mangaya
Mangaya is a Dubai-based manga café and e-commerce retailer founded in 2023 that sells manga, trading card games, magazines, artbooks, figurines, and collectibles to anime, manga, and TCG enthusiasts across the UAE and GCC markets.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2023
- HeadquartersDubai, United Arab Emirates
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What mangaya does
Mangaya is a Dubai-based specialty retailer and community hub founded in 2023 that operates both a physical manga café in Al Garhoud and an e-commerce storefront at mangaya-uae.com. The company sells Japanese manga volumes across Shonen, Shoujo, Seinen, and Horror genres alongside Korean manhwa, light novels, Japanese magazines (Weekly Shonen Jump, Margaret, Sho-Comi, Nakayoshi, BE-LOVE, Newtype, Sunday GX), and artbooks. Its second core vertical is trading card games, stocking One Piece TCG, Weiss Schwarz, Union Arena, Gundam TCG, Detective Conan TCG, Dragon Ball Super Fusion World, and Pokémon products in both Japanese and English editions.
Complementing its core books and cards assortment, Mangaya carries collectible figurines (WCF series, Banpresto prize figures, DXF Grandline Children), model kits, blind-box plushies and figures, plus accessories such as bookmarks, posters, postcards, button pins, and stickers. Pricing is unit-based across all categories, displayed in AED and USD, with free domestic shipping on orders above AED 300 and a no-returns policy.
Mangaya positions itself as the first dedicated manga café in Dubai, combining an in-store reading and snacking experience with organized TCG tournaments and cosplay community events. The business is privately held with 2-10 employees, co-owned by Fatma Altamimi (store manager) and Michael Richard, and serves the UAE and GCC consumer market through both foot traffic and online sales with no disclosed B2B or enterprise contracts.
mangaya firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- mangaya
- Legal name
- Mangaya Establishment
- Website
- https://mangaya-uae.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2023
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Mangaya is a Dubai-based manga café and e-commerce retailer founded in 2023 that sells manga, trading card games, magazines, artbooks, figurines, and collectibles to anime, manga, and TCG enthusiasts across the UAE and GCC markets.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
mangaya industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Anime and Manga Retail
- NAICS
- Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912)
- SIC
- Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Comic Books, Graphic Novels & Manga Retail (CRALAAAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Collectible Card Games (CCG/TCG) Retail (CRALAGAC), Collectibles, Trading Cards & Blind Box Toys Retail (CRALAFAI), Non-Sports Trading Cards Retail (TCG/Entertainment) (CRALAGAB), Hobby Games & Miniatures Retail (Tabletop RPGs, Wargaming) (CRALAFAH)
Keywords
Where mangaya is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dubai
- HQ country
- United Arab Emirates
- HQ region
- Middle East
Offices1 record
Markets served
mangaya business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Product Sales - Manga & Comics: Sale of manga volumes across various genres including Shonen, Shoujo, Seinen, and Horror, as well as Manhwa (Korean comics) and novels.
- Trading Card Game (TCG) Products: Sale of TCG products including One Piece TCG, Weiss Schwarz, Union Arena, Gundam TCG, Pokémon, Detective Conan TCG, and other card game products.
- Collectibles and Merchandise: Sale of figurines, model kits, blind boxes, plushies, posters, bookmarks, stickers, and other anime/manga merchandise.
- Magazines and Artbooks: Sale of Japanese magazines (Margaret, Nakayoshi, Sho-Comi, Weekly Shonen Jump, etc.) and artbooks featuring anime and manga content.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Manga volumes typically priced 40-60 AED (~$11-16) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | TCG products range from ~10-420 AED |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Figurines and collectibles from ~15-145 AED |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Magazines from ~15-150 AED |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
mangaya product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Mangaya operates a manga café and specialty retail business in Dubai that sells Japanese manga volumes, trading card games (One Piece TCG, Weiss Schwarz, Union Arena, Gundam TCG, Pokémon, Detective Conan TCG, etc.), Japanese manga magazines, artbooks, collectible figurines, model kits, blind boxes, manhwa, novels, plushies, and related anime merchandise. The business combines a physical café reading space and retail showroom with an online e-commerce store serving customers in the UAE and GCC countries, and it hosts community events such as TCG tournaments and cosplay gatherings.
