The first manga series published in Finland were Barefoot Gen (1973–1987) in 1985 and Akira (1982–1990) in 1996. These publications remained the only manga series available in Finland for a long time. Before the 2000s, manga fans could read manga by purchasing imported comics translated into languages, such as English, from specialty stores, online stores, or by borrowing from other manga enthusiasts. Fans also made translations of manga series, leading to the formation of the first fan associations and clubs.
Manga began gaining popularity in Finland in the spring of 2003 when Kolibri (later Tammi, Sangatsu Manga) published the first four volumes of Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball. The series was made available in grocery stores and kiosks, not just bookstores as Hiroshima Boy and Akira had been. Dragon Ball caused controversy upon its release, and a 12-year age rating was set for it. However, age ratings for manga are merely recommendations, and stores or libraries do not need to enforce them. In 2003, the manga series Ranma ½ also debuted in Finland when Egmont began publishing it. In 2004, the publisher Tammi established Sangatsu Manga, Finland’s first publishing line exclusively dedicated to manga. Manga reading in Finland increased rapidly in the following years, and new series were continually published. In 2005, the magazine Anime began its operations as Finland’s first magazine focusing on anime and manga. Manga also began to appear more prominently on library shelves.
The height of popularity for manga in Finland occurred during the years 2007–2008 when several well-known manga series were published, such as Naruto, Death Note, Oh! My Goddess, and Nana. In addition to Sangatsu Manga and Egmont Kustannus, other publishers entered the market, such as Punainen Jättiläinen, Pauna Media Group, and Editorial Ivrea. Egmont Kustannus stopped publishing manga in Finnish in 2013, after which Sangatsu Manga and Punainen Jättiläinen, owned by Sangatsu Manga since 2009, have been the main publishers of manga in Finland.
All manga publications in Finland can be found at: https://tokio.fi/
