From Newsarama, Mangamo, a digital subscription-based manga reader for iOS devices, is making its debut today, offering a 2-month free trial with its growing library of manga volumes including “Attack on Titan,” “Somali & the Forest Spirit,” “Fire Force,” and “Arte.” Newly translated works like “Dropkick my Devil,” “Akatsuki Babies,” “Reset Game,” and “Daily Meteor Strike” also made their English language debuts on the app, with more titles expected to come in the months ahead. All manga are officially licensed and professionally translated, with the ability to read the stories from right-to-left or vertically. After the first two months, subscriptions will cost $4.99 a month.
Mangamo was created by executives from Hulu, Crunchyroll, Netflix, Viz, and others. According to the press release, “Mangamo uses a simple, customer-preferred monthly subscription model with unlimited access, zero ads and no additional purchases, while other services offer advertising-based or costly F2P (free to premium) or pay-per-book purchase models.”
The creation of the digital service and the low price point for consumers is partly a reaction to the prominence of piracy in manga. “I grew up reading manga and watching anime as a child in Japan, and I’m inspired by the global rise of this treasured Japanese form of entertainment,” said Buddy Marini, founder and CEO of Mangamo. “Mangamo offers something I’ve always wanted as a fan: an easy and affordable way to read a ton of new manga while giving back to the publishers and creators so they can continue to make the manga I love.”
While Mangamo is currently only available on Apple’s App Store, the service joins other digital manga readers such as comiXology, Shonen Jump, and Crunchyroll. You can read more about the app at the official FAQ.
