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Graphic Novels, Comics, and Manga

Manga (pronounced "mahngah"), first coined in 1814, is a term for Japanese comics/cartoons.

Manga graphic novels are usually in black and white in a small, paperback size.  They are to be read right to left, beginning at the "back" of the book.

Manga @ WMU

Manga Collections @ WMU

In addition to the browsing collection on the 1st floor of Waldo, there are many other locations where you can find Manga. We have Manga in both English and Japanese.

Manga Browsing Collection (1st floor Waldo Library)

  • a selection of Manga in English
  • Scholarship on Manga

General Stacks

  • Browsing collection may only have one volume of a complete set. The rest may be in the general stacks
  • Most Japanese Manga will be in General stacks

In Children's Collection (2nd floor Waldo Library)

  • Some Japanese Manga can be found in the Children's Collections: easy reader, fiction, and non-fictions collections

Finding Manga in Library Search

Finding Manga in Library Search

You can combine several search terms together. When you identify a title, before to note the location of the book, It may be held in several locations. 

Search by 

  • title 
  • keyword (such as character name)
  • publisher 
  • author 
  • artist
  • subject headings
    • Manga
    • Manga Literature
    • Comic books, strips, etc -- Japan
    • Comic books, strips, etc -- Japan -- History and criticism
    • Comic books, strips, etc -- Japan -- Technique
    • Try combinations like "Comics" and "Japan" and "Popular Culture"

Don't forget to limit by language!