Manta launched internationally in 2020 and has been growing ever since. In early 2024, they added novels to the platform. And now, as of April 7, 2026, you can read manga on Manta too.
As a subscriber, I got an email notification and checked it out right away. Here’s my honest take.
The Launch Deal on Manta
Manta is running a launch promotion in collaboration with Kodansha that runs until April 20. Here’s what you get:
- 150 free Gems (they expire after 24 hours, so use them quickly)
- Up to 90% off on first volumes across 400+ titles
- Over 400 series available at launch
That’s a solid deal to try things out. Most first volumes are practically free with the discount, and you get enough Gems to unlock one without spending anything.
What Manga are Available?
The lineup includes romance, action, sports, and more. Some of the highlighted titles are WIND BREAKER, Medalist, and The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity.
But since this is a romance blog, let me tell you what I actually care about: there are many romance titles worth reading. You’ll find older popular Shoujos like Kira-kun Today (the classic popular guy x unpopular girl trope), but also newer great picks like How I Met My Soulmate or In the Clear Moonlit Dusk. Even some lesser-known gems without the typical tropes, like Our Precious Conversations, are on there.
It’s an interesting development for the platform. According to Business Wire Manta’s CEO Asher Won said: “Webcomics, webnovels, and manga each have their own unique identity. Manta will continue to strengthen content competitiveness so that more stories can be enjoyed broadly within a single ecosystem – without having to move between platforms.”
How Does Reading Manga on Manta Work?
You can’t scroll through manga the way you scroll through manhwa. It’s a page-by-page, right-to-left reading experience. If you’re used to the vertical scroll format, it takes a little getting used to. But if you’ve ever read physical manga, you’ll be fine.
The Big Catch: It’s Not Included in the Subscription
Here’s the thing you need to know: manga on Manta is not part of the subscription. You have to pay with Gems to unlock volumes. This is the same model they use for novels – your monthly subscription only covers the webcomic library.
With the current launch prices, it’s cheap. But once the promotion ends, let’s do some math.
A Price Breakdown: A Sign of Affection
Let’s say you want to read A Sign of Affection, one of the most popular romance manga out there. Here’s what that looks like:
- You get 150 free Gems from the promotion
- The first volume is 90% off, so you basically get it for free
- Volumes 2 to 12 currently cost 749 Gems each
- Without a membership, 600 Gems cost 5.99 Euro (roughly $6.50)
- So reading all volumes would cost you approximately $90 USD
(I calculated this in Euros, so the dollar conversion might not be exact. If you’re in the US, I’d love to know: how much do 600 Gems cost for you?)
With a higher-tier membership, you get more Gems per purchase, but it’s still not cheap.
For comparison: the physical copies of A Sign of Affection cost around $9-11 per volume. Owning all of them would run you about $120. So digital on Manta is cheaper than physical, but not by a massive margin – and you don’t actually own anything physical.
My Take
I think this is an interesting move for Manta. But I do wish manga was included in the subscription, or at least offered at a lower Gem price. The whole appeal of Manta has always been that flat subscription fee. More and more content moving behind the Gem paywall is something a lot of subscribers have mixed feelings about – and manga being Gem-only from the start doesn’t help.
That said, the launch promotion is genuinely good. If you’ve been wanting to try some manga digitally without committing to buying full-price volumes, this is a solid window to do it. Just remember: those 150 free Gems expire in 24 hours. Don’t sleep on them.
