Honsama

What's in the box: Three new Volume 1 manga in official English editions: one voted in by subscribers, one community favorite and one staff wild card.

Honsama is a manga subscription built entirely around first volumes. Each month you get three brand-new Volume 1s in official English editions, so the box is a way to sample new series rather than keep up with ones you already read. Each of the three slots has a purpose. Subscribers vote one title in from a ballot of new releases. The second is a series the manga community was already discussing before it reached print. The third is a staff pick meant to surface something you might not find on your own. If the voted title is not to your taste, you can swap it for free once a month. The three book plan costs $41.99 with shipping included, and a two book plan costs $31.99. Free shipping covers the lower 48 states; the site does not detail shipping elsewhere. Boxes ship on the 1st, and you can skip, pause or cancel from your account. Add-ons are 15% off, and new subscribers can add one extra Volume 1 to their first box for $1. A browsable catalogue with a short staff note on every series helps you judge their taste. The catch is the format: you only ever get first volumes, so continuing any series means buying later volumes yourself.