Goblin Slayer Manga Volumes: Full List & Reading Guide

How Many Goblin Slayer Manga Volumes Are There?

The main Goblin Slayer manga currently has 16 volumes in both Japanese and English, and the series is still ongoing. If you’re just getting into the franchise and wondering how deep this rabbit hole goes — it’s substantial, but very manageable.

The manga is published in installments in Monthly Big Gangan, a manga magazine from Square Enix in Japan, where it’s been running since May 2016. The story comes from Kumo Kagyu’s light novel series — light novels are Japanese prose books, roughly the length of a short novel, published with a handful of illustrations. Think of them as the text-only version of the story. Kousuke Kurose handles the manga artwork and Noboru Kannatsuki provides the original character designs. In English, Yen Press publishes both the physical and digital editions.

One thing that trips people up: the Goblin Slayer manga and the Goblin Slayer light novels are separate products. The light novel series also has 16 volumes, but you don’t need both — the manga is a visual adaptation of those novels, retelling the same story with full artwork. The manga covers roughly the first 7 light novel volumes so far, so there’s a lot of story still to come in future manga releases.

Quick tip: The manga and light novel volumes have similar titles and cover art, so double-check before buying. Manga volumes will say “manga” on the cover or in the subtitle and contain illustrated panels. Light novels are text-only books with different cover illustrations.

Is the Goblin Slayer Manga Complete or Still Ongoing?

The Goblin Slayer manga is still ongoing with no announced end date. New English volumes come out roughly every 6 to 8 months through Yen Press, so there’s a bit of a wait between releases — but that also means you have plenty of time to catch up.

The original light novels that the manga is based on are also still ongoing at 16 volumes, and here’s the interesting part: the manga has only adapted up to approximately light novel volume 7 out of 16. That means there’s a huge backlog of story for the manga to work through, and the series will likely keep publishing for years to come.

For context, Volume 16 of the manga released in English on October 28, 2025. If you’re starting fresh, you can binge through all 16 volumes without worrying about catching up too quickly — the story has a long road ahead.

Which Manga Volumes Does the Goblin Slayer Anime Cover?

This is where things get a little unusual, so pay attention — the anime is actually ahead of the manga in terms of story progression. That doesn’t happen often, and it catches a lot of people off guard.

Season 1 (2018)

The first season of the anime (12 episodes) covers manga volumes 1 through 5, chapters 1–29. In light novel terms, that’s volumes 1 and 2. This includes everything from Goblin Slayer’s introduction and the cave rescue through the Goblin Lord arc (a major storyline spanning multiple chapters) — basically the events that hooked everyone on the series.

Goblin’s Crown Movie (2020)

The Goblin’s Crown movie adapted content from around manga chapters 41–54, which corresponds to light novel volume 5. It’s a self-contained adventure that fits between the two anime seasons.

Season 2 (2023)

Here’s the twist: Season 2 (12 episodes) adapted light novel volumes 6 through 8. But the manga hasn’t actually gotten that far yet — the manga is only around light novel volume 7 in its current progression. So the anime overtook the manga, which means Season 2 covers story material that the manga is still working on illustrating.

This is unusual for manga-to-anime adaptations and it matters a lot for deciding where to read after watching the show.

Where to Start Reading After the Anime

After Season 1

If you’ve watched Season 1 and want to continue in manga form, pick up at volume 6 (chapter 30). That’s right where the anime left off. You’ll get to experience the same story with Kousuke Kurose’s detailed artwork, which honestly adds a lot — especially during the action sequences. The manga gives more room to breathe in scenes that the anime had to compress.

That said, even if you’ve seen Season 1, reading volumes 1–5 is still worthwhile. The manga includes details and character moments that the anime had to skip, and Kurose’s art brings a darker, more visceral energy to the violent scenes that define the series.

After Season 2

This is the question everyone asks, so here’s the short answer: the manga hasn’t caught up to where Season 2 ends. The anime adapted further into the light novels than the manga has reached.

That means you have two clear options depending on what you prefer:

If you want to continue the story right now, your only path forward is the light novels. Start at light novel volume 9 — that picks up right where Season 2 left off. The light novels are prose with a few illustrations, no manga-style panels, but they’re the original version of the story and they read quickly.

