Looking to collect every Black Summoner manga volume and wondering how many are out there? You’re in the right place. Whether you discovered this series through the 2022 anime adaptation or the light novels, this guide breaks down the full volume count in both Japanese and English, how to start collecting, and what to expect from a series that’s still going strong.
For anyone new to the genre, “isekai” means a story where a character is transported from their ordinary life into another world — and Black Summoner is a textbook example.
How Many Black Summoner Manga Volumes Are There?
Here’s the quick answer:
- Japanese volumes: 25 (ongoing, published by Overlap — a Japanese publisher — under their Gardo Comics imprint)
- English volumes: 21 released so far
- Series status: Ongoing — no announced end date
The Black Summoner manga adapts the light novel — a style of short Japanese novel, often illustrated — written by Doufu Mayoi (迷井豆腐), with manga art by Gin Ammo (天羽銀) and character designs by Kurogin (黒銀). It originally ran in Comic Gardo, a Japanese web manga site where chapters are published on a regular schedule before being collected into book-format volumes. The series later moved to Comic Gardo+, and the first Japanese volume dropped back in June 2018. The Japanese release has reached Vol. 25 as of mid-2026.
The English edition trails the Japanese run by a meaningful margin. In manga publishing, “localization” refers to the process of translating and adapting a Japanese series for release in another language and market — and that process takes time. With 21 English volumes released, there’s already a solid chunk of story available for English-speaking readers, but the gap means you’ll be waiting a while before you can read everything that’s currently out in Japan.
One important thing to keep in mind: because the series is ongoing, the volume count on both sides will keep climbing. If you start collecting now, you’re signing up for a series that still has plenty of story left to tell.
The Easiest Way to Start Collecting Black Summoner
If you’re ready to jump in, you’ve got two main format paths as an English reader: digital and print.
Digital Editions
Digital volumes are generally your fastest and most affordable entry point. They tend to become available before their print counterparts, so if you want to stay as current as possible with the English release, digital is the way to go. You can find digital volumes through major manga retailers and reading apps — check wherever you normally buy digital manga. They’re also easier on the wallet, which matters when you’re looking at a series that already has 21 volumes and counting.
Print Editions
Print editions arrived later in the series’ English life. If you’re a shelf collector who wants physical books lined up on display, print is the way to go — but you’ll want to double-check availability for each volume at major manga retailers before assuming you can grab a physical copy. “Digital-first” means a volume releases digitally before a print edition follows (if one comes at all), and some volumes in the English run may be digital-first or digital-only, so it’s worth confirming format before you order.
A Practical Approach
If you’re new to the series and budget-conscious, here’s a strategy that works well: start digital to see if the series clicks for you, then pick up print copies of your favorite volumes (or the full run) once you know you’re committed. Already a fan from the anime or light novels? Then you likely know what you’re getting into and can jump straight into your preferred format.
There are no box sets — bundled multi-volume collections sold together — for Black Summoner at this time, and none have been announced. Individual volumes are your standard purchase path either way.
This approach saves newcomers from buying a big stack of volumes only to discover the series isn’t their thing three books in.
English Volume Guide — Key Volumes to Know
Black Summoner follows a continuous narrative, so this isn’t a series where you can hop in at a random volume and follow along. That said, here’s a rough sense of what you’re getting into at different points in the story.
Volume 1 — Where It All Begins
This is your essential starting point. Kelvin, the series’ main character, wakes up in a new world having struck an unusual bargain: he traded away all of his memories in exchange for maximum abilities as a summoner — someone who can call forth powerful beings to fight alongside them. It’s a classic isekai setup with a twist — the protagonist doesn’t remember who he was, and he’s extremely powerful right from the start. Volume 1 establishes the world, the summoning system (the rules and mechanics of how Kelvin calls forth and contracts with other beings), and Kelvin’s personality as someone who’s less interested in figuring out his past and more interested in finding strong things to fight.
If the premise of “ridiculously strong summoner who loves battle” sounds fun to you, this volume will tell you whether to keep going.
Volumes 2–3 — Building the Party
This is the party-building stretch — “party” meaning the group of allies and companions Kelvin assembles around himself. It’s where Black Summoner starts to differentiate itself from other isekai series. Kelvin contracts his first major summons and begins establishing himself as an adventurer. The appeal here is watching the roster grow — each new summon brings different abilities and personality dynamics to the group. If you enjoy the “collecting allies” aspect of fantasy stories, these volumes deliver.
Volumes 4–6 — The Series Hits Its Stride
Stakes escalate significantly in this stretch. Demon lord conflicts — battles against the most powerful evil rulers in the fantasy world — enter the picture, fights get larger in scale, and the series shifts from “adventurer doing quests” to something with much bigger consequences. Many readers point to this range as where Black Summoner really finds its groove. The action gets more ambitious, and Kelvin’s formidable abilities get put to more interesting tests.
