There is no telling when our favorite websites will close down. On the internet, almost everything and nothing is certain. The shutdown of KissManga and KissAnime prove that, and nobody knows if they can ever come back.
This left millions of otakus as “refugees,” looking for new alternatives to these fan-favorite sites. No need to look further, since we have scoured the internet for you and came up with this rundown of the 14 best KissManga alternatives. Some of these are perfect substitutes, and some are even better ones.
If you were a fan of both anime and manga, you can also learn more of the best KissAnime alternatives for watching your favorite anime.
What Is KissManga?
Overview
KissManga was KissAnime’s sister site, providing the best collection of manga to its audience. Its database contained fan-favorite mangas both old and new. Because of this, KissManga was one of the world’s most popular sources of manga.
The establishment of KissManga made it easier for otakus worldwide to get their fix of the latest manga releases. While reading, they can choose between the site’s light and dark modes, as well as read on their cellphones. With categories for all ages and a simple interface, KissManga catered to everyone.
The biggest benefit of KissManga was its connection to KissAnime, making it easy for visitors to hop from reading to watching in a heartbeat. Of course, there was still malware to navigate, because that was a small price to pay for free and high-quality content. Readers have the option to check out some free malware removal tools, which you can also do.
KissManga also gave the chance to save and share the manga you read with your friends, also in a heartbeat. You could also do this on most platforms, including Facebook and email.
Available Categories
Categories on KissManga varied. Most of its readers enjoyed Shounen and Shoujo manga, but there was also a place for Josei and Seinen readers. If you do not know what these are, the latter pair is for people 12-18 years old and the former is for people 18-40 years old.
For young readers, KissManga also had Kodomomuke or Kodomo. These selections are for children under 10 years old. However, anyone who knows Japanese culture knows that not everything can be in a genre. There are also manga selections on the site that are considered “alternative” forms of reading.
People who do not care for genres could find the latest and most popular manga on the front page. These can be Horror, Sci-fi, Fantasy, or a mix of all them and more. KissManga provided so much content for otakus, wherever and whatever age they were. This is why the shutdown made it clear that people needed KissManga alternatives.
KissManga Shutdown
Before the Shutdown
KissManga and KissAnime have had issues with staying on the internet for a while. There had been times where they had been temporarily down, coming back with a slightly new domain or like nothing happened at all. These sites have had a turbulent relationship with the law, but people assumed they would be able to bounce back.
This year, they revealed that they would be shutting down forever because of copyright claims. People mourned their losses while admitting that they would not be missing the sites’ pop-up ads and hidden viruses.
Why did it shut down?
The Shutdown
Reports of KissManga stealing content was not new either. The site’s collection of manga never had a legal claim to them, yet they kept making money off of it. With millions of users, KissManga became a source of a lot of pirated content. While it helped people access the art they liked, there was no denying that sites like KissManga and KissAnime were dangerous for Japanese culture at large.
Not a lot was revealed about their shut down, but people believe that Japan once and for all established a law that brought their demise. Copyright claims plagued these websites, enough to shut them down.
Still, this left people wondering where else they can access up-to-date manga and anime.
If there are the best alternatives to KissAnime, there are also the 14 best KissManga alternatives for avid manga readers below.
14 Best KissManga Alternatives to Read Manga for Free
MANGA Plus by Shueisha
First on the list of KissManga alternatives is Manga Plus and Manga Plus by Shueisha. These are partner sites responsible for the mass distribution of manga outside of Japan. They bring otakus both physical and digital copies of their favorite stories, and they have a large collection to sustain it.
People love using Manga Plus because it provides alternatives within the website. Some chapters are available in English and Spanish (for Manga Plus by Shueisha). Moreover, their collection grows every week, in real-time with the Japanese releases.
Manga Plus eliminates grueling waiting times for manga fans. This is not just any collection, too, it gives people access to popular manga like One Piece, My Hero Academia, and Death Note. Each release will also have a release schedule on the title page. That way, you know when to expect the next part of the story.
