Nowadays, manga has gained immense popularity worldwide, attracting users of all ages with its diverse stories and artistic styles. According to NPD BookScan, manga made up 76% of overall comics and graphic novel sales in the US in 2021. Because of the rise of free manga sites, many users are turning to them. However, free access comes with its own risks, such as legal and security concerns.
That’s why we are going to write this blog to help you distinguish between safe/licensed or free unofficial sites. By the end, you’ll be able to make the right decisions about safe exploration by kids!
What are manga sites?
Keeping pace with the Internet development, manga sites are online portals designed to allow worldwide users to read Japanese comic books digitally. These platforms usually come in two main types: official legal websites and unofficial free (often pirated) sites. Both kinds of manga sites operate differently and offer different features. Let’s review them!
Official legal manga sites
There are official manga sites available online that are licensed by the real publishers like Shueisha, Kodansha or Shogakukan. Using such legal sites, you would enjoy the following features!
- Offer subscription plans or pay-per-chapter systems.
- Provide limited free chapters, previews, or trial periods.
- Upload manga in high quality with accurate translations.
- Release chapters legally & safely without malware risks.
Free unofficial or pirated manga sites
Free manga sites are appealing because they offer users access to thousands of titles at no cost. However, these benefits are fewer than their risks if you’re visiting pirate sites.
- Rely on fan translations (scanlations) uploaded by reader groups.
- Stay free by showing aggressive ads and pop-ups.
- Sometimes push unexpected in-app purchases or redirect links.
- Upload manga quickly, but often with poor translation quality.
It is estimated that manga piracy has caused copyright holders losses of approximately $5.5 billion annually. Further statistics underscore the scale of pirated manga websites and their economic impact on creators and the publishing industry, while also revealing that the pursuit of free content not only compromises security but may indirectly harm the copyright ecosystem.
Pick legal manga reading sites and enhance parental controls.
Dangers of unofficial free manga sites for kids
Although reading on manga sites is more convenient than ever, such free, unknown sources can expose readers to serious security and legal risks.
- Exposure to inappropriate content
These sites often feature adult themes, violence, or unfiltered fan translations. Early exposure to inappropriate content exploits younger minds and confuses them about relationships and social boundaries. There are often no parental controls, age ratings, or reporting systems.
- Malicious ads and pop-ups
Such free sites are heavily reliant on advertising networks to generate revenue. Ads and pop-ups may lead to age-inappropriate content or risky redirects to malware, shopping sites, porn sites, etc. A recent survey by TorrentFreak found that people who use pirated sites are 65% more likely to be infected with malware than those who use legitimate sites.
- Data privacy risks
In addition, unofficial manga sites often use cookies or other hidden trackers to collect browsing data and other sensitive information. This data can be sold to third parties who may misuse it without consent, putting children’s privacy at risk.
- Unexpected purchases or scams
Many pirated sites rely on ad networks that display explicit images, gambling promotions, or phishing scams. On such sites, your kids may be tricked by banners or buttons that appear harmless. It indeed leads to hidden purchases or scam offers.
- Legal and ethical issues
Undoubtly, accessing or sharing pirated content is illegal. According to analysis by LegalClarity, while readers rarely face criminal charges for accessing illegal manga websites, these platforms typically lack safeguards and may expose users to risks such as malware, data breaches, or fraud. Besides, repeated exposure to such content even normalizes illegal online behavior, teaching them that copyright infringement and unsafe online behavior are acceptable.
6 free manga websites parents should watch out for
Here is the list of some pirated manga websites. Parents should be aware that these sites are often unblocked, easy to find via search engines, and attractive to kids looking for free entertainment.
- MangaPark
- MangaDex
- Mangamya
- MangaBuddy
- MangaHere
- MangaFox
MangaPark
MangaPark is known for a massive manga library, but it is often filled with intrusive pop-ups, inappropriate ads, and unfiltered content. It doesn’t require sign-up or registration, and the anonymity also encourages people to share explicit, unsuitable-for-kids content.
MangaDex
Mangadex is also another non-profit website that hosts unofficial fan translations and community uploads, with limited age restrictions and mixed content moderation. Its appeal stems from frequent updates and rare titles; however, it’s unsafe to use, especially for children.
Mangamya
Mangamya is also a manga mirror site, allowing free reading. Aggregates manga from various sources, frequently displaying intrusive ads. Its unverified status and lack of regulation make it risky for kids. This is because it could host pirated content, intrusive ads, or unsafe links.
Mangabuddy
MangaBuddy also offers a vast collection of manga for readers worldwide. It’s a popular space where manga lovers can dive into their favorite genres. Easy to access and free, but it lacks clear content warnings and may redirect users to unsafe pages.
MangaHere
It’s a long-running piracy site that hosts a wide range of genres, including mature content. Readers may encounter intrusive pop-ups, redirects, and content without clear age ratings or moderation.
MangaFox
MangaFox is another widely known free manga site that aggregates manga scans from various sources without publisher authorization. Frequently mirrors copyrighted material and relies heavily on ad revenue.
6 best legal manga reading sites and apps
For readers or families looking for safer options, these legal platforms provide a more secure manga-reading experience:
Viz Media
Viz Media is an American manga publisher, anime distributor and entertainment company founded in 1986. It offers official library manga, curated recommendations, and ad-free reading. It’s generally considered safe for teens and adults due to its mature content.
