How I Escaped the Billing Hell of Manga Apps (Piccoma → ebookjapan)
Actually, I had been using Piccoma for a long time.
It's incredibly convenient, the vertical reading is comfortable, and above all,the "Wait for ¥0"feature was a real lifesaver for a housewife like me.
But one day, I suddenly wondered, "...How many days will it take to read this whole series?"
Even though I was supposed to be reading a little bit every day, I realized it had become a source of stress.
"Wait, is that the end of the 'Wait for ¥0' section? I have to pay."
"I can't wait another 24 hours."
"I'm just too curious about what happens next!" (This happens the most)
But then I thought, "Wait, wasn't reading manga supposed to be more fun than this?"
Why I used Piccoma
First of all, Piccoma is just so easy to use.
Everything is done right on your smartphone, and you can start reading as soon as you open the app.
There are a lot of Korean manga, and I liked the pacing of the vertical scrolling.
The "Wait for ¥0" feature is really helpful, and it had become like a daily routine.
Like reading one chapter before bed.
Or reading a little bit during a break at work.
But...
I started feeling like this
The series I want to read often end in the middle
If I pay because I'm curious about what happens next, it ends up being surprisingly expensive
When reading one chapter at a time, the plot doesn't really progress!
If I pay because I'm curious about what happens next, it ends up being surprisingly expensive
This is really the biggest one.
I get so absorbed in reading that I don't pay attention while I'm doing it,
and before I know it, I've spent 5,000 yen or more...
For example, with series like "The Villainess Reverses the Hourglass" or "Into the Light Once Again," the story is so solid that reading one chapter at a time just leaves me feeling frustrated.
Don't you ever think, "I just want to read it all at once!"?
That was exactly me.
That's when I tried ebookjapan
At first, I felt like "buying manga as e-books" was a bit of a hurdle, but ebookjapan has many titles you can read for free, and the first-time coupon is 50% off!
I read the first volume of a series I was curious about, and if I thought, "I want to read the rest," I'd buy them all at once using the coupon.
Also, being able to use PayPay is convenient! Payments are smooth, and the point rewards are a nice little bonus.
I've also started re-reading Jump series and old favorites like "My Hero Academia" and "Haikyu!!," and my passion for manga has been reignited—"Manga really is fun!"
How I use them differently
Piccoma: Good for Korean titles and series you want to follow one chapter at a time.
ebookjapan: Good for Jump titles, works you want to binge-read, and completed series.
Both have their merits, but lately, I've become an "ebookjapan person."
Especially on holidays when I have some free time, it's so satisfying to binge-read on ebookjapan!
Also, the app's bookshelf is easy to navigate, and it's fun to build a collection of my favorite works.
It's like a reading log, so looking back and thinking, "Oh, I read this that month," is surprisingly fun too.
Summary
"Wait for free" is nice, but this is a story about how I realized that "reading comfortably right now" might be more important.
If you want to enjoy manga stress-free, ebookjapan might be a pretty good choice for you!
If you're curious, I recommend starting by checking out their free titles (over 18,000 titles).