Belgium is the land of comics, and while readers are still fond of paper comics, they are increasingly turning to Japan for satisfaction. More manga than "classic" comics are sold in French-speaking Belgium, and sales of new manga are set to rise by 130% between 2019 and 2023, reaching a record high.

Why is manga so successful in Belgium and France?

After a few attempts in 1969 in the magazine JUDO KDK and in 1978 in the magazine Le Cri qui tue (Golgo 13), manga really arrived in France in 1990 with Akira, followed by Dragonball. It was aimed at a teenage audience looking for something new, with parents keen to broaden their offspring's cultural horizons. And so began the success story of French manga.