Key features
- Large collection of officially licensed manga (Naruto, One Piece, etc.)
- Curated reading lists and recommendations
- Ad-free, safe reading environment
- Access to the latest chapters quickly
Available on: iOS, Android, Web
Pricing: Free first chapters; subscription $1.99/month for full access
Manga Plus by Shueisha
Manga Plus is a digital platform offering licensed manga content to worldwide users in multiple languages. Here you’ll get daily updates and most of the content is for teens like 13+ users.
Key features
- Simultaneous release with Japan for most titles
- Multilingual support (English, Spanish, etc.)
- Daily updates for ongoing series
- Official content, fully licensed
Available on: iOS, Android, Web
Pricing: Most chapters free; optional subscription $1.99–$4.99/month for extra access
Kodansha Comics
Kodansha is a Japanese private company that publishes high-quality translations of popular series like Attack on Titan with curated reading lists. It also has close ties with Disney and officially sponsors Tokyo Disneyland. Owing to its licensing and reliability, it’s considered safe to use.
Key features
- High-quality professional translations
- Access to popular series (Attack on Titan, Fairy Tail)
- Curated reading lists and notifications for new chapters
- Reliable and safe content without ads or malware
Available on: iOS, Android, Web (region-dependent)
Pricing: Free previews; full chapters via purchase per volume/chapter
Shonen Jump
Shonen Jump (SJ) was a shonen manga anthology published by Viz Media. It featured serialized chapters from different manga series and articles on Japanese language/cultures and many more.
Key features
- All-you-can-read access to hundreds of chapters
- Early updates of the weekly manga series
- Ad-free, safe environment
- Easy navigation for popular Shueisha titles
Available on: iOS, Android, Web
Pricing: Subscription $3.99/month for full digital access
Libby (Digital Library Service)
Libby is a free digital platform that lets users digitally access e-books from their local libraries via a library card. It’s noteworthy that a reviewer for the Literary Review of Canada praised Libby’s management of reading data. A completely ad-free experience makes it safer.
Key features
- Borrow digital manga via public library membership
- Offline reading available
- Ad-free, completely safe for all ages
- Access to a variety of genres beyond manga
Available on: iOS, Android, Web
Pricing: Free with library membership
Webtoon
Webtoon is a South Korean app that lets users read comics on phones or tablets. It offers comics in many categories, such as romance, fantasy, thrillers, drama, horror, action and comedy. Moreover, it’s generally targeted at teenagers but includes mature themes enjoyed by adults.
Key features
- Mobile-friendly scrolling format
- Daily updates with new series
- Interactive features like comments, votes, and likes
- Wide variety of global titles and diverse genres
Available on: iOS, Android, Web
Pricing: Mostly free, with optional in-app purchases for bonus chapters or features
3 Tips to identify legal and safe manga sites
Because of the presence of a large number of pirated manga sites, it is usually difficult to find legal or safe manga sites. If you are also struggling with the same, don’t worry, here are some tips to help you make the safe choices!
- Look for publisher or licensing: Legal, official sites usually state that they are licensed by publishers like Shueisha, Kodansha, or VIZ Media. Besides, you should look for the publisher logos or official partnerships to confirm authenticity.
- Check for age ratings and moderation features: Safe platforms usually provide content warnings or parental controls.
- Be cautious of excessive ads and redirects: Overloaded pop-ups are often a red flag for unsafe or pirated sites. Legal manga sites usually have minimal ad networks compared to unauthorized ones, which mostly rely on them for revenue.
4 Ways to safeguard your child’s online manga reading
Young children and teens enjoy reading comic books for the fun stories, colourful art, and unique characters. But as a parent, you might be thinking Is it safe for my child? The answer can be yes, as long as you guide them correctly.
- Educate your kids: Spend more quality time with your kids and create a safe space for them to share what they experience online. Be supportive of your child, encourage them to access only age-appropriate platforms. Make them aware of the risks of using unofficial manga sites and what is not allowed to do.
- Set device and browser restrictions: It’s advisable to enable safe search settings, content filters, and app restrictions on devices your kids use.
- Balance the screen time: Excessive screen time not only causes eye strain but also leads to social isolation in your kids. Set clear rules and boundaries about online time and media use based on your child‘s age.
- Use parental control apps: Good content can quickly become an issue when children start spending too much time on screens. That’s why using a parental control app is a wise move, as it will let you monitor your kid in a much better way.
To help you in this case, FlashGet Kids comes in. It’s a smart parental control app with a lot of amazing features to help prevent your kids from addiction, including:
- Screen Time: Helps you set specific hours for screen use; after those hours, the screen will shut down automatically.
- App Blocker: Lets you block harmful apps that you find unsuitable for your kids. This gives parents real peace of mind regarding kids’ digital safety.
- Content filtering: You can categorize a blacklist for inappropriate keywords. And, if your kid writes or searches that word, FlashGet Kids will notify you immediately.
Takeaways
In summary, there are many manga reading sites online, making it convenient for users to access new releases or classic books. Free manga sites can be tempting; however, many of them, which are unofficial platforms and come with hidden risks, from inappropriate content to serious security threats. By understanding the difference between legal and pirated manga sites, choosing safer alternatives, and actively guiding children’s online habits, parents can help ensure manga remains an enjoyable and positive experience.
