Kara Dennison
February 1, 2024 
The sheer amount of manga we have at our fingertips these days is stunning. Whether you prefer a physical book, an ebook, or a handy app, you can read volumes upon volumes of both the newest releases and revered classics. And while that’s a great opportunity, sometimes there’s simply no time. Fortunately, there are plenty of short manga you can dig into and finish in one sitting. And they’re available right away!
Try out this trio of bite-sized manga selections, ranging from one-shots to single volumes. What are some of your other short-form favorites?
BURN THE WITCH
Bleach fans may already know this magical short manga. The limited series from Tite Kubo takes place in the same universe as its better-known big brother, albeit in England and with a more wizardly flair. Prepare to meet Soul Society’s Western branch, located in Reverse London and with lots more dragons.
This short subject clocks in at a single one-shot and one four-volume chapter, all of which you can read online. And if you enjoy it, follow Noelle and Ninny into the world of anime! There’s a BURN THE WITCH anime adaptation already out there, consisting of three episodes and a newly-released TV anime film.
Gaba Kawa
Need something a little more shoujo? Short manga Gaba Kawa may be a good fit. This five-chapter buried treasure hails from Rie Takada, the author of Happy Hustle High. Our heroine Rara is a little devil… literally. As a demon newly entering high school, her job is to tempt humans to evil. But instead, she ends up falling in love with a boy named Retsu. Worse still, using her powers to do good acts will lead to the immediate loss of said power.
With a limited amount of time to do her job, Rara finds herself doing much more good than evil. If she keeps it up, she’ll disappear. What happens next? The whole story wraps in a single volume… and while the ending happens a bit all at once, it’s still a fun little afternoon read.
Monsters
One Piece fans know Eiichiro Oda has been at this whole “making manga” thing for a while. And many have probably been anticipating the recent Monsters, adapted from Oda’s 1994 one-shot of the same name. The series takes place in the universe of the popular piratical series, giving more background to the legendary samurai Shimotsuki Ryuma. Well, great news — not only can you watch the anime adaptation on Netflix, you can also read the short manga one-shot!
Even if you haven’t waded into the vast ocean that is One Piece, this standalone manga… well, stands alone nicely. It’s a self-contained story of swordplay, deception, and dragons. Even if you know nothing about Luffy and his crew, you can immerse yourself in this and have a great time.
Need more short manga to read? Check out the Mashle sequel one-shot!
