Top 5 Languages for Manga Localization in 2025

Key Takeaways:

• The top manga localization 2025 languages are English, French, German, Portuguese, and Korean.
• Manga translation is part of localization, the process of adapting content for a specific audience.
• A professional manga translator is crucial in the localization process as they ensure cultural and linguistic accuracy.
• CCCI offers Japanese to French Manga translation and localization, among other language pairs.

Table of Contents:

• Manga Localization Worldwide
• Manga Localization 2025 Top Languages
• The Importance of Professional Manga Translation and Localization

The global manga market continues to boom, estimated at $15.6 billion in 2024 and with experts expecting it to grow at a CAGR of 18.7% from 2025 to 2030. What do these numbers tell us? Manga has and is unstoppably reaching readers in every corner of the world! At the center of this wave is one service: manga localization 2025.

Manga localization is the process of adapting manga for readers outside of its country of origin, Japan. It involves translating texts and adjusting cultural references, sound effects, and sometimes even artwork. Without high-quality localization, the best-selling manga titles might never have become the icons they are today.

Think about One Piece, Detective Conan, Dragon Ball, Doraemon, and Naruto. These beloved series captured hearts in Japan and then conquered the world with the help of every skillful manga translator who has ever worked on localizing them. Now, the said titles, along with Slam Dunk, Demon Slayer, Attack on Titan, and many others, are global franchises with millions of loyal fans!

Manga localization serves several purposes, including the following:

• Breaking Language Barriers: The service allows stories to entertain readers who do not speak Japanese.
• Preserving Story Integrity: Localization adapts content in a way that maintains the original tone, humor, and emotion.
• Cultural Bridging: It helps unfamiliar references and jokes make sense without losing the magic of the original.
• Expanding Global Reach: Localization enables publishers and creators to access new markets and build global fanbases.
• Fueling Industry Growth: As manga becomes more accessible, sales rise, driving the entire industry forward.

With the appetite for manga increasing faster than ever, publishers and creators might wonder, which languages are leading the way in 2025?

At CCCI, one of the leading manga localization companies in Europe, Asia, and the US, we keep a close eye on where manga is making the biggest waves. After analyzing the latest data and industry trends, we have identified five countries: the United States, France, Germany, Brazil, and South Korea. Consequently, it is also in these places where there is a demand for top-tier manga localization services.

It is no surprise that English takes the top spot on this list. With around 1.35 billion English speakers across the globe, manga localized into English finds one of the largest potential audiences! The United States stands out as a top manga consumer, powering incredible sales and international buzz. The hottest manga titles lighting up the US scene right now include Chainsaw Man, Spy x Family, Solo Leveling, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Dandadan.

Moving on to Europe, France reigns as the biggest manga market. In 2024, it generated $46.5 million! By 2030, we can look forward to it soaring to $132.3 million, nearly a threefold increase. If that is not a clear sign that Japanese to French manga translation and localization are important, we do not know what is.

France’s connection to manga runs deep. Titles like The Rose of Versailles are set in France, while iconic French characters like Oscar François de Jarjayes in the said series, Tamaki Suoh from Ouran High School Host Club, and Jean Pierre Polnareff in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure have left a lasting mark on manga culture. No wonder French readers are eager to read manga in their own language!

Germany’s manga market is also experiencing rapid and exciting growth. In 2024, manga sales hit $77.1 million, and by 2030, it should climb all the way to $251.1 million! We can trace the strong demand for manga translation services to both current and classic influences.

For example, Spy x Family draws inspiration from a fictionalized version of East Germany, even using the name “Ost Weiss” as a nod to historical elements. Beyond that, characters like Eren Jaeger from Attack on Titan, Asuka Langley Soryu of Neon Genesis Evangelion, and Johan Liebert in Monster, all of German descent or heavily influenced by German culture, continue to intensify the country’s love for manga storytelling.

In Brazil, manga readership is not just multiplying. It is thriving. The deep-rooted relationship between Japan and Brazil sparked one of the most vibrant anime and manga fandoms anywhere.

Note: Brazil has one of the oldest and richest connections to Japanese culture outside Japan. In fact, Brazil is home to the second-largest Japanese population in the world!

Manga’s journey in Brazil began in the 1960s, with pioneering Japanese-Brazilian artists experimenting with the medium. Minami Keizi’s Tupãzinho, o Guri Atômico in 1964 was Brazil’s first manga-inspired comic, heavily influenced by Osamu Tezuka’s Astro Boy.

In the following decades, artists like Ypê Nakashima (Piconzé) and organizations like ABRADEMI helped launch anime and manga into Brazilian mainstream culture. By the 1990s, titles like Saint Seiya (Knights of the Zodiac) and Dragon Ball became cultural icons.

Publishers such as Globo and Cedibra pushed the craze forward by translating classic manga like Akira into Portuguese. Fast forward to 2012, and platforms like Crunchyroll made anime and manga even more accessible, bringing Portuguese-subtitled content straight to Brazilian fans.

Today, Brazil’s manga and anime community is one of the most massive and passionate.

Finally, South Korea deserves a spotlight. Even though the country has its own manhwa industry, Japanese manga remains incredibly popular among local readers.

To quickly break it down, manhwa refers to Korean comics, which are colored and usually read vertically on digital platforms. Compared to traditional Japanese manga’s black-and-white, right-to-left style, manhwa has a distinct style and format. Despite these differences, the devotion to storytelling through comics links both forms.

The numbers prove it: in 2024, South Korea’s manga market generated $1.65 billion and is projected to skyrocket to $5.21 billion by 2030. What a dynamic comic-reading audience!

Pro Tip: Read comics on official platforms for the best viewing experience and to support the creators. You can also rest assured that these platforms have proper licensing agreements and correct translation and localization practices.

Whether you are a major manga publisher or an independent manga creator, knowing the top languages for manga localization in 2025 is an insight for success. However, in a medium where every word, visual nuance, and cultural detail matters, professional services are absolutely vital.

Professional localization ensures that jokes land, character voices stay true, and story arcs remain as impactful as the original, especially when what makes sense in Japan might need careful adaptation to truly resonate with international readers. Moreover, poor translation leads to misunderstandings, flat dialogue, or even alienating fans. Skilled translators guarantee language fluency and genre expertise.

Professional teams manage glossaries, style guides, and character sheets to maintain consistency in tone, terminology, and naming conventions across series and franchises. And with the competition heating up, getting manga localized and published quickly can be the difference between being a leader and falling behind.

At CCCI, we are proud to be an international language agency trusted by many publishers and creators. Our team is ready to deliver professional manga and comic services in over 30 languages! Let us take your projects to the next level, AKA to the world! Contact us today.