Looking for comics to read during the summer? This season is the perfect time to pick up comics that feel warm, light, emotional, weird, or just easy to get stuck into when the days feel longer. Not every piece here takes place entirely in the summer, but every piece has some sort of summer feel to it. Beach towns, first loves, quiet afternoons, movie trips, coastal mysteries, dive clubs, slow living, or that specific emotional turmoil that only comes when the weather is too hot.
If you’re looking for comics to read in the summer, this list covers romance, comedy, slice-of-life, suspense, yuri, BL, coming-of-age stories and some that will feel like you’re sitting outside with a cold drink.
Comics to read when you want a romantic summer
Summer of You There Vol. 1
A shy writer and a popular classmate pretending to date to get book material is already a strong setup, but “The Summer You Were There” adds enough emotional weight to make it more than just a cute lily premise.
Shizuku keeps to herself, pouring her feelings into her writing, while Kaori draws her into what at first feels like a field of study, but slowly becomes more difficult to define. For readers who want a comic to read in the summer with a mellow romance, awkward feel, and “this might hurt later” energy, this one belongs near the top of the list.
Your summer roll. 1
“Your Summer” is almost too perfect for this theme. Two high school boys bond over the movie, visit the filming location, and spend the summer trying to act normal after one of the boys confesses his feelings.
Chiharu and Wataru’s relationship has a BL pain to it, no one wants to ruin what they already have, but everyone can feel the shift happening. It’s warm, wistful, and filled with the feel of a summer afternoon that’s hard to ignore.
That blue summer roll. 1
Rio de Janeiro wants an urban summer. Instead, she’s sent to the countryside, which is basically a teenage tragedy if your whole summer plans involve Tokyo, friends, and maybe some romance.
Then she meets Ginzo, and suddenly the countryside doesn’t feel like a punishment anymore. Blue Summer has a classic summer vacation setting: new places, unexpected crushes, a hidden past, and emotional growth that happens while you’re busy complaining about your failed plans.
Love★Com Vol. 1
“Love★Com” doesn’t need a beach or a summer vacation to feel like summer, as it’s a bright, catchy classic.
Risa and Atsushi start out as two people trying to help each other pursue different objects, but their friendship soon becomes more complicated. The comedy is big, the reactions are bigger, and the romantic chaos makes it a great choice for your summer comic book read, one that feels light but still has enough heart to keep you invested.
A comic for summer reading about the mysteries of beaches, water and coasts
Mermaid Scales and Sand Town
A sleepy coastal town, local legends, childhood memories, and possible mermaids make The Town of Merfolk and Sand a strong summer read.
Tokiko moves from the city to live by the sea, but finds herself caught between real memories and strange folklore. Atmosphere plays a big role here. As the tourists leave and the old stories stay behind, the place has a quiet, dank, slightly haunted feel, like some beach town feels.
Riding the wind and waves
“Ride the Waves” combines surfing, summer romance, sadness and magic.
Hinako’s confidence on the waves contrasts with her uncertainty elsewhere. Her relationship with Minato starts off warm, and then the story shifts to one of loss and learning how to move on. If you want a summer comic that feels polished but still has teeth, this is a great choice.
Granblue Dream Volume. 1
Granblue Dreams is summer mayhem in comic form. Iori moves to a seaside town, looking forward to youth, reinvention, college life, and maybe romance. Instead, what he gets is the craziness of a dive club, drinking, nude jokes, and a group of people who seem allergic to normal behavior.
If the comics you want to read in the summer include silly jokes, ocean energy, and people making terrible decisions near water, then Blue Sea Blue Dreams will definitely satisfy your needs.
Summer Rendering Vol. 1
A funeral on a remote island turns into a dangerous summer of terror, mystery and time-warping.
Summer Rendering begins with Shinpei returning home after the death of his childhood friend Ushio, but the story quickly becomes stranger and darker. This is an option for readers who want a summery vibe but not the comfort. It has heat, loneliness, sadness, and a sense that something is looming just beneath the surface.
Comics for summer reading when you want to have a leisurely day
Arias: Masterpieces Vol. 1
Alia felt like she took a deep breath. The story is set in New Venice on the aquatic planet, and tells the story of Akari, who trains to become a water goddess and guides people through the city in a cable car. It’s gentle, scenic, and focused on noticing the small moments of beauty.
This is a comic to read in the summer, when you want to enjoy a calm, watery, slow time in the best possible way.
Yotsuba&! roll. 1
Yotsuba&! is one of the best comics to capture childhood curiosity. Yotsuba and her father move into a new home, get to know their neighbors, and see daily life as a series of great discoveries. Ice cream, moving boxes, new friends and little misunderstandings all become interesting as Yotsuba experiences everything with all her might.
This is the perfect summer read because it feels like a kid with lots of energy but nowhere to go.
Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou: Deluxe Edition 1
Yokohama Street Chronicles features one of the most specific moods in manga: the quiet seaside melancholy of coffee and watermelon. Alpha runs a small cafe in a future Japan where humanity is slowly fading. The world is ending, but people are still visiting, talking, eating, traveling and enjoying what’s left.
It’s calm, contemplative, and perfect for readers who want a summer comic with a slower emotional pace.
Ping Kang Volume. 1
While everyone else seemed to be in a hurry, Ping Kang planned to slow down.
Hong Ren does not have the traditional signs of success, but his lifestyle makes those around him feel uneasy and comforted. When his cousin Natsumi moves in, the story expands into grief, anxiety, art school struggles, and daily life.
This is a great summer read because it feels like sitting on the porch while life happens around you.
Japanese roll. 1
nichijou is daily life where the volume is horizontal.
It has school comedy, surreal jokes, weird timing, and a cast that treats the absurd like a normal Tuesday. Summer reading doesn’t always need to be romance or beach scenes. Sometimes it takes a deer crush, a weird joke, and a reminder that ordinary life can be completely unhinged.
What is your favorite comic to read in summer?
The comics that are best for summer reading usually have a certain vibe that you can get into. Sometimes that means the story takes place by the sea. Sometimes that means characters caught up in the heat of first love, sadness, boredom, confusion, or freedom. Summer stories don’t always need bathing suits and fireworks to feel seasonal.
“Summer Where You Were” and “Summer of You” bring romance. Mermaid scales, sand towns and summery renderings bring the mystique of the coast. Blue Dream brings chaos to the beach. Aria, Yotsuba&!, Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou, and Hirayasumi bring the slow days that don’t require anything big to happen for the story to feel fleshed out.
If you want to read comics during the summer, this list will give you a variety of different moods. But it’s all curated just for you and your summer!
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