Good news: the Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? manga reading order is one of the simplest you’ll find. Often shortened to DanMachi, this is a completed series with 10 volumes, published in English by Yen Press (a company that translates and releases manga and other Japanese works for English-speaking readers). You read them straight through from 1 to 10. No branching paths, no alternate editions to worry about, no “which timeline do I follow?” confusion.
Below, you’ll find the full volume breakdown, how the spinoffs and sequel manga connect, and what to know if you’re coming from the anime.
DanMachi Manga Reading Order: Start at Volume 1, Finish at Volume 10
Here’s the short version: pick up Volume 1 and read sequentially through Volume 10. That’s it. That’s the reading order.
The manga is based on the light novel by Fujino Omori — a light novel is a type of short Japanese novel, usually illustrated, that often serves as the original source material for manga and anime adaptations. The manga features art by Kunieda and character designs by Suzuhito Yasuda. It adapts the early portion of the DanMachi story — young adventurer Bell Cranel’s journey through the Dungeon, his growth as a fighter, and the bonds he forms with the goddess Hestia and the other characters in the city of Orario.
A few things to know upfront:
- This is the first (main) DanMachi manga series — you may see fans refer to it as the “main” or “home” series to distinguish it from the spinoff manga that focus on different characters
- It ran for 86 chapters, which the series labels “Steps” (just a stylistic name for chapters — nothing changes about how you read them), across 10 volumes
- The series is completed — the final English volume released on January 22, 2019
- Spinoff manga (separate but related stories set in the same world) and a successor manga exist separately, covered further down
If you’re new to DanMachi and want a manga-first experience, this 10-volume run is your starting point.
Which Edition Should You Buy?
This is refreshingly simple. There is only one English edition: the Yen Press release, available in both print and digital formats. There are no omnibus editions (collected volumes that bundle multiple books into one), no deluxe hardcovers, and no box sets to hunt down.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Yen Press |
| Volumes | 10 |
| Format | Print and digital |
| Rating | OT (Older Teen) — suitable for older teens and up; contains action violence and some suggestive content |
| Status | Completed — all volumes available |
Your only real decision is print vs. digital:
- Print is great if you like having manga on your shelf and enjoy Kunieda’s artwork on physical pages. Since all 10 volumes are already out, you can collect them at your own pace without waiting for new releases.
- Digital works well for reading through the whole series quickly. All 10 volumes are available immediately, and you won’t need any shelf space.
Either way, you’re getting the same content. Pick whichever format suits you better.
Complete Volume-by-Volume Reading Order
The DanMachi manga is completely linear. You read Volume 1 first and Volume 10 last. There are no side volumes to slot in, no “.5” extras, and no reordering tricks. Here’s how the story flows across the full run:
Volumes 1–3: Bell’s Humble Beginnings
The series opens with Bell Cranel as a rookie adventurer — the sole member of the tiny Hestia Familia. In this world, a Familia is a group of adventurers who serve under a specific god or goddess, and that deity grants them supernatural abilities. Bell’s Familia is tiny — just him and the goddess Hestia. He’s weak, earnest, and way in over his head in the Dungeon beneath Orario. These early volumes establish how the world works: adventurers have measurable stats and levels (think of it like a video game’s character progression, but built into the story’s universe), and the gods who lead each Familia play a direct role in their members’ growth. Bell’s encounters in the Dungeon’s upper floors set the tone — dangerous monsters, narrow escapes, and the first sparks of his rapid growth. You’ll also get to know Hestia, whose fierce devotion to Bell is one of the series’ defining dynamics.
Volumes 4–6: Rising Stakes
Bell starts gaining attention — from allies and rivals alike. The middle stretch of the manga raises the difficulty of the Dungeon encounters and broadens the cast. New characters from other Familias come into focus, and Bell faces challenges that test more than just his combat ability. The story builds momentum here as Bell’s reputation grows and the stakes in the Dungeon climb higher. Kunieda’s art really shines during the action sequences in these volumes, capturing the frantic energy of Dungeon battles.
Volumes 7–10: The Final Stretch
The back half of the manga brings Bell’s early story to a satisfying close. Without spoiling specifics, the threats he faces become genuinely formidable, and the emotional weight of his relationships — with Hestia, with fellow adventurers, and even with the monsters of the Dungeon — pays off in meaningful ways. Volume 10 wraps up the storylines this manga adaptation set out to tell.
The full 10 volumes contain 86 Steps (chapters), and the pacing is steady throughout. There’s no filler to skip and no volumes you can safely ignore.
Volume 10 is the final volume and brings this manga series to its conclusion.
is it wrong to try to pick up girls in a dungeon, Vol. 10 (final volume)
Where Do the Spinoffs and Sequel Manga Fit?
