A new Briarwood bookstore is geared toward those who have such titles as Solo Leveling, Chainsaw Man, Oshi no Ko, and One Piece on their reading or holiday shopping lists.
Manga Spot specializes in the Japanese comic books and their Korean counterpart, manhwa. Many of these illustrated series are also adapted as light novels, all available in English. Paperbacks start at $11.99, while boxed sets can approach $200.
Japanese parent company Kadokawa World Entertainment chose Ann Arbor for their fourth U.S. retail outlet, following New York, Baltimore, and Chicago. Asked why, assistant manager George Starr says, “Manga is really popular amongst the younger populace.”
But it’s not just kid stuff, employee Chris Miller emphasizes: manga has long had an American presence and a synergy with anime, the related animated film and TV art form.
They also carry their share of “your Dragon Ball, your Sailor Moon, stuff like that popular in the late eighties going into the nineties,” Miller says. “There are people who are older than us that are still loving those.”
Manga Spot, Briarwood Mall (Von Maur wing). (734) 590–8267. Mon.–Sat. 10 a.m.–9 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.– 6 p.m. instagram.com/mangaspotannarbor
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