12 Single-Volume Manga for When You’re Short on Time and Money

Do you enjoy reading short manga? We customarily made manga available through a magazine subscription service on a monthly or weekly basis. Continue reading this article to find out more.

Manga has gained popularity as a representation of contemporary Japanese culture worldwide.

The numerous alternatives appeal to many individuals.

The variety of genres available is both fantastic and intimidating for a beginner manga reader.

The length of the major titles is a problem for some people.

There is a whole generation of authors who excel in the short-form format, producing complex and rich works of art in the course of just a few volumes.

The popular superhero movie My Hero Academia series has so far had 26 volumes.

The now-famous ninja series Naruto has 72 volumes, yet it is far from done.

And let’s not even bring about One Piece. The single-volume manga was appropriate in this circumstance.

For those of us who are series-phobic and want a one-and-done narrative, single-volume manga publications are thankfully available.

Although not all the suggestions on this list started out as solo comics in Japan, they have all been published in North America as a single comprehensive omnibus.

1. Helter Skelter by Kyoko Okazaki

With this plunge into psychological terror, we come back to the realm of fashion.

Being at the top is challenging, especially in a field that values young and is fiercely competitive. Lilikoi has no immediate plans to give up her position as the top model.

She’ll do whatever it takes to maintain her position, even undergoing cosmetic surgery on both her face and the rest of her body.

2. Maiden Railways by Asumiko Nakamura

Nakamura’s name may be familiar to you from her BL manga, Classmates.

The author presents seven short stories with romances that somehow include trains or railway stations in this manga. A sweet motif, no? A nice one for anyone who likes slice-of-life stories.

3. Dororo by Osamu Tezuka

Since Osamu Tezuka produced so much manga throughout his lifetime, the genre as we know it now has its roots in his creations.

The novel Dororo, which was first released in 1967, is the tale of a Japanese feudal lord who, in return for the promised prosperity and fortune throughout his domain, offers his baby son to 48 devils.

You’d be foolish to believe that the baby would die because of this. Using alchemy and prosthetics, a doctor rescues the baby.

And when that child becomes an adult, he looks for the demons to get back the stolen bodily parts he lost because of his father’s bargain.

4. Paradise Kiss by Ai Yazawa

For a while, Paradise Kiss, one of the most popular series of the early 2000s manga boom, was dormant for a while.

Vertical, however, reissued it in a stunning new box a couple of years ago.

The narrative addresses finding your life’s purpose, changing relationships, first loves and heartbreak, and the bittersweetness of growing up. It is full of exquisite art and stunning apparel.

5. Tekkon Kinkreet by Taiyō Matsumoto

For Black and White, the almost-feral guardians of Treasure Town, city life is fascinating.

In addition, you get to drive along with the duo in Tekkon Kinkreet as they protect their hometown from cunning yakuza, clueless cops, and several other neighborhood knuckleheads.

The length of this series allows for its collection into a single omnibus. However, don’t expect to finish it in one sitting.

Even if the action scenes are quick, the exquisite artwork and convoluted narrative call for a closer look.

You will be left speechless, even if you can’t quite comprehend its convoluted plot.

6. Fire Punch by Tatsuki Fujimoto

Before Chainsaw Man became a worldwide phenomenon, Tatsuki Fujimoto made his breakthrough with this eight-volume manga that is utterly messed up.

It’s a manga set in a post-apocalyptic world where a select group of individuals—the Blessed—possess exceptional abilities.

With taboo after taboo broken, the first chapter alone is shocking.

But after its anything-goes opening, the show takes a rather sophisticated approach to a number of serious subjects.

Making difficult decisions in a violent, miserable, and hopeful world that is fast deteriorating makes the characters seem more realistic.

It also manages to be hilarious, vicious, disgusting, and ultimately unmissable within all of this.

7. Lovesickness by Junji Ito

Junji Ito is regarded as the indisputable king of horror manga and handles some of the genre’s most influential masterpieces.

However, even though Ito is most renowned for his long-running series like Uzumaki, his shorter works are as influential.

Does anyone remember “The Enigma of Amigara Fault”? The short stories in Lovesickness follow two interconnected plotlines: one is about a town with a unique urban mythology, and the other is about an unusual family.

8. She and Her Cat by Makoto Shinkai and Tsubasa Yamaguchi

The films Your Name and Weathering With You, both of which have manga adaptations, are among Makoto Shinkai’s most well-known works.

The story of a young lady learning to live alone as an adult and the cat who likes her is told in this title, which is an adaptation of his debut film.

There are a ton of cat-related mangas. We might categorize it as a subgenre. Including a single-volume manga that fits this description is fantastic.

9. Clover by Clamp

Although CLAMP is perhaps more recognized for its other series, such as the magical girl fantasy Cardcaptor Sakura or the spooky story xxxHOLic, this experimental work continues to be my favorite.

The most impressive of these individuals, a girl called Su, dreams of independence in the future when youngsters with unique abilities are strictly controlled by the military.

Even though CLAMP is known for producing exquisite artwork, they surpass themselves with Clover’s art deco cyberpunk design and amazing panel layout.

10. Goth by Otsuichi and Kendi Oiwa

Another manga adaptation, this one of an Otsuichi mystery book.

Goth centers on a surprising friendship between two high school kids who share a passion for murder and macabre.

Fans of true crime should read this book because that is essentially what these two youngsters were interested in.

Mostly. If you enjoy this manga, I advise you to read the original novel since it addresses a large unresolved gap.

11. Lychee Light Club by Usamaru Furuya

This manga is among the more outrageous ones.

When a gang of cynical high school students create a secret society and construct a robot with the express intention of capturing gorgeous females, it’s not simply boys who will be boys.

It’s a scary book to read. But with its well-defined club members and their power struggles and in-fighting, it goes beyond shock value.

While some are simply riding along, others are undeniably nuts.

However, they are all involved in the unpleasant task of altering society to emphasize perfect beauty.

Don’t worry about spending too much time with these crazily unlikeable teens, just there’s one volume.

12. Sneeze by Naoki Urasawa

Let’s move on to another author of some contemporary masterpieces to continue short story collections.

The short tales in this book show many of the traits that fans adore in the seinen manga that Naoki Urasawa has created.

You can find a little of everything here since it is diverse and eclectic.

Check out this website for additional information about single-volume manga.