Manga in the Digital Age: Apps and Vertical Scroll Comics

Smartphones are changing how manga is read, shared, and made, from free weekly chapters on official apps to full-color comics built for scrolling.

Published October 26, 2026 at 12:09 PM JST | By Tokyo Paul

Quick answer: Manga is now mostly read on screens in Japan. According to the industry research institute that tracks sales, digital made up roughly three-quarters of Japan's manga market in 2025. Official apps such as Manga Plus offer simultaneous English chapters, while vertical scroll comics, a format that began as Korean webtoons, are growing as publishers add full-color series made for phones.

Anyone curious about manga today runs into a surprising range of choices: official apps, subscription services, free chapters, and comics that scroll like a social media feed instead of turning like a page. This guide explains what each option is, where the ideas came from, and how readers around the world can enjoy manga legally and comfortably on a phone or tablet. It also covers how the format itself is changing, since a comic designed for a thumb looks different from one designed for paper.

Where Manga Reading Happens Now

Manga reading has moved onto phones faster than many people expect. The All Japan Magazine and Book Publishers' and Editors' Association, through its Research Institute for Publications, reported that Japan's manga market in 2025 was about 692 billion yen, with digital accounting for roughly 76 percent of that total. Print still matters, especially collected volumes called tankobon, but screens now lead.

The shift has practical reasons. A phone is always in a pocket, a commute is a natural reading window, and a shelf of volumes takes real space in a small Japanese apartment. Digital also makes it easy to try a new series at no cost before deciding whether to buy.

Outside Japan the picture is different. In an interview published on a Dentsu site, Shueisha executives said overseas print still outsells digital by a wide margin, though digital is growing in Asia. Readers abroad often use both: an app for new chapters and paper volumes for favorites.

Official Apps That Share Weekly Chapters

Official apps are the safest and most generous way to follow current series. Manga Plus by Shueisha launched in January 2019 and, according to its Wikipedia entry, is available worldwide except in Japan, China, and South Korea, which have their own services. It releases new chapters of Weekly Shonen Jump in English at the same time as Japan, so overseas readers do not wait for translations.

A typical Manga Plus series offers its first few and latest chapters for free, with a paid tier that unlocks more of the back catalog. Exact tiers and prices vary by region and change over time, so check the app for current options. Shueisha also runs Shonen Jump+, an app that makes many series free to read.

Other publishers have their own services too, and several major Japanese publishers also work with international platforms. A good habit is to look for the publisher's name on the app, which signals an official source that pays the creators.

What Vertical Scroll Comics Are

Vertical scroll comics are stories laid out as one long strip that readers move through with a swipe. The format is usually called webtoon, a term that comes from Korea, where the first webtoon appeared in 1996 and large portals such as Daum and Naver built webtoon services in the early 2000s. Episodes are typically in color and designed for smartphones.

The design logic is different from a printed page. Instead of panels arranged for a double spread, the creator controls pacing with the empty space between images. A long gap can create a pause or a surprise, and a quick run of small panels creates speed.

In Japan, the format took time to catch on. Traditional manga is read from right to left in black and white, and readers and creators grew up with that rhythm. Over the past several years, though, platforms such as LINE Manga and Piccoma have promoted vertical scroll series, and the format has become a regular part of the Japanese comics landscape.

How Japanese Publishers Are Responding

Major publishers have launched their own vertical scroll platforms. In May 2024 Shueisha opened Jump Toon in Japan, starting with 28 titles that included vertical, full-color versions of established series along with new stories. The company said it wanted to respond to changing reading habits such as smartphones and app subscriptions.

Jump Toon also offered a place for new creators to upload their work and an internal production system for professional teams. That mix reflects an important point: making a color vertical comic often involves several specialists, such as storyboard writers, line artists, and colorists, rather than a single author at a desk.

The result is that Japan now has two parallel traditions. One is the classic weekly black and white chapter that is later collected into a volume. The other is the full color strip built for scrolling and often made by a team.

Reading Manga Digitally as a Traveler

For travelers, a phone can be a pocket library. An official app is a good way to read before a trip, during a long flight, or in the evening after sightseeing, when the offline downloads some apps provide can be useful. Reading about a series' setting can also inspire stops on a trip, such as the neighborhoods or train lines that appear in the story.

In Japan, bookstores and manga cafes remain popular places to read in person. Manga cafes are quiet spaces where visitors pay for time to read volumes, and they pair nicely with a digital habit. The Kyoto International Manga Museum is another good stop for seeing printed manga at scale.

When you shop for volumes in Japan, remember that Japanese editions are read from right to left, so the book opens from what a Western reader would call the back.

Reading Legally and Supporting Creators

Choosing official sources is the best way to support the people who make manga. Apps and publisher platforms share revenue with authors, and one Shueisha executive interviewed on the Dentsu site said that half of the advertising revenue earned after a reader finishes a chapter goes back to the author on one of the company's apps. Free chapters and paid tiers are both legitimate ways to read.

If a series is not available in your country's app, try the publisher's other platforms or local print editions. Availability depends on licensing, which can vary by series and by region.

Readers who want to follow a favorite creator can also check whether the creator posts on official platforms. Many artists publish short works or previews on publisher sites that are free and legal to read.

How Digital Is Changing the Art Itself

Digital reading influences how stories are drawn. Creators who work for scrolling formats think about vertical flow, color palettes that look good on a bright phone screen, and cliffhangers timed for the end of an episode. Meanwhile, many traditional manga artists now draw with digital tools, even when the final product is printed.

Another change is how stories spread. A series that does well on an app can lead to a printed volume, an anime adaptation, or merchandise. Some platforms have announced anime projects built on vertical scroll series, which shows how the format can feed the wider entertainment world.

For a reader, this means more variety. A single phone can hold a classic sports manga, a romantic fantasy in color, and a short comic by a new creator, all within the same evening.

Wrapping Up: Choosing How You Read

Digital manga does not replace paper; it widens the choices. Some readers love the feel of a volume, others want free weekly chapters, and many mix both. The best approach is to try an official app, sample a vertical scroll series, and notice which format fits your habits.

Whichever you pick, you are joining a reading culture that is changing quickly while keeping the same core joy: a good story told through pictures. Over time you may find that the format matters less than the series you love.

Want to go deeper? Tokyo Paul's book Manga-Style How Japan Works is available on Amazon.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is most manga read digitally in Japan?

Yes, digital is now the larger share. The industry research institute reported that about 76 percent of Japan's manga market in 2025 came from digital sales, with print making up the rest. Print volumes and magazines still sell in large numbers, especially collected volumes, so many readers use both formats.

What is Manga Plus?

Manga Plus is an official app and website from the publisher Shueisha. It launched in January 2019 and offers many series in several languages, including English chapters released at the same time as in Japan. It is available in most regions outside Japan, China, and South Korea. Free and paid options exist, and details change by region.

What is the difference between manga and vertical scroll comics?

Traditional manga is usually black and white, drawn in pages, and read right to left. Vertical scroll comics, often called webtoons, are laid out as one long strip meant to be swiped on a phone and are usually in color. The format began in Korea, and Japanese publishers now offer their own versions.

Keep Exploring

More guides from Tokyo Paul: Manga Genres Explained: Shonen, Shojo, Seinen and Josei, Kyoto International Manga Museum: A Library of Comics and Anime Industry in 2026: Streaming and Global Reach.