Beyond Volume 6
The pattern continues: escalating summoner battles, party expansion, and increasingly powerful opponents. Each story arc — a self-contained storyline within the larger series — builds on the last, introducing new threats and new summons that keep the formula fresh. The series maintains its action-heavy identity throughout, so if you’re enjoying it by Volume 6, you’ll likely stay hooked.
The key takeaway: read these in order. Plot threads, character relationships, and the way characters grow stronger over time all carry forward. Skipping volumes will leave you confused.
Mind the Gap — JP vs English Release Lag
This is something every Black Summoner collector should understand before committing:
| Japanese | English | |
|---|---|---|
| Volumes available | 25 | 21 |
| Gap | — | 4 volumes behind |
| Status | Ongoing | Ongoing (trailing) |
| Latest release | Vol. 25 | Vol. 21 |
That gap of four volumes means there’s a substantial amount of story that Japanese readers have access to that English readers don’t — yet. The English release is actively ongoing and working to close that distance, but full parity is a long way off.
A few practical things to keep in mind:
- Release cadence matters. New English volumes have been coming out on a regular schedule, but the Japanese side continues releasing new volumes too, so the gap doesn’t shrink as fast as you might hope.
- Format availability for recent volumes. Before ordering the latest English volumes, check whether they’re available in your preferred format at your usual retailer. Some of the more recent entries may be digital-first or digital-only, depending on publisher decisions.
- No spoiler-free zone. If you’re active in online manga communities, be aware that Japanese readers are well ahead. Spoilers for later story arcs are out there.
- Simultaneous releases aren’t happening here. Some manga series release in Japanese and English on the same day — that’s not the case with Black Summoner. English volumes arrive months after their Japanese counterparts.
For most collectors, the gap isn’t a dealbreaker — it’s just something to be aware of so you can set expectations.
Is Black Summoner Finished? What Collectors Should Know
No, Black Summoner is not finished. The manga is ongoing in Japan with no announced end in sight.
Here’s what that means for you as a collector:
- Your collection will not stay “complete.” New Japanese volumes have been releasing regularly — the pace has been roughly every few months in recent years. English volumes will continue to follow on their own schedule, maintaining the trailing gap behind the Japanese run.
- Plan your shelf space. With 25 Japanese volumes and counting, this series has room to grow well beyond its current size. If you’re a physical collector, leave some extra room on that shelf.
- The story isn’t wrapping up soon. There’s no indication from the publisher or creators that the manga is approaching its conclusion. The source light novel material continues as well, giving the manga plenty of story to adapt.
If you prefer to collect completed series — where you know exactly how many volumes you’ll need and can read the whole story start to finish — Black Summoner isn’t there yet. That’s not necessarily a downside (plenty of readers enjoy following an ongoing series), but it’s worth knowing upfront.
The latest English volume available is Vol. 21, and you can pick it up to stay current with the English release.
Black Summoner (Manga) Volume 21
Who Should Collect Black Summoner?
Let’s be straightforward about who this series is for — and who might want to look elsewhere.
You’ll Love It If…
- You enjoy isekai summoner or tamer fantasy. This is the genre at its most straightforward: a protagonist transported to another world who collects powerful beings and fights increasingly dangerous enemies. If “assembling a team of summoned creatures and battling your way up” sounds like a good time, Black Summoner delivers exactly that.
- You like long-running, action-heavy series. At 21 English volumes with more on the way, there’s already a ton of content here. The action doesn’t slow down — it escalates.
- Party-building is your thing. Watching Kelvin assemble and power up his team of summons is one of the series’ core pleasures. Each new addition changes the group dynamic and combat options.
- You came from the anime and want more. The 2022 anime covers only a portion of the story. The manga goes well beyond where the anime left off, giving you a lot more material to enjoy.
- You don’t mind collecting an ongoing series. If you’re comfortable buying volumes as they release and waiting for more, Black Summoner rewards that patience with consistent quality.
Maybe Hold Off If…
- You want a completed series with a defined ending. Not there yet, and won’t be for a while.
- Action-heavy isekai isn’t your genre. Black Summoner knows what it is and leans into it. If you’re looking for slow-burn character drama or stories that play against genre expectations, this probably isn’t the pick.
- You need the entire story available in English right now. The series is still ongoing, so you’ll eventually hit the current English endpoint (Vol. 21 as of this writing) and have to wait.
At 21 English volumes, there’s already a substantial collection of Black Summoner manga volumes to enjoy. That’s a lot of summoner battles, party growth, and isekai adventure — more than enough to know whether this series has earned a permanent spot on your shelf.