The year 2022 marked a turning point as manga titles and sales surged across Spain, aligning with trends seen in Japan, the United States, and France. A new generation has grown captivated by anime and Asian culture, and the term otaku now broadly describes manga fans who are increasingly dedicated. A wave of readers who discovered Japanese comics during the pandemic-driven streaming boom is fueling this trend.
This renewed fever attracted new publishers and sparked a wave of innovations, with 30 percent more titles released than in 2021. The Association of Comic Book Critics and Publishers reports that the year is likely to close with more than 1,300 new manga titles, representing a third more than the previous year.
The numbers illustrate publishers racing to satisfy growing reader demand, promoting titles alongside enduring favorites. Haikyô!!, Haruichi Furudate, My Hero Academia created by Kôhei Horikoshi, and Tokyo Revengers by Ken Wakui regularly top lists. Fnac Spain notes that the catalog is diverse, spanning many subgenres of the medium that can be enjoyed by varied audiences within manga. The era of translations limited to a few renowned titles has given way to attention for even smaller works, according to Sara Vega, head of marketing and communications at Fnac Spain.
For Vega, manga is an expanding phenomenon in recent years. She highlights a notable rise in children’s manga sales, which grew 227 percent in 2022 versus 2021. This trend shows parents recognizing and sharing these titles with their kids, mirroring how earlier generations enjoyed American comics or European titles. There is also a push to mainstream Asian genres beyond their current popularity within manga itself.
Fathers and sons
Sales data from Fnac partners in Spain show that the 20–35 age group accounts for 38 percent of manga purchases, while the 35–50 segment represents 40 percent. This suggests that young parents are buying manga for themselves and their children, a pattern likely to sustain growth in the years ahead.
Women already make up nearly half of buyers. The franchise manager notes that women purchasing manga at Fnac hubs rose from 9 percentage points between 2019 and 2021, reaching 44 percent in 2021, with major launches signaling continued growth in 2022.
La Linares resident Lucia Louzao recalls discovering manga at a young age: a three-year-old first encountered the medium, and her first actual manga arrived when she was twelve. Her favorites now include Nana and Shadow House. She likes owning books, frequently shopping both online and at secondhand stores, and browsing bookstores for the latest releases.
Louzao also enjoys the manga aesthetic and watches anime, though cosplay remains out of reach due to cost. She often buys a T-shirt, figurine, or keychain rather than full costumes.
In addition to reading manga, she enjoys watching anime through streaming platforms and loves the worlds, characters, and stories they bring to life.
Previously frowned upon
Although manga is now widely popular, it was once a fringe hobby. Louzao recalls times when obtaining manga was difficult and opinions could be hostile. She remembers downloading poorly translated PDFs to read on a computer. For Sara Vega, the first manga boom in Spain during the 1990s and today’s two related phenomena show a cultural shift. The generations who benefited from early pioneer titles are now adults who understand manga’s terminology and storytelling, fueling today’s boom.
Roberto Martínez of Banda Deseñada notes that the current surge leans toward youth and teenage audiences, with younger readers entering the world of manga while adults continue to follow. He observes a broad array of publications and emphasizes the strong presence of new readers and the ongoing demand for diverse themes.
Anger
The excitement is evident as schools, reading clubs, and libraries request manga materials, often with teachers helping to steer the interest and keep popular titles in circulation.
Many readers discover manga through anime series, then learn it originated as a manga and begin reading from the beginning in print or at libraries and study centers. The medium covers a wide array of topics—action, sports, romance—without a single defining reader profile. Yet more and more young people are embracing it, with tags like Guardians of the Night, Haikyû!!, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Hanako-kun: The Ghost of the Sink frequently cited by fans and retailers as current favorites.
David Matilde of Mazinger notes that manga is gradually carving out more space, expanding beyond a single audience to include themes that appeal to girls, teens, and even broader gender perspectives. The role of regional television series such as Dragon Ball has helped the wave rise, as fans connect the anime to its manga roots.
Relatively recent is the otaku phenomenon, which represents a deeper engagement with Japanese culture through manga and related media.
A whole world of articles
This phenomenon travels with a broader commercial ecosystem. Manga has become central to diverse interests, including cosplay, fashion, food, and a growing cultural curiosity about Japan. In stores, manga can account for a large share of comic book sales, and series like Guardians of the Night target younger male readers while other categories appeal to a broader audience.
The Internet has expanded this movement, creating vibrant communities of fans who share experiences, tastes, and events such as expotakurecently hosted in A Coruña. When a manga event takes place, cosplayers gather, meet, and form communities. Such gatherings demonstrate the social fabric that underpins this cultural shift.