Tankoubon is a term used to describe a specific format of manga, which is the Japanese term for comics and graphic novels. The word "tankoubon" is a combination of the Japanese words "tankō" meaning "standalone" and "bon" meaning "book."
A tankoubon is a standalone manga book, which is typically around 200-300 pages long. It is the most common format for manga in Japan and it is also used in other countries where manga is popular. It usually contains one or more stories that have been previously published in a manga magazine such as Shounen Jump or Shoujo Beat. Tankoubon are usually released after a certain amount of chapters have been published in a manga magazine, and the chapters are collected in a single volume.
Tankoubon are usually released in black and white and are printed on low-quality paper, but some of them are also published in color and on high-quality paper. The size of the tankoubon can vary, but it is usually around A5 size.
Tankoubon are widely available in Japan and other countries where manga is popular, they can be found in bookstores, online retailers, and comic book stores. They are also widely distributed and translated into various languages, making them accessible to a global audience.
In conclusion, Tankoubon is a term used to describe a specific format of manga, which is a standalone book that typically contains one or more stories that have been previously published in a manga magazine. It is the most common format for manga in Japan and it is also used in other countries where manga is popular. The chapters are collected in a single volume, and it is usually released after a certain amount of chapters have been published in a manga magazine. Tankoubon are widely available and are translated into various languages, making them accessible to a global audience.
