You found an amazing manga series, but there's no English translation yet. Or the translation is 50 chapters behind. Sound familiar?
Reading raw (untranslated) manga and manhwa is frustrating when you can't read the language. But there are ways to enjoy these series without waiting months for fan translations.
The Raw Manga Problem
New manga chapters release in Japanese first. Popular series might get English translations within days, but many titles — especially niche ones — take weeks, months, or never get translated at all.
Korean manhwa and webtoons have the same issue. The Korean releases are always ahead of English versions.
If you're tired of waiting, here's how to read raw manga and manhwa right now.
Method 1: On-Screen Translation Apps
The fastest way to read raw manga on your phone. These apps use OCR (Optical Character Recognition) to detect text in manga panels and translate it in real-time.
How it works:
- Open your manga reader app (Tachiyomi, MangaDex, etc.)
- Enable the floating translator bubble
- Navigate to the page you want to translate
- Tap the bubble — it scans the page and translates all text
Why this works well for manga:
- Handles both vertical text (Japanese manga) and horizontal text (Korean manhwa)
- Works with any manga reader app
- Translates speech bubbles, sound effects, and narration boxes
- No need to take screenshots or switch apps
Screen Translator is one app that does this — it's free on Android and supports both Japanese vertical text and Korean horizontal text. The OCR is decent for clean manga text, though handwritten or stylized fonts can be tricky.
Best for: Catching up on untranslated chapters, reading niche series with no English release.
Method 2: Manga-Specific Translation Tools
Some tools are built specifically for manga translation:
- Manga Translator (various apps) — dedicated manga translation with panel detection
- Google Lens — point your camera at a physical manga page to translate
These can work, but most require you to take screenshots first, which breaks the reading flow.
Method 3: Wait for Fan Translations
The most common approach. Fan translation groups (scanlation groups) translate manga and manhwa for free.
Where to find fan translations:
- MangaDex — largest fan translation aggregator
- Webtoon (official) — for licensed Korean webtoons
- Various scanlation group websites
The downside: You're always behind the latest chapters, and some series never get picked up.
Method 4: Machine Translation Aggregator Sites
Some websites automatically machine-translate raw manga. The quality varies wildly — sometimes readable, sometimes nonsensical.
Pros: Instant access to latest chapters
Cons: Translation quality is often poor, especially for nuanced dialogue
Comparing the Methods
| Method | Speed | Quality | Effort | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| On-screen translator | Instant | Good (for clean text) | Very low | Free |
| Manga-specific tools | Fast | Good | Medium | Varies |
| Fan translations | Slow (days-weeks) | Best | None | Free |
| Machine translation sites | Instant | Poor-Medium | None | Free |
Tips for Reading Raw Manga
- Start with manhwa — Korean text is horizontal and generally easier for OCR to recognize than vertical Japanese text
- Choose series with clean art — manga with lots of screen tones or busy backgrounds can interfere with text recognition
- Learn common manga vocabulary — words like 何 (what), 俺 (I/me), 行く (go), 来い (come) appear constantly
- Use translation for dialogue, skip sound effects — sound effects (onomatopoeia) are often untranslatable anyway
- Read the raw first, then the translation — if a fan translation exists, read the raw chapter first with a translator, then compare with the official translation to improve your understanding
For Korean Manhwa / Webtoon Readers
Korean manhwa and webtoons are actually easier to translate than Japanese manga because:
- Text is horizontal (standard reading direction)
- Speech bubbles are usually clean with standard fonts
- Less stylized text compared to Japanese manga
If you're reading Korean webtoons raw, an on-screen translator will give you pretty good results.
Conclusion
You don't have to wait for translations anymore. With on-screen translation tools, you can read raw manga and manhwa the day they release. The translation won't be perfect, but it's good enough to follow the story and enjoy the art.
For Android users, Screen Translator works well with most manga reader apps — just tap the floating bubble on any page to get an instant translation.
What raw manga or manhwa are you reading? Share your recommendations below!
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