Manga is printed — comics and graphic novels, usually black and white, read right to left. Anime is animation — film and television. Many anime series are adaptations of manga, which is why the two are so often paired, but one is a reading medium and the other a watching one.
The core difference
- manga — comics in the Japanese tradition: printed or digital pages, usually monochrome, typically read right to left and back to front by Western convention.
- anime — animated film and television in the Japanese tradition.
The relationship between them is that of book and screen adaptation. A long-running manga is often adapted into an anime series, and the manga usually runs ahead of it.
What the words mean in Japanese
Inside Japan the terms are broader than the English borrowings. Manga means comics in general, whatever the country of origin, and anime — a shortening of the English word animation — means any animation, including foreign cartoons. English narrowed both to mean specifically Japanese works, which is why a Japanese speaker might call a Disney film anime and an English speaker would not.
Reading direction
Manga published in the original orientation reads right to left, so the "back" of the book is the front, and panels within a page run right to left as well. Early English translations flipped the artwork to read left to right; most publishers now keep the original direction and print a note on what would otherwise be the last page.
Related terms worth knowing
- mangaka — a manga artist and author
- light novel — illustrated prose novels, a separate medium that is also frequently adapted
- OVA — original video animation, released directly to home video rather than broadcast
- manhwa and manhua — the Korean and Chinese comic traditions, distinct from manga
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between manga and anime?
Manga is printed comics; anime is animation. Many anime are adaptations of manga, but one is read and the other watched.
Does manga read right to left?
Yes, in the original Japanese orientation, which most English publishers now keep. Panels and pages both run right to left.
Do the words mean the same thing in Japan?
They are broader there. Manga means comics of any origin and anime means any animation, including foreign cartoons. English narrowed both to Japanese works.