If you’re looking for the Black Summoner manga reading order, here’s the good news up front: it’s completely straightforward. Black Summoner (黒の召喚士 — that’s just the Japanese title) is a single, linear manga series with no spin-offs or branching side stories. You start at Volume 1 and read in order. No tricks.
Now, a bit about the series itself. Black Summoner is an isekai — a type of Japanese fantasy story where the main character is transported from our world into a new one. In this case, a guy trades away all his memories during the transfer in exchange for incredibly powerful summoning abilities, meaning he can call forth and bind creatures to fight alongside him. From there, the series follows him as he builds a party of allies, takes on dungeon challenges, and faces escalating threats. If you enjoy overpowered main characters and party-building adventures, this is worth your time.
Black Summoner Manga Reading Order — The Short Answer
Black Summoner has one main manga series with no spin-offs or branching side stories. You start at Volume 1 and read straight through in order. That’s it.
The manga follows the light novel’s story in chronological order, so there’s no jumping around between timelines or alternate versions. (A light novel, by the way, is a type of Japanese prose fiction — think of it as a short novel with occasional illustrations. It’s a different format from manga, which is comics.) The reading order is simply the volume numbers.
Here’s a quick look at the different Black Summoner media so you know what exists:
| Media | Format | Status | Volumes/Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Summoner Manga | Ongoing manga | Ongoing | 25 volumes (Japanese, as of mid-2026) / 21 volumes (English) |
| Black Summoner Light Novel | Original source material | Ongoing | Covers the same story in more detail |
| Black Summoner Anime | TV anime adaptation (12 episodes) | Covers earliest story arcs | Covers early portion of the story |
The manga is published in Japan by Overlap under the Gardo Comics imprint. It’s serialized in Comic Gardo (later Comic Gardo+) — meaning individual chapters are released in that magazine on a regular schedule, then collected into bound volumes. The manga artist is 天羽銀 (Gin Ammo), adapting the story written by 迷井豆腐 (Mayoi Doufu) with original character designs by 黒銀 (Kurogin). (It’s common for manga adaptations to have separate people handling the art, the original story, and the character designs.)
The first Japanese volume came out in June 2018, and the series has been running steadily since then. For English readers, 21 volumes are currently available, with the Japanese release sitting at 25 volumes as of mid-2026.
Your reading order: Volume 1 → Volume 2 → Volume 3 → … → the latest English release (21 volumes available as of this writing). Simple as that.
What Each Part of the Black Summoner Manga Covers
Even though the reading order is linear, it helps to know what you’re getting into. Here’s a spoiler-light breakdown of how the story progresses through the manga volumes. (When I say “arc,” I just mean a storyline segment — a stretch of chapters that forms one piece of the larger story.)
Volume 1: The Trade and the New World
This is where everything kicks off. Kelvin, the main character, makes a deal during the reincarnation process — in isekai stories, this typically means the character dies in their original world and is reborn or transported into a fantasy world. Kelvin trades away every single one of his memories in exchange for incredibly powerful summoning abilities. He arrives in a fantasy world with no past but a lot of potential.
Volume 1 establishes the core premise and introduces Kelvin’s first summon contracts — agreements that bind creatures to fight alongside him. You’ll meet the goddess who guides his reincarnation (and who becomes more important than you’d expect), and you’ll see Kelvin start to figure out how his powers work. It’s a strong setup that tells you right away what kind of series this is: action-heavy, party-focused, and not too interested in making the main character struggle for long.
Volumes 2–4: Building the Party
These volumes are all about party building and early adventurer life. Kelvin registers with an adventurer guild — a fantasy organization where fighters sign up to take on paid jobs like monster hunting and exploration — takes on quests, and starts assembling the crew that will stick with him throughout the series. You’ll see the first major dungeon encounters here (think underground labyrinths full of monsters and treasure), and the combat gets fleshed out as Kelvin adds new summoned creatures to his roster.
This stretch does a good job of establishing the rhythm of the series. There’s a pattern of: meet a challenge, summon something powerful to deal with it, add a new party member or ally, and level up. If you enjoy this loop in these volumes, you’ll enjoy the rest of the series.
Volumes 5–8: Escalation Begins
Things start getting bigger. The conflicts expand beyond dungeon challenges into demon lord territories and larger-scale threats. (A demon lord is essentially a powerful ruler of dark forces — a common antagonist type in Japanese fantasy.) Kelvin’s summoned-creature roster grows significantly during this stretch, and the fights become more elaborate.
This is where Black Summoner really leans into the appeal of an overpowered main character — someone whose abilities far exceed what’s normally possible in their world. Kelvin isn’t struggling to survive; he’s becoming a genuine force, and the story finds its tension in the scale of the opponents rather than in any sense of vulnerability.
Volumes 9–12: Kingdom-Level Stakes
The scope widens again. Political threats at the kingdom level enter the picture, and you’ll see large-scale battles that go well beyond what the earlier storylines offered. The party is well-established by now, and the story starts putting them into situations where raw power alone isn’t always enough — though Kelvin certainly has plenty of it.
These volumes represent a turning point where Black Summoner shifts from “adventurer doing quests” to “major player in world events.”