Product overview
Mangaya is a Dubai-based manga café and e-commerce retailer offering a comprehensive selection of anime and manga products both online and at their physical store location. The product portfolio centers on manga comics (Shonen, Shoujo, Seinen, Horror genres) and trading card games (One Piece TCG, Weiss Schwarz, Union Arena, Gundam TCG, and others), complemented by magazines (Weekly Shonen Jump, Margaret, Sho-Comi), artbooks, figurines (WCF series, Banpresto prize figures), model kits, blind boxes, plushies, and various accessories like bookmarks, posters, postcards, button pins, and stickers. The company operates both as a physical manga café community hub and an online store, serving the UAE and GCC market with products available in Japanese and English languages.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Hosted One Piece card game tournament with approximately 27 participants
Companies that use mangaya
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
mangaya technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
mangaya partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
mangaya competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Right Stuf Anime (Crunchyroll Store): Online-first anime/manga/TCG/figurine retailer now integrated with Crunchyroll. Comparable because it sells overlapping manga, TCG, and anime merchandise assortments directly to consumers globally, including in regions where Mangaya competes.
- Mandarake: Japan-headquartered chain specializing in used and new manga, doujinshi, figurines, and TCG products. Comparable because Mandarake is the archetype manga/anime/TCG specialty retailer that Mangaya emulates at a smaller scale in the UAE.
- Forbidden Planet: Global chain of comic, manga, graphic novel, TCG, and pop-culture merchandise stores originating in the UK. Comparable because of its specialty manga/TCG/collectibles retail model that combines physical community spaces with broad product lines.
- Kinokuniya: International Japanese bookstore chain with substantial manga, light novel, magazine, and anime merchandise assortments. Comparable on manga/magazine retail and on having established Japanese-content distribution channels that Mangaya also relies on.
Others
- CDJapan: Japan-based online retailer of Japanese anime, manga, magazines, and TCG products shipped internationally. Comparable because it serves the same global Japanese-content buyer and competes for GCC-region manga/TCG demand that Mangaya also targets.
Direct peers
- Card Kingdom: Specialty TCG retailer (Magic, Pokémon, and other TCGs) operating online and via physical stores. Comparable because of the shared TCG-focused retail model with community/event-driven programming that Mangaya also pursues.
Emerging players
- BookWalker: Digital manga and light novel platform operated by Kadokawa. Not a direct physical retail peer, but adjacent because it serves the same manga/anime readership and represents the digital substitute that Mangaya's café-style reading experience must counter.
Regional players
- Game Over (UAE): Dubai-headquartered specialty retailer of video games, consoles, and gaming merchandise with both physical stores and online channels. Comparable because it overlaps on TCG-adjacent hobby/gaming product categories and shares the same UAE/GCC customer audience.
- Geekay Games: UAE-based retailer of video games, consoles, TCG, and gaming accessories with multiple physical stores. Comparable because it is the most direct MENA regional competitor selling overlapping TCG and pop-culture gaming merchandise into the same UAE consumer base.
- Toy Hunters (UAE): UAE-based specialty toy and collectibles retailer (action figures, Funko, anime merch). Comparable because it competes in the same UAE market for anime figurines, blind boxes, and collectible merchandise that form a meaningful slice of Mangaya's assortment.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
mangaya social profiles
Digital presencemangaya financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
mangaya leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
mangaya funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
mangaya M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about mangaya
What does mangaya do?
Mangaya operates a manga café and specialty retail business in Dubai that sells Japanese manga volumes, trading card games (One Piece TCG, Weiss Schwarz, Union Arena, Gundam TCG, Pokémon, Detective Conan TCG, etc.), Japanese manga magazines, artbooks, collectible figurines, model kits, blind boxes, manhwa, novels, plushies, and related anime merchandise. The business combines a physical café reading space and retail showroom with an online e-commerce store serving customers in the UAE and GCC countries, and it hosts community events such as TCG tournaments and cosplay gatherings.
Is mangaya a public or