The Best Deluxe Edition Manga

There's a good chance that if you've picked up a manga graphic novel, it was a paperback version. After all, they're very affordable, and their pocket-friendly design makes them easy to carry around. But recently, we've also seen various manga publishers offer deluxe editions of some of the biggest manga properties around. Typically, these deluxe editions follow a similar format of reprinting each manga on an oversized page format and binding them inside a faux leather hardcover package alongside a selection of exclusive extra content.

So far, only a handful of manga series have been adapted into this format by the likes of Kodansha and Dark Horse Comics, but we've rounded up those that are available in the list below. We'll also update this list as more manga titles get the deluxe edition treatment.

Berserk Deluxe Edition

Regarded as one of the greatest manga series of all time, Berserk is a dark fantasy saga that pulls no punches. Created by the late Kentaro Miura, the series follows Guts on his revenge-fueled quest against Griffith, his former brother-in-arms who betrayed the swordsman and his fellow mercenaries so that he could ascend to godhood. Beautifully illustrated and written, Berserk has been cited as an inspiration to other famous comic books and video games, notably FromSoftware and its Souls series.

The series is available in a 14-volume Deluxe Edition series.

• Berserk Deluxe Vol. 1 -- $28.48 ($50)
• Berserk Deluxe Vol. 2 -- $40 ($50)
• Berserk Deluxe Vol. 3 -- $36 ($50)
• Berserk Deluxe Vol. 4 -- $30.58 ($50)
• Berserk Deluxe Vol. 5 -- $27.55 ($50)
• Berserk Deluxe Vol. 6 -- $26.56 ($50)
• Berserk Deluxe Vol. 7 -- $31 ($50)
• Berserk Deluxe Vol. 8 -- $33 ($50)
• Berserk Deluxe Vol. 9 -- $28 ($50)
• Berserk Deluxe Vol. 10 -- $44.30 ($50)
• Berserk Deluxe Vol. 11 -- $31.49 ($50)
• Berserk Deluxe Vol. 12 -- $30 ($50)
• Berserk Deluxe Vol. 13 -- $29 ($50)
• Berserk Deluxe Vol. 14 -- $33.53 ($50)

Vagabond Definitive Edition

$42

Vagabond examines how one of Japan's most famous historical figures, Miyamoto Musashi, became the patron saint of swordsmen. The series explores the man behind the myth back when he was still known as Shinmen Takezou.

Currently, only Vegabond Definitive Edition Volume 1 has been published, but it's still a gorgeous 728-page book that collects the first three volumes of Takehiko Inoue's critically acclaimed manga into a hardcover format.

Trigun Deluxe Edition

Yasuhiro Nightow's cult-classic Trigun manga series follows Vash the Stampede, a pacifistic gunslinger with a billion-dollar bounty on his head--as he tries to avert the disasters that follow in his wake across an alien planet where humanity is barely hanging on.

The original manga series is available in the Trigun Deluxe Edition, which collects Trigun Volumes 1 and 2 in one stunning hardcover that clocks in at almost 700 pages. The sequel series, Trigun Maximum, also received the Deluxe Edition treatment. Volumes 1-4 are available now, while Volume 5 is available to preorder ahead of its June 17 release.

• Trigun Deluxe Edition -- $34.61 ($50)
• Trigun Maximum Deluxe Edition: Volume 1 -- $40.11 ($50)
• Trigun Maximum Deluxe Edition: Volume 2 -- $32.20 ($50)
• Trigun Maximum Deluxe Edition: Volume 3 -- $28.22 ($50)
• Trigun Maximum Deluxe Edition: Volume 4 -- $37.49 ($50)
• Trigun Maximum Deluxe Edition: Volume 5 -- $46.49 ($50) | Releases June 17

Hellsing Deluxe Edition

How do you fight back against Nazi vampires and other supernatural menaces lurking in the dark? By unleashing an even bigger monster to brutally exterminate them, that's how. Hellsing remains a firm favorite with fans of dark supernatural stories, and the original manga is a masterclass in violence thanks to its lead character. Imaginatively illustrated and featuring a protagonist who's harder to kill than an atomic-powered honey badger, Hellsing is a bloody amount of fun. The full series is available in three Deluxe Edition volumes.

• Hellsing Deluxe Edition: Volume 1 -- $43 ($50)
• Hellsing Deluxe Edition: Volume 2 -- $30.40 ($50)
• Hellsing Deluxe Edition: Volume 3 -- $31.50 ($50)

Vinland Saga Deluxe Edition

Vinland Saga is an epic tale of war, revenge, and the tragedy accompanying a life of constant bloodshed. The anime adaptation of it has been very well-received, but the manga is still an incredible work of art that should be essential reading for any fan of the medium. While the story is a fictionalized account of Thorfinn Karlsefni and his expedition to find Vinland, it does feature a high level of historical accuracy that makes for fascinating reading.