Later Volumes: Continuing the Story
The story continues to escalate beyond Volume 12. English readers currently have access to 21 volumes in English, with the Japanese release sitting at 25 volumes as of mid-2026 — so the English edition is not far behind.
Without getting into spoiler territory, the later volumes continue the pattern of raising the stakes and expanding Kelvin’s world. If you catch up on the English manga and want to know what happens next, the light novel covers the same core story and may offer additional story details not yet in the manga.
Where to Buy Black Summoner Manga in English
The Black Summoner manga has 21 English-language volumes currently released, available in both digital and print formats. Digital editions (published by J-Novel Club) may be further ahead than the print editions — check J-Novel Club’s website for the latest available volumes.
For digital readers, the series is available through retailers like Amazon (Kindle), Kobo, and Apple Books, among others. Digital is often the fastest way to get caught up since you can buy and start reading immediately without waiting for shipping.
Print copies, distributed by Yen Press under the J-Novel Club imprint, are available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, and other standard book retailers. If you prefer physical volumes on your shelf, the print edition covers a substantial portion of the series.
If you’re brand new to the series, start with Volume 1 — that’s where Kelvin’s story begins and where the manga is designed to hook you.
The light novel — which is the original source material — is also available in English for readers who want to explore the story in additional depth. If you’ve never read a light novel before, don’t worry: they’re straightforward prose books, easy to pick up with no special knowledge required.
If you’re looking to continue the series, here’s a volume to check out:
Black Summoner (Manga) Volume 21
One thing to keep in mind: since the series is ongoing, new English volumes continue to release. The English edition is several volumes behind the Japanese release (25 volumes as of mid-2026), and the gap continues to narrow as new translated volumes come out — manga is produced in Japanese first and then separately translated and released in English by a different publisher on a different schedule.
Common Mistakes New Readers Make
Black Summoner’s reading order is simple, but there are a few stumbling blocks that trip people up. Here’s what to watch out for.
Expecting the Manga to Match the Light Novel Chapter-for-Chapter
If you’ve read some of the light novel and then pick up the manga, you might be surprised at how the pacing differs. The manga adapts the light novel at its own pace, condensing some scenes and expanding others. They tell the same story, but they’re not a one-to-one match. Treat them as two versions of the same tale rather than expecting perfect alignment.
Skipping Early Manga Volumes Because You Watched the Anime
The anime (12 episodes) covers the earliest portion of the Black Summoner story, and it’s tempting to skip those manga volumes and jump ahead. But the manga includes details and scenes that the anime condensed or cut. If you want the full experience of the manga, start at Volume 1 even if you’ve seen the anime. You’ll pick up on things you missed, and the pacing is different enough that it won’t feel like pure repetition.
Confusing Manga and Light Novel Volume Numbers
This one catches more people than you’d think. The manga and light novel use completely separate numbering systems. Manga Volume 5 and Light Novel Volume 5 cover different parts of the story. If someone online tells you to “read from Volume 8,” make sure you know which format they’re talking about before you buy.
Assuming the English Release is Complete
The series is ongoing. With 21 English volumes out of 25 Japanese volumes (as of mid-2026; additional digital volumes may be available through J-Novel Club), the English edition is closing in on the Japanese release — but the series is ongoing. Don’t assume the latest English volume is the ending — it’s just where the English release currently stands. New volumes will continue to come out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to read the light novel before starting the manga?
No. The manga stands on its own as a complete telling of the story. You can start with Volume 1 of the manga and follow everything perfectly well without ever touching the light novel.
That said, the light novel is the original source and covers the same core story, potentially with additional details not yet in the manga. If you finish the available manga volumes and want more, the light novel is there for you. But it’s not a prerequisite.
Where does the anime leave off in the manga?
The anime’s 12 episodes cover the earliest portion of the Black Summoner story — essentially the beginning where Kelvin arrives in the new world, forms his first contracts, and builds his initial party. This corresponds to roughly the first several manga volumes’ worth of content.
If you want to continue the story after the anime, starting the manga from Volume 1 is the recommended approach. You’ll get more detail than the anime provided, and it’s a quick read through the parts you already know.
Is the Black Summoner manga finished?
No. The series is ongoing as of mid-2026, with 25 volumes released in Japanese and 21 available in English. There’s no announced end date, and the story is still actively being serialized in Comic Gardo+.
How far behind is the English manga release?
As of mid-2026, the English release has 21 volumes compared to the Japanese release’s 25 volumes — putting the English edition several volumes behind. New English volumes continue to release on a regular basis, so the gap shifts over time as both the Japanese and English editions continue publishing.
If you want to explore more of the story, the light novel covers the same core story and may offer additional story details not yet in the manga.
Is there a specific order for the different Black Summoner media?
There’s no required order between the manga, light novel, and anime. They all tell the same core story. The manga is the most visual way to experience it, the light novel has the most detail, and the anime covers the beginning in animated form.
Most readers pick whichever format they prefer and stick with it. If you’re on this page, you probably want the manga — and for the manga, the order is just Volume 1 through Volume 21 (currently). No tricks, no branches, no complications. Grab Volume 1 and start reading.