If you prefer manga only and don’t want to read light novels, you’ll need to wait for future manga volumes to catch up. The manga is still being published and will eventually cover the material from Season 2 and beyond — but given the current pace, that could take several years. In the meantime, you can read all 16 existing manga volumes for the full visual experience of the story up to where the manga currently stands.

Either way, don’t skip the manga entirely. Even for arcs you’ve already seen animated, the manga adaptation brings its own style and expanded scenes that make it worth reading from volume 1.

Main Manga vs. Year One — What’s the Difference?

When you search for Goblin Slayer manga, you’ll notice there are actually multiple series. Here’s how they break down:

Goblin Slayer (main manga) — 16 volumes, ongoing. This is the primary series that adapts the main light novel storyline. Art by Kousuke Kurose. This is what most people mean when they say “the Goblin Slayer manga.”

Goblin Slayer Side Story: Year One — 13 volumes, ongoing. This is a prequel — a series set before the events of the main story — that covers Goblin Slayer’s very first year as an adventurer. It’s drawn by Kento Eida, so the art style is noticeably different from the main series. You don’t need to read Year One to follow the main manga, but if you love the character and want to see how he became the goblin-obsessed adventurer we meet in volume 1, it’s really good stuff.

The most recent Year One volume (Vol. 13) released in English on January 20, 2026.

Series	Focus	Volumes	Status	Artist
Goblin Slayer (main)	Main story — adapts the light novels	16	Ongoing	Kousuke Kurose
Year One	Prequel — Goblin Slayer’s first year	13	Ongoing	Kento Eida
Brand New Day	Lighthearted side stories	2	Complete	Masahiro Ikeno
A Day in the Life	Everyday moments with the cast	3	Complete	Daichi Matsuse

There are also two completed spin-off series — standalone side stories set in the same world but separate from the main plot. Brand New Day (2 volumes, by Masahiro Ikeno) and A Day in the Life (3 volumes, by Daichi Matsuse, ended November 2024) both focus on the adventuring group in more relaxed, everyday moments between quests. They’re fun reads for fans but completely optional.

Complete Volume List and Buying Guide

Main Series: Goblin Slayer Manga (Vols. 1–16)

Here’s how the main series breaks down by story arc:

Volumes 1–5: Beginning through Goblin Lord Arc

• Volume 1: The introduction — Goblin Slayer rescues Priestess, and we see exactly what kind of story this is
• Volume 2: The adventuring group forms with High Elf Archer, Dwarf Shaman, and Lizard Priest (in this world, characters go by their roles rather than personal names)
• Volumes 3–4: The quest beneath the Elven ruins and the growing group dynamic
• Volume 5: The Goblin Lord arc — a massive battle that closes out what anime Season 1 covered

Volumes 6–10: Water Town and Beyond

• Volume 6: Transition into new adventures past Season 1 territory
• Volumes 7–10: The Water Town arc and subsequent missions, with increasingly complex goblin encounters

Volumes 11–16: Latest Arcs

• The most recent stretch of the manga, currently adapting material around light novel volume 7
• Volume 16 is the latest English release (October 28, 2025)

Year One (Vols. 1–13)

The Year One prequel series is a great companion to the main manga. It follows a younger, even more isolated Goblin Slayer during his very first year of adventuring — before he meets Priestess or any of the companions we know.

You can read Year One in a few different ways:

• After the main manga — once you’re invested in the character, the prequel hits harder
• Alongside the main manga — alternating between the two for variety
• On its own — it works as a standalone story if you’re curious about the character’s origins

The art style by Kento Eida is different from Kurose’s work on the main series — a bit rougher and more raw, which fits the tone of a younger, less experienced Goblin Slayer figuring things out on his own.

Where to Buy

All Goblin Slayer manga is published in English by Yen Press. You can find the volumes at:

• Physical (paperback): Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, and most bookstores that carry manga
• Digital: Kindle, BookWalker, Kobo, and Apple Books

Digital versions are usually available on the same day as physical releases. If you’re buying in bulk, keep an eye out for sales on digital platforms — BookWalker in particular runs manga sales fairly often.