The DanMachi world extends well beyond the main 10-volume manga. A spinoff is a separate series set in the same world but telling a different story or following different characters — it’s related to the main series but not a direct continuation. Here’s a quick breakdown of the related works:
Sword Oratoria
This spinoff series follows a different group of characters in Orario — specifically, members of a more powerful Familia than Bell’s — as they tackle their own Dungeon challenges and storylines. It’s a related but separate manga that can be read alongside the main series or after finishing it. If you want the cleanest experience, finish the main manga’s 10 volumes first so you have full context for the world and its characters before seeing them from a different angle. Sword Oratoria is also published in English by Yen Press.
Familia Chronicle
These are standalone side stories from the broader DanMachi world. They focus on specific characters and scenarios rather than continuing Bell’s journey. Think of them as bonus content for fans who want more time in Orario.
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? II
This is a successor manga that continues the story beyond where the first manga ends. If you finish Volume 10 and want to keep reading Bell’s adventures in manga form, this is where you’d go next. It is also published in English by Yen Press.
Recommended Approach
Finish the main manga (Volumes 1–10) before branching out. The spinoffs and sequel assume you already know the core story, characters, and world. Jumping into Sword Oratoria or the successor manga without that foundation would mean missing important context.
Anime vs. Manga — How the DanMachi Watch Order Connects
The DanMachi anime has run through multiple seasons — the TV series has aired through Season 5 (15 episodes in that season). Here’s the key thing to understand: the anime adapts the light novel, not the manga directly.
This means:
- The anime and manga tell overlapping parts of the same story, but they’re based on different source versions. The anime follows Fujino Omori’s light novels as source material, while the manga is Kunieda’s visual adaptation of that same source.
- The manga covers a portion of the broader story told across the novels and anime. The light novels go significantly further than the 10-volume manga does.
- There is no clean one-to-one mapping between anime episodes and manga volumes. Don’t try to match them up chapter by chapter — the pacing, scene selection, and emphasis differ between the two adaptations.
Coming From the Anime?
If you’ve watched the anime and want to try the manga, you’ll be re-covering familiar story ground — Bell’s early adventures in the Dungeon, his relationship with Hestia, and his growth as an adventurer. What the manga offers is Kunieda’s visual interpretation of those events. The art style gives the action and character moments a different flavor than the anime’s animation, and some readers prefer the manga’s pacing where you can linger on individual illustrated panels and take in the details at your own speed.
Just know that the manga won’t take you further into the story than the anime does. For that, you’d want the light novels.
What New Readers Should Know
The length is very manageable. At only 10 volumes, DanMachi is one of the most approachable manga to collect if you’re interested in dungeon fantasy — stories where characters explore dangerous underground labyrinths full of monsters, gaining power and uncovering mysteries as they descend deeper. You won’t need a dedicated shelf or a major financial commitment to own the complete series.
Start with the manga if you want a focused, art-driven take on Bell’s early story. Kunieda’s artwork gives the Dungeon exploration and character interactions a distinct visual identity. If you respond more to illustrated action than to prose or animation, this is a great entry point into DanMachi.
Consider the light novels for the full story. The manga adapts only part of Fujino Omori’s larger narrative. If you finish Volume 10 and want to know what happens next — and the successor manga or anime aren’t enough — the light novels are where the original, most complete version of the story lives.
Digital works well for a quick read-through. Since all 10 volumes are available right now, you can grab them digitally and read the entire series in a weekend. No waiting, no tracking release dates.
About the OT (Older Teen) rating: Yen Press rates this series OT, meaning the content includes action violence and some suggestive or fan-service elements — fan-service refers to scenes included mainly for visual appeal, such as revealing outfits or exaggerated character poses, rather than for story purposes. The rating means the series is aimed at older teens and up.
Start Here — The Best Way to Read the Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Manga Today
Here’s your game plan:
- Buy the Yen Press edition — it’s the only English release, so no decision paralysis here
- Read Volumes 1 through 10 in order — print or digital, whichever you prefer
- After finishing, branch out into Sword Oratoria or the DanMachi II successor manga if you want more
The completed status of this series is genuinely one of its biggest selling points. You can start reading today knowing the full story is already there waiting for you. No cliffhangers left unresolved, no indefinite hiatuses, no wondering if the next volume will ever come out. Just 10 volumes of dungeon fantasy adventure from start to finish.
For a series with as many anime seasons, light novels, and spinoffs as DanMachi has, this manga is a surprisingly neat and tidy package. It’s a great way to experience Bell Cranel’s early adventures — and if you get hooked on the world, there’s a whole lot more waiting for you on the other side of Volume 10.