MangaPlus (by Shueisha)
MangaPlus by Shueisha is Shueisha‘s own direct-to-consumer global manga platform—and in case you're wondering: yes, it's different from Shonen Jump and the VIZ Manga subscriptions. Let me explain.
While VIZ Media (which is owned by Shueisha, Shogakukan, and others) publishes Shonen Jump content in certain regions like the US, MangaPlus is Shueisha's first attempt at globally distributing manga directly, cutting out the middleman. Launched in January 2019, MangaPlus is available worldwide except in Japan, China, and South Korea, and it was born to crush piracy by offering free, legal, simultaneous releases of Jump titles globally.
Think of it this way: VIZ's Shonen Jump app is for North America and select regions. MangaPlus? It's for basically everyone else on the planet—plus it includes some extra titles.
What's on MangaPlus?
MangaPlus features manga from Weekly Shonen Jump, Jump Square, Jump+, and other Shueisha publications. Some titles like Oshi no Ko appear on MangaPlus but not on VIZ's Shonen Jump app, which makes MangaPlus appealing even if you live in North America. The catalog includes juggernauts like One Piece, Chainsaw Man, My Hero Academia, Jujutsu Kaisen, Spy x Family, and Dandadan.
MangaPlus vs Shonen Jump App vs VIZ Manga App: What's the Difference?
Here's where it gets confusing, so let's break it down:
MangaPlus = Shueisha titles (Shonen Jump, Jump+, Jump Square – widest variety)
Shonen Jump App = Shueisha titles (but Weekly Shonen Jump only – battle shonen focused)
VIZ Manga = Shogakukan titles (horror, romance, shojo, seinen diversity)
Here's a table, so you know the difference between the three subscriptions:
App Comparison Table
| Feature | MangaPlus | Shonen Jump App | VIZ Manga App |
|---|---|---|---|
| Publisher | Shueisha (direct) | VIZ Media (Shueisha partner) | VIZ Media (Shogakukan partner) |
| Content | Shonen Jump, Jump+, Jump Square titles | Weekly Shonen Jump titles only | Shogakukan titles (horror, shojo, seinen) |
| Example Titles | One Piece, Chainsaw Man, Oshi no Ko, Spy x Family | One Piece, My Hero Academia, Jujutsu Kaisen | Frieren, Junji Ito, Komi Can't Communicate, Ranma ½ |
| Price | Free (limited) / $1.99 Standard / $4.99 Deluxe | $3.99/month | $1.99/month |
| Chapters Available | 6,000+ (Standard) / 16,000+ (Deluxe) | 20,000+ | 10,000+ |
| Offline Downloads | ❌ No | ✅ Yes (100 chapters) | ✅ Yes |
| Free Tier | ✅ First 3 + Last 3 chapters | ✅ First 3 + Last 3 chapters | ✅ First 3 + Last 3 chapters |
| Simulpubs | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Reading Style | Vertical scroll | Traditional page-turn | Traditional page-turn |
| Languages | 9 languages | English only | English only |
| Availability | Worldwide (except JP, CN, KR) | Select regions (US, CA, UK, etc.) | US, CA, UK, IE, AU, NZ |
| Catalog Overlap | Some unique Jump+ titles | Zero overlap with VIZ Manga | Zero overlap with MangaPlus/SJ |
NSFW Content & Censorship
MangaPlus sticks to mainstream, app-store-friendly content—meaning no adult or overtly sexual material. The platform focuses on Shonen Jump's core demographic (teen boys), so expect PG-13 levels of violence and fanservice at most. If you're hunting for spicy manga, ecchi, or mature seinen content, MangaPlus won't deliver. It's built for mass-market appeal, not niche tastes.
Why Visit MangaPlus?
Because it's free, legal, and global. If you live outside North America or want access to Shueisha titles VIZ doesn't license, MangaPlus is your best bet for where to read manga legally worldwide. A portion of the ad revenue goes directly to manga creators, so even free reading supports the artists.
Here's the catch with the free model: You can always read the first three and last three chapters of any series for free, and new chapters are released simultaneously with Japan. For ongoing series, once you read a middle chapter, you can't go back to it unless you subscribe. So if you're caught up with weekly releases, you're golden. If you're trying to binge-read from chapter 1? Not happening without paying.
In October 2023, MangaPlus launched MangaPlus MAX with two subscription tiers: Standard ($1.99/month) covers 80+ ongoing series with over 6,000 chapters, while Deluxe ($4.99/month) includes completed classics like Naruto, Dragon Ball, Bleach, and Demon Slayer for a total of 16,000+ chapters. Both plans are ad-free.
The app also supports nine languages: English, Spanish, Thai, Indonesian, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, French, German, and Vietnamese, making it way more globally accessible than VIZ's apps.
User Experience
MangaPlus uses vertical scrolling instead of the traditional right-to-left page-turning format, which some readers love and others hate. The app is clean, fast, and mobile-optimized, with sections for Updates, Browse, and Hottest titles. Both subscription tiers (Standard and Deluxe) are completely ad-free, though free users will see ads between chapters.
The biggest downside? No offline reading. If you lose internet connection, you're locked out. This is a dealbreaker for many users who prefer VIZ's apps precisely because they support downloads.
The subscription is mobile-only—you can read on the web for free, but to subscribe to MAX, you need to do it through the app. And here's a weird quirk: once an ongoing series ends, Standard subscribers lose access to the full series after a limited time, and only Deluxe subscribers can keep reading it. So if you're binge-reading a series that just concluded, you might suddenly hit a paywall.
Final Note
MangaPlus is a great app to get free, legal, global manga access—but it's best suited for readers who stay current with weekly releases rather than bingers. It's perfect if you live outside VIZ's coverage areas or want titles VIZ doesn't offer like Oshi no Ko or lesser-known Jump+ series.
But if you're in North America and want offline reading, better value for completed series, or a full back-catalog experience, the Shonen Jump app is the superior choice at $3.99/month.
And if you want anything beyond battle shonen—horror, romance, shojo—you need the VIZ Manga app since there's zero overlap with MangaPlus.
Think of it this way: MangaPlus is the people's champion for global simulpubs, Shonen Jump is the premium back-catalog vault, and VIZ Manga is the diverse genre library. Pick based on where you live and what you want to read—just don't expect spicy content from any of these subscriptions.
