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“How can I know if a particular title or volume of manga is appropriate for me or my youngsters to read?”
In this page, I hope to illustrate similarities between the familiar Australian classification ratings and the age ratings that are used for manga.
Just like how DVDs, movies shown at the cinema, and videogames receive an age classification in Australia, manga also receives age ratings depending on the kind of content contained in a particular volume.
These manga age ratings are typically printed on the back cover of a volume, which unfortunately are nowhere near as conspicuous as their Australian Classification counterparts which are featured prominently on the front cover, label, or poster.
<See the photo on the left for an example of where to see the age ratings on the back covers of manga, courtesy of Canton Public Library. Check out their page on ‘A Parent’s Guide to Manga’, which the photo came from!
Click (or double-click) the image to enlarge it.
Nevertheless, since manga is a visual medium that depicts scenes graphically rather than solely through text, there is plenty of potential for a volume to display high-impact imagery which may not be appropriate for readers of certain ages.
Fortunately, the age ratings of English-translated manga are almost always provided by the publisher. I will try to include age ratings for Viz to Tokyopop since those are incredibly common.
The major publishers of manga translated from Japanese to English are:
For the publishers of manga in original Japanese-language format, visit my page on Manga Magazines and Publishers in Japan 🗾
A library-workplace example of classifying and cataloguing manga and graphic novels based on their age ratings can be found on a webpage by Edmonton Public Libraries in Canada.
I’ve noticed multiple times that a kid browsing the library shelves for an interesting manga title often skims through the pages themselves, or with a parent, rather than reading the age rating on the back cover. As such, I think that librarians should somehow make these age ratings more visible and conspicuous to patrons; even an A4 or A3 poster/flyer placed visibly near the manga and graphic novel shelf area would be helpful, and its presence would be similar to other posters that explain things like graded readers or genre stickers.
The Australian classification age ratings are standardised throughout the nation by the Classification Board, regardless of the company which published the media resource. (Please excuse any misalignments caused by viewing on screens with different aspect ratios; I don’t know how to fix this.)
Behind The News made a nifty video on proposed age classifications for books
The exact age ratings printed on the backs of manga volumes typically differ from one publisher to another, but still roughly correspond to the Australian Classification Age Ratings.
Click the little triangle next to the name of each publisher’s heading to see (or hide) the icons they use for their age rating labels, or the triangle next to ‘Descriptions of manga age ratings…’ to see (or hide) what kind of content would be expected for a given age rating.
G (General audiences/all ages) 🟩 - “The content is very mild in impact.
Films and computer games classified G (General) are suitable for everyone.
They can have content that may scare very young children.
PG (Parental Guidance recommended) 🟨 - The content is mild in impact Films and computer games classified PG (Parental Guidance) can have content that a child may find confusing or upsetting and require the guidance of a parent or guardian.
It is not recommended for viewing by children under the age of 15 without guidance of a parent or guardian.
M (Mature audiences) 🟦- The content is moderate in impact Films and computer games classified M (Mature) are not recommended for children under the age of 15. They can have content such as violence and themes that requires a mature outlook.
Children under the age of 15 may legally access this content.
Parents and guardians may need to find out more about the content in a film or computer game before deciding whether it is suitable for a child in their care.
MA15+ (Mature Accompanied) 🟥 - The content is strong in impact Films and computer games classified MA 15+ are legally restricted to people aged 15 and over. They can contain content such as sex scenes and drug use that may have a strong impact on the viewer.
A person may be asked to show proof of their age before purchasing, hiring or viewing an MA 15+ film or computer game.
A parent or adult guardian must purchase a ticket and accompany a person under 15 for the duration of the film at a cinema or be with them to purchase a MA 15+ film or game.
R18+ (Restricted 18+) 🔞 - The content is high in impact Films and computer games classified as R 18+ are legally restricted to adults 18 years and over. They can contain content that may be offensive to sections of the adult community.
A person may be asked to show proof of their age before purchasing or viewing a R 18+ film or computer game.
X18+ (Restricted 18+) 🔞-
Films classified as X 18+ are legally restricted to adults 18 years and over. They contain sexually explicit activity including actual sexual intercourse or other sexual activity between consenting adults.
(MENTION THE ‘LIBRARY COLLECTIONS FOR TEENS: MANGA AND GRAPHIC NOVELS’ book as a supplementary source on the significance of age ratings)
All depictions used on this page belong to their original creators and respective copyright holders. All instances of using copyrighted pictures or works in this blog are covered by the Copyright Act 1968, namely Division III Section 40 Fair dealing for purpose of research or study and Division III Section 41 Fair dealing for purpose of criticism or review.