If you haven’t yet, head on down to this unique pop-up library at City Square Mall – it has more than 5,000 manga titles. Featuring popular manga series translated in English, like Assassin's Creed, Spy x Family, and Dragon Ball Z, this is a dream come true for any Japanese pop culture junkie. Japanese publisher Shogakukan Asia had provided close to a fifth of the manga titles at this library, and has plans to donate more in future.
Interestingly enough, there’s also a dash of local culture within these shelves. You’ll find local comics that were once the cornerstones of the quintessential Singaporean childhood, such as Mr Kiasu and Roti Kaya and Guyu. Hard-to-find titles like Medium Rare, Captain V, and Bookworm Gang Adventures are also displayed here, but you won’t be able to check them out.
While there, get book recommendations from the Mr Kiasu robot concierge too – it’s inspired by the protagonist in Mr Kiasu itself. This manga library first opened its doors on February 20, and it’ll only be around for six months after. Since it’s an initiative under the National Library Board (NLB), it follows the same convenient Grab-n-Go checkout where you’ll just need to scan your NRIC or NLB eCard. You can borrow up to eight books or comics.