The series is still ongoing, and so far has seen six Deluxe Edition volumes release, with Deluxe Edition Volumes 7 and 8 launching later this year and available to preorder.

• Vinland Saga: Deluxe Edition 1 -- $39 ($55)
• Vinland Saga: Deluxe Edition 2 -- $35.85 ($55)
• Vinland Saga: Deluxe Edition 3 -- $33.49 ($55)
• Vinland Saga: Deluxe Edition 4 -- $41.32 ($55)
• Vinland Saga: Deluxe Edition 5 -- $49.49 ($55)
• Vinland Saga: Deluxe Edition 6 -- $39.55 ($55)
• Vinland Saga: Deluxe Edition 7 -- $49.49 ($55) | Releases May 6
• Vinland Saga: Deluxe Edition 8 -- $55 | Releases August 5

Blade of the Immortal: Deluxe Edition

You've probably read your fair share of samurai stories, but nothing compares to Blade of the Immortal. Featuring a nigh-unkillable protagonist, the series has earned acclaim for its fusion of period samurai action and modern ideas--and brutal violence. Mangaka Hiroaki Samura's entire saga has been collected into 10 Deluxe Edition, starting from the original volumes and leading through to the bloody finale.

• Blade of the Immortal: Deluxe Edition Volume 1 -- $25 ($50)
• Blade of the Immortal: Deluxe Edition Volume 2 -- $27.50 ($50)
• Blade of the Immortal: Deluxe Edition Volume 3 -- $25.40 ($50)
• Blade of the Immortal: Deluxe Edition Volume 4 -- $27.30 ($50)
• Blade of the Immortal: Deluxe Edition Volume 5 -- $30 ($50)
• Blade of the Immortal: Deluxe Edition Volume 6 -- $36.50 ($50)
• Blade of the Immortal: Deluxe Edition Volume 7 -- $37.60 ($50)
• Blade of the Immortal: Deluxe Edition Volume 8 -- $33 ($50)
• Blade of the Immortal: Deluxe Edition Volume 9 -- $31.60 ($50)
• Blade of the Immortal: Deluxe Edition Volume 10 -- $36.50 ($50)

Battle Angel Alita Deluxe Complete Series Box Set

$89.22 (was $180)

One of the best manga series of the early '90s, Battle Angel Alita is regarded as a cult classic in the cyberpunk genre. The Battle Angel Alita hardcover edition does justice to the story, as it contains the complete manga run, a collection of short stories that were previously only available in Japanese, three art cards, multiple interviews with creator Yukito Kishiro, and an alternate ending to the original series.

Ghost in the Shell: Fully Compiled - Hardcover Collection

$38.86 (was $55)

Arguably the gold standard in the cyberpunk genre, Masamune Shirow's Ghost in the Shell was a groundbreaking piece of work when it was first published. Ghost in the Shell: Fully Compiled is an 832-page hardcover reprinting of the original Ghost in the Shell manga that ran from 1989 through 1990. It also includes notes on the series, all of the original cover pages, and a brand-new cover by Shirow.

Akira 35th Anniversary Box Set

$126.47 (was $220)

You're probably familiar with Akira through its landmark animated film, but the movie was only a slice of the full story. Anyone looking to experience the complete work will want to check out the manga, and this 35th Anniversary Box Set is the best way to do so, as this version features an all-new English translation that restores the original right-to-left reading format and creator Katsuhiro Otomo's original hand-drawn sound effects. The set includes the full Akira manga series across six hardcover volumes, plus an art book, an exclusive pill patch, and a display box.

Sailor Moon - Naoko Takeuchi Collection Manga Box Set

$60.76 (was $78)

The Sailor Moon: Naoko Takeuchi Collection Box Set includes hardcover editions of the first six volumes of the original manga series, plus an exclusive set of 16 art cards and a holographic display box decorated with metallic silver ink.

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Hardcover Box Set

$61.24 (was $80)

Studio Ghibli's Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind was originally adapted from studio co-founder Hayao Miyazaki's 1982 manga, and while the film version is a masterpiece, it only adapts one part of Miyazaki's original epic. So if you've ever wanted to see more of Nausicaa's engrossing post-post-apocalyptic world, you'll want to pick up the Hardcover Box Set, which contains the entire run across two hardcover books, each of which clocking in at over 500 pages. The set also includes an ornate display box featuring art from the manga and a bonus poster.