If you can’t get enough of manga and other graphic novels, you may be thrilled to hear that Google has unveiled a new dedicated comics section in the Play Store. The search engine giant has launched a curated comics corner, placed as a category at the top, allowing you to scroll through its collection of comics-related content.
The new comics space debuted on Wednesday — but there’s a catch. Only users in Japan have access to the new comics collection.
What does the new ‘comics’ section look like?
Despite being based in the U.S., I got the opportunity to scroll through the new comics section. There’s a « Manga for you » feature that populates personalized recommendations. Google said that this section will « learn » to adjust to your taste, depending on what you consume.
My favorite part, however, is the « Sample a Chapter » section, which gives you free previews of select comics. I was able to flip through some striking, beautiful manga, but unfortunately, I can’t read Japanese, so I couldn’t grasp the full depth of the content and themes.
It’s not just comics that are featured in the new hub. I also spotted a « Check trending anime » section with a carousel of YouTube videos playing clips from popular anime such as One Piece. If one piques your interest, Google Play will helpfully direct you to where you can watch episodes in full.
Tapping into some users’ itch to discover fresh content, there are also Google-curated sections to help users explore and find new webtoons (i.e., scrollable digital comics designed to be read on smartphones) and comic-based apps that may satisfy enthusiasts.
Will Google Play’s new ‘comics’ section become available in the U.S.?
Google partnered with several well-known Japan-based comic publishers to debut the new comics corner in the Play Store, but as mentioned, not everyone is invited to the party. Curious about Google’s expansion plans for the new section, we asked the big tech company whether it will roll out the new feature for U.S. users, too.
The short answer is maybe.
Google said it’s currently testing the comics space in Japan because the fanbase for comics — manga, specifically — is immensely passionate in that particular region of the world.
If all goes well with the Japanese market, there’s a chance that U.S. users will have the opportunity to enjoy the new comics section, too. But to be clear, the U.S. market isn’t on its radar just yet. Interestingly, one report claims that India, Thailand, and China are the top three countries with the greatest number of comic book readers, with Japan notably missing from the list.
While there are many comic book readers in the U.S., comic book sales plummeted in 2023. According to a 2021 report from Morning Consult Pro, 38% of U.S. adults read comic books. Per a 2019 survey from the Nippon Research Center (again, the most recent I could find), 33% of Japanese participants said they read manga or watch anime.
It’s difficult to compare these two figures because they come from different sources with varying data collection methods and may not use consistent definitions nor criteria. It also doesn’t help that the reports are outdated. However, based on the information we do have, even through sales are slowing down, there’s still a sizable chunk of Americans who love to read comic books.
Who knows? Perhaps the comic book market may see a jump if Google adds a comic book section to the Play Store, making graphics novels more accessible to Android users than ever.
