The world of Japanese manga has become a truly global phenomenon, and in the Western world, record-high sales of manga volumes prove that this hobby is here to stay. Casual manga and anime fans can always watch popular anime streaming on Crunchyroll or Hidive for cheap, but starting a manga collection can also be surprisingly affordable.

Collecting manga volumes costs more than a monthly streaming service subscription, but still, collecting Japanese manga can be immensely rewarding, and the barrier to entry is lower than ever. Interested readers can start their own manga collection in many different ways, from finding the right bookshelves to picking the right genres of manga and figuring out their exact budget.

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Why Is Japanese Manga So Cheap?

Compared to many similar hobbies, collecting Japanese manga is surprisingly affordable and convenient. For example, manga compares well to American comics,...