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

Rumiko Takahashi's Ranma 1/2 manga laid the groundwork for some of the genre's most enduring tropes (gender switching, horny old guys, tournaments), and this is the second anime adaptation, this time from Studio MAPPA. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 2 Oct. 2026

Among the categories are awards for best YA, best manga, and book of the year. — Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026

Big Band Story identified Cat’s Eye as a manga that would lend itself well to a French adaptation. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2026

Directed by Kei Oikawa and based on the manga series by Nagano, the fantasy adventure follows Chiikawa and companions traveling to an island paradise before uncovering an ominous threat. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 21 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