Bookwalker and Comic Walker
The next two KissManga alternatives are Bookwalker and Comic Walker. These are good platforms for buying and reading manga. They are also up-to-date, and most if not all the manga on these sites are free.
Expect them to release the most popular manga today. Most of these are even available in Japanese and English, which is enough diversity to cater to a global audience.
Moreover, they have Light Walker and comics available for people who appreciate all kinds of graphic novels. These are hubs for fans of manga and similar platforms, making it an easy go-to for KissManga alternatives lists.
Manganelo
Manganelo is a “for the people, by the people” hub for manga. While it is one of the best KissManga alternatives for getting the latest manga, it is also a social networking site for fans.
What will fans have to socially network for?
For starters, Mangadelo is also a space for budding manga writers. People can share manga they discover, write, or are generally fans of. By doing this, the community can help each other be better artists or expand each other’s interests.
To upload your own manga on Manganelo, you will need to create an account. However, if you only want to enjoy the content, you are free to read whatever you like. Like other KissManga alternatives, Mangadelo releases up-to-date manga.
Best yet: you can also access HD anime on Manganelo. The site lays out the content you want in real-time, making it one of the best KissManga alternatives for you.
Mangaupdates
When you use Mangaupdates, you join a community, and that is perhaps its biggest difference from KissManga.
The site is comprehensive and fits the needs of manga fans, run by passionate otakus. There you can find discussion forums, polls, and the latest manga news. Some even share their own mangas, and the community helps them improve their work.
As for the manga itself, Mangaupdates’ collection is extensive and updated enough for a diverse set of fans. There are dozens of categories to choose from, as well as an advanced search box for meticulous searches.
It must be noted, though, that to begin your Mangaupdates journey, you are required to sign up. This may not be the best option for people who keep to themselves, but there are other KissManga alternatives on the list.
MangaDex
With millions of visitors every year, MangaDex.org is one of your best chances at filling the KissManga-gap-shaped hole in your heart. It joins this list of KissManga alternatives because of its inclusive and extensive collection of manga.
Most of the manga you read at MangaDex have English, Japanese, Chinese, and Spanish translations. The community builds this collection from the bottom up, and you can read these without limits. MangaDex is a giving site, and its community prides itself on fan-made content in over 30 categories of manga.
The site also hosts forums for its users. Topics on this platform can range from manga and anime to gaming, and even fan contests. There’s no forcing you to socialize with other users, though. If that is not piquing your interest, then you might want to hear about the ads on MangaDex.
The hook, line, and sinker for this platform are that it has no ads. Donors and fans fund MangaDex, so it is a gift from the community to the community. This is a significant improvement from KissManga, where ads would be raunchy, abrasive, and contain malware.
Manga Fox
Another satisfactory alternative to KissManga is Manga Fox. While it does not have the community features of MangaDex or Mangaupdates, it does boast a large collection of manga.
Available genres on Mangafox include romance, drama, school life, fantasy, action, the supernatural, and more. If you choose your manga based on demographics (most people do), they have the shoujo, shounen, and seinen categories too.
You can also sort your manga by new releases or the most views. You just have to be careful with the ads around the site. Other than that, Manga Fox is one of the best KissManga alternatives based on collection alone.
Manga Panda
Hosting over a thousand mangas, Manga Panda joins the list of KissManga alternatives that has impressive sorting methods. It has over 39 genres to choose from, including rare ones like gender bender, historical, and one-shots.
When you browse the site for manga, you can filter your searches by manga type, manga status, and sorting order (alphabetical or by popularity). Before you start to wonder, yes, Manga Panda has up-to-date mangas from global fan favorites. Naruto, One Piece, and Boku no Hero Academia are some of these examples.
The manga you will find here is translated into English. You will always find something to read on Manga Panda.
Merakiscans
Merakiscans has basic online manga offerings that make it one of the good KissManga alternatives you can find. It is a platform for manga readers to enjoy their content and connect with people who feel the same. With a discord link plastered on the front page, it will be hard to miss how you can talk to other otakus.
If you do not want to talk to others, that is fine too. The site can recommend manga to you based on your reading history and preferences.
