Pokémon Adventures

• Publisher: Viz
• Age: All Ages
• Publication Date: Variable

The Pokémon franchise has a few manga series, the most recent being Pokémon Adventures Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire (2023-present). On the whole the Pokémon manga are kid friendly and popular because of the trading card game, television show, and various video game releases.  All Pokémon manga are published under the “Adventures” subline, but restart volume counts with every new story arc.

Once a story arc is complete, all the volumes of that arc are compiled into a box set. If you are thinking of purchasing some Pokémon volumes, the box sets might be the best bang for your buck and the easiest to collect, since Pokémon Adventures has been in publication since 2000 (with reissues in between).

Chi’s Sweet Home

• Author: Konami Konata
• Publisher: Vertical Comics
• Age: All Ages
• Publication Date: 2015-present

Chi’s Sweet Home is a manga about a young kitten who gets separated from her mom and finds herself adopted into the Yamada family. Chi’s Sweet Home is complete and compiled into four large full-color omnibus editions which are often on sale. More recently there’s been a few continuations/spin offs of Chi’s Sweet Home called Chi’s Sweet Adventures and FukuFuku Kitten Tales.

Animal Crossing New Horizons: Deserted Island Diary

• Author: Kokonasu Rumba
• Publisher: Viz Media
• Age: All Ages
• Publication Date: 2020-present

Though Animal Crossing New Horizons for the Nintendo Switch became a sensation during the COVID 19 pandemic, with everyone from celebrities to your grandma lovingly (or chaotically) tending to their islands, fewer people know that an official manga was released alongside the game called Animal Crossing New Horizons: Deserted Island Diary. This series currently has seven volumes translated into English with two more confirmed.

Kirby Manga Mania

• Author: Hirokazu Hikawa
• Publisher: Viz Media
• Age: All Ages
• Publication Date: 2021-present

Kirby Manga Mania follows the popular Nintendo icon Kirby and the series currently has seven volumes published in the US. These volumes are actually reissues/compilations of classic comics from the Kirby series. Kirby’s Return to Dreamland (2023) for the Switch has provided this series with a boost in popularity, but on its own Kirby Manga Mania is a great starter manga for kids with a relatively small footprint on your library shelves since the volumes are fairly small.

Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir

• Author: Koma Warita and Riku Tsuchida
• Publisher: Kodansha
• Age: 10+
• Publication Date: 2023-present

Based on the incredibly popular Netflix and Disney+ animated series of the same name Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir currently has three published volumes. This series follows Marinette a high schooler who can transform into the Masked Ladybug. Along with her partner, Cat Noir, they fight crime and protect the City of Lights. Volume four of this manga series hasn’t been confirmed yet, but season 6 of the animated show has been rumored for release in 2025.

Little Witch Academia

• Author: Yoh Yoshinari and Keisuke Sato
• Publisher: Yen Press
• Age: 10+
• Publication Date: 2013-2019

Of any manga on this list, Little Witch Academia might be a bit hard to find. Based off an animated movie and Netflix show, Little Witch Academia has three volumes. The story follows Atsuko (Akko) who gets accepted to an esteemed magical school despite having no magic at all. While the animaed series is more fleshed out, the manga volumes are heartwarming and fun.

The Fox and the Little Tanuki

• Author: Mi Tagawa
• Publisher: Tokyopop
• Age: All Ages
• Publication Date: 2020-2024

The Fox and the Little Tanuki is a series that follows the fox spirit Senzou who angered the Gods 300 years ago and the little tanuki Manpachi who wants to become an assistant to the gods. Together they roam the country side. Finished at seven volumes The Fox and the Little Tanuki is an interest spin on Japanese folklore that’s pretty easily accessible to younger audiences. 

Kilala Princess: The Collection

• Author: Rika Tanaka
• Publisher: Disney/Tokyopop
• Age: All Ages
• Publication Date: 2024-present

Kilala Princess: The Collection is a compilation of volumes one and two of the Kilala Princess manga. The story follows Kilala who finds a prince sleeping in the woods. Her kiss magically awakens him and they go on an adventure to search for the princess destined to save his kingdom. Kilala Princess currently has a single volume available and is among the Disney/Tokypop collaborative manga titles.

Stitch!: The Manga Collection

• Author: Yumi Tsukurino
• Publisher: Disney/Tokyopop
• Age: All Ages
• Publication Date: 2024

Stitch!: The Manga Collection is a compilation of volumes one and two of the Stitch! manga series. This series is one of the Disney/Tokypop collaborative manga titles and follows Stitch from Disney’s Lilo and Stitch as he goes to Japan, meets a young girl named Yuna, and goes on adventures.

Studio Ghibli Film Comics

• Author: Hayao Miyazaki
• Publisher: Viz Media
• Age: All Ages
• Publication Date: variable

For the past few years, Disney and Studio Ghibli have been publishing short, serialized animangas of the various Studio Ghibli movies. So far there are animangas for My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, Kiki’s Delivery Service, and Howl’s Moving Castle. More recently Viz published an All-in-One edition of the My Neighbor Totoro animangas. This edition includes all volumes of the animanga published. Studio Ghibli titles are still incredibly popular and these animangas are pretty well done. While there are plans for release of animanga of the more mature Studio Ghibli titles like Princess Mononoke, so far all released titles are suitable for children.