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19136-3013
Teen anime fans are invited to join the us at the Field Teen Center from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm! Request your favorites,… more details
Sat, September 21, 2024 9:00 AM
Parkway Central Library
1901 Vine Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
March is Women's History Month! Did you know that Women’s History Month has its roots in the struggle for workers’ rights? In 1908, women garment workers protested the poor working conditions inside factories. This…
In our Manga 101 series , we’ve covered a lot of manga-related topics. We looked at some commonly asked questions , explored demographic categories , reviewed several popular manga genres, and discussed related types of media . In…
In our Manga 101 series, we’ve answered some frequently asked questions , defined some common manga terms , and looked at some of the most popular manga genres found at the Free Library. This time, we’ll take a look at other…
In our last Manga 101 installments, we touched on romance and LGBTQIA+ themes in manga. This time, we’ll take a look at a new genre: horror . Though the roots of manga can be traced back through centuries of Japanese art,…
In our previous Manga 101 installment, we covered romance manga. This time, we’ll take a look at two subgenres of romance manga (BL and GL), as well as some non-romantic LGBTQ+ manga. BL BL is an abbreviation for Boys’…
Previous Manga 101 installments took a look at isekai and sports manga; this time, we’ll explore another popular genre of manga: romance . From poignant stories of high school love to doomed romances with supernatural…
In the previous Manga 101 installment, we took a look at the manga genre known as isekai . Now, we’ll continue with an exploration of another popular manga genre: sports! Sports manga as a genre is precisely what it sounds like…
One way of classifying manga is by demographic categories like shonen and shojo (for more information, check out the previous Manga 101 blog post ). However, manga can also be divided into genres of similar subject matter. While…
Manga is often published chapter-by-chapter in anthology magazines which are marketed towards particular audiences. Some magazines focus on specific genres of manga (like fantasy, romance, etc.) while others publish stories in a variety…
Some of the most popular titles at the Field Teen Center are manga, or Japanese graphic novels. Manga includes a wide range of genres and art styles with more than 100 titles in our collections. Navigating it all can be overwhelming,…
Like comics? You're going to love this! Our newest electronic resources from ComicsPlus bring thousands of digital comics, graphic novels, and manga from a variety of library-friendly publishers for kids,…
Throughout the month of July, Field Teen Center recorded interviews with a voice actor, four game designers, and a comic book writer. If you’re interested in creative jobs or if you just want to learn more about how your favorite…
Now that the new school year is up and running, LEAP would like to welcome students back to school! LEAP provides a safe and supportive afterschool environment for school-age patrons grades K – 12, complete with homework help,…
Whether you’ve been a fan for decades or are only now encountering them, manga —Japanese graphic novels—are an exciting comic form, incredibly varied in both artistic style and content. The Free Library has extensive…
