01 JAN • Written by admin01
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How To Buy Manga
Manga starts out in Japanese, obviously, but it gets picked up by publishers all over the world and translated into English and tons of other languages. The thing is, sometimes it can be tricky to find these translated versions depending on where you live. So, in this post, we're sharing some tips and tricks for getting your hands on overseas manga. There are a few different ways to buy them. In this post, I'm going to focus on Japanese, or English manga that you can buy in your own conveniences.
- Local Bookstore
First of, if your place of stay have a local bookstore, you might want to check it out. Some bookstores might carry Viz Media and Yen Press titles in their bookstore, so you might want to check it out. If your country have local manga publisher, you need to support them by purchasing their titles. You need to keep in mind that, by supporting you local bookstore, you are also supporting your local businesses.
2. Chain Bookstore
2. Chain Bookstore
Chain Bookstore are as rare as it can be. If it is in your area, you can buy your favourite manga there.
Kinokuniya
Kinokuniya is a well-known Japanese bookstore chain with locations around the world. It's famous for its huge selection of books, magazines, and stationery, with a particular emphasis on Japanese imports. If you're looking for manga, Japanese books, or just a unique bookstore experience, Kinokuniya is definitely worth checking out.
Kinokuniya's got a pretty big presence, with 71 stores in Japan, 17 in the US, and another 19 scattered around the globe. That includes 6 in Singapore, 3 in Indonesia, 1 in Malaysia, 3 in Thailand, and single stores in Cambodia, Australia, and the Philippines. They've also got 3 spots in Taiwan, 2 in the UAE, and a liaison office in London.
Animate
Well, it might technically not considered as bookstore, but it sure have lots of manga to offer. Animate is basically a paradise for anime and manga fans. It's a chain of stores packed with everything related to Japanese pop culture. You'll find tons of manga, anime DVDs and Blu-rays, figures, plushies, keychains—basically any kind of merch you can imagine. They also have CDs, games, and even stuff for artists and cosplayers. It's the go-to place for anyone who's into anime and manga, and they're popping up in more and more places around the world.
Okay, so Animate is all over the place, especially in Japan. They've got a ton of stores there—like, around 118! You'll find them in big cities and even smaller towns. Their main stores in places like Ikebukuro in Tokyo are HUGE, with everything you could possibly imagine. Some even have cafes or places for events.
Outside of Japan, they've got a few spots too. In China, they're in Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, and Chengdu. Taiwan has three stores in Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung. Thailand has two, one in Bangkok and another in Rangsit (which is near Bangkok). South Korea has one in Seoul, and they just opened their first US store in Torrance, California.
And now, they also have a store in Malaysia, located in LaLaport Bukit Bintang City Centre in Kuala Lumpur!
Basically, they're mostly in Japan, but they're starting to spread out. And don't forget, they also sell stuff online, so you can probably find what you're looking for even if there isn't a store nearby.
The chain bookstores listed above are international, meaning they're found all over the world. But most chain bookstores are usually found in specific countries, and some are even local brands only available in their home country—unlike Kinokuniya, which is global. We couldn't list every single one, so we've put together a list to help you find the nearest chain bookstores in your country.
3. Online Purchase
3. Online Purchase
As a manga collector, I used to find it tiring and often fruitless to hunt for volumes in physical stores. Thankfully, the rise of online retailers has made it possible to purchase manga from anywhere in the world. Here are some of my go-to sources.
Amazon (amazon.co.jp, amazon.com)
A go to website for purchasing manga from all around the world. If you wanted the original manga from Japan, you may find your manga straight from your country amazon website, which will automatically change the currency to your country's. Although, shipment fee might be a little high, if you wanted to purchase different manga, from different supplier, or sender.
eBay (ebay.com)
eBay is pretty much the biggest online marketplace in the world—you can find almost anything there, including manga. I've used (and still use) it to hunt down rare manga, and sometimes you find deals so good you just have to grab them. Even though it's a global platform, prices on eBay, especially with international shipping, can be pretty high. Plus, since you're dealing with sellers from all over the world, you have to be a bit careful.
Mercari Japan (jp.mercari.com)
Mercari is basically like Japanese eBay—a great place to find manga in the local Japanese market. Most of the manga there is used, but knowing how the Japanese handle things, you can be pretty confident that even the used stuff is still in good condition. Like eBay though, you can't always guarantee you'll find what you're looking for, especially if it's rare. And if you *do* find something rare, it's usually pricey. I've had good luck finding manga on Mercari that I couldn't find on Amazon.
Yahoo! Japan Auction (auctions.yahoo.co.jp)
Want to get into some bidding wars? This is the place to do it. I don't bid much myself, but when I do, it feels like gambling. You're not exactly losing money like you would at a casino, but it can be pretty addictive. Even if you're not into bidding, it's still fun to browse all the different manga on this site.
Mandarake (mandarake.co.jp)
Mandarake is seriously a paradise for used goods, especially if you're into manga, anime figures, toys, or other collectibles. It's like a giant warehouse of awesome, pre-owned stuff. They have a massive inventory, ranging from common volumes to super rare, out-of-print editions that you'd be hard-pressed to find anywhere else. I can honestly say it's worth checking out. What makes Mandarake so great is the sheer variety. You can find everything from standard manga volumes to limited edition box sets, art books, doujinshi (fan-made comics), and even vintage toys and figures. It's a goldmine for collectors. And because it's all used, the prices are generally much lower than buying new, which is a huge plus.
Shipping stuff from overseas can be a real headache, especially when websites require a local address. Plus, shipping costs can really add up when you're buying different things from different sellers. So, here are a few ways to make buying stuff from overseas a bit easier and cheaper.
Using Buyandship for forwarding my online shopping has been pretty great. Basically, you just use their overseas warehouse addresses when you check out online, and then once all your stuff arrives there, they bundle it all together and ship it to you. Their prices are decent too. The only thing is, they only give you 21 days of free storage, which can be a bit of a pain. So, you kinda have to plan your purchases to get the best shipping rates—though sometimes shipping stuff separately actually works out cheaper than shipping everything at once. I guess it just depends on the situation. One cool thing is that you can earn points by posting about your purchases in their Facebook group, and then use those points for discounts on future shipping, which is a nice little bonus.
ZenMarket was my go-to proxy shopping service before I started using Buyandship. It's super easy—you just give them the links to the stuff you want, and they buy it for you. Once it arrives at their warehouse, you pick your shipping method, and they send it on its way. One of the best things about ZenMarket is that you don't need an Amazon account or anything like that since they handle everything. Plus, their fees are pretty reasonable at 500 yen per item.
Like ZenMarket, Buyee is another proxy shopping service. It works pretty much the same way: you find what you want to buy (or place a bid), make the purchase, and then once it gets to their warehouse, you pick your shipping and they send it off. Their fees are even cheaper than ZenMarket, at just 300 yen per item. They've also added Korean marketplaces now, which is cool. One of my biggest gripes when buying from Mercari Japan was that it was a pain without an account. Buyee solves that problem—you can buy from Mercari Japan through them.
So, there you go—some tips and tricks on buying manga from overseas. I probably missed a few things, but that's what I've got from my own experience. I used to always use Book Depository because of the free shipping, but since they closed down, I've had to find other ways to get my manga fix. Even on Japanese sites like Mercari or Yahoo Auctions, you can sometimes find English manga too! I actually scored a rare, out-of-print softcover of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure Part 3 there. Anyway, that's all from me. If you have any suggestions, feel free to leave a comment below. Thanks for reading!
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