Admittedly, compared to the other sites on this list, Merakiscans is still building its collection of manga. The platform debuted only three years ago, but the work they have done on the site has been nothing short of helpful to manga readers.
It updates its manga collection on a regular and provides translations in Chinese, Korean, and English. Millions of users enjoy their releases worldwide since there is no limit to reading them.
Mangakakalot
Mangakakalot is one of the world’s largest databases for free manga. It delivers both old and new manga, making it suitable for people of all ages to visit. Otakus will also enjoy the up-to-date chapters of manga’s most popular titles.
On the front page, you are greeted by the latest manga releases, making it quick for you to follow them according to Japanese time.
Like the other choices on this list, Mangakakalot also has a diverse number of sections. You can filter your choices by completion, most popular, or release date. As for genres, Mangakakalot has over 70 manga categories to choose from.
This platform also has a budding online community that will welcome any new fan or manga creator. All in all, this site provides KissManga’s basics while sporting a more modern interface and community.
MyAnimeList
Different from all the other KissManga alternatives on this list, MyAnimeList.net is especially for people interested in otaku-based social networking. As you go through your read and watch lists, you have a Community tab you can discuss your thoughts with.
The MyAnimeList.net also has a list-like system that helps sort over 700,000+ manga and 4.4 million anime. By doing this, it is easier for people with similar interests to find each other. Moreover, it creates micro-communities in this large, otaku community. Beyond social networking, MyAnimeList.net has an expansive collection of anime and manga. It is also equipped with the latest news and updates. This includes details about the anime and manga industry itself, celebrating the artists that deliver your favorite content.
As with other manga and social media hybrids, you do not need to sign up to enjoy manga and anime. Still, it might be fun to join in on the discussion, the community is friendly and large enough for anyone to find their spot.
They have a 2020 Manga Reading Challenge this year, for example. In this, people who join will have to read a lot of manga with varying difficulty levels throughout the year. Some have gone as far as reading over 300 manga titles.
Manga Freak
Manga Freak does not complicate manga reading. It leaves its readers to themselves, free to go through any manga without the disturbance of a community. If you are a person that prefers to celebrate manga on your own, then Manga Freak is one of the best KissManga alternatives for you.
The site is straight to the point: you can search manga you want to read, and their large collection is also alphabetized. It also keeps tabs on your reading history, as not to forget the stories you are done reading.
The best feature of this site is its randomizer button. With large collections such as these, randomizer buttons help you discover new manga somewhat naturally. This is great for people looking for new manga to read, feeling like they have read it all.
Webtoon
One of the most popular KissManga alternatives on the internet in the last year is Webtoon. If you do not know what Webtoon is, it is basically a platform for reading, finding, and writing manga—anywhere and everywhere, since it has Android and iOS apps.
Creating manga is a challenge for many fans, but with Webtoon, people have dozens of templates to choose from. While this is a site for accessing great manga, there is no denying that this is also best for fan fiction. With unlimited creation access, a lot of fandoms find themselves creating their own manga on Webtoon.
Spanning across 70 genres, you will find about three million manga titles to choose from. You will not get bored going through the Webtoon collection. If anything, it might spark your interest in creating manga yourself.
MangaPark
The very last offering in this KissManga alternatives list is MangaPark. With over 34,000 likes on Facebook, you know that this is a legitimate source for your favorite manga.
MangaPark has almost every possible manga you can think of since its collection contains millions of manga titles. You can also share the manga you create on MangaPark, and you can be sure their active community will help you with your craft. For its sorting method, you can filter your searches by author, genre, and latest releases. The home page of MangaPark also features the most popular manga titles read by fans.
All in all, MangaPark is an easy-to-use platform for manga reading. It is also a huge bonus that it does not have abrasive advertising plastered all over the site.
Final Word
While the internet mourns the loss of websites like KissManga and KissAnime, it is important to note that there are always new alternatives to access. Some of these platforms even have “Refugees Welcome” on their homepage, alluding to the shutdown of the two websites.
These platforms have space for anyone’s interests. They adjust to your reading style, preferences, and socialization needs. It is just a matter of choosing what manga you want to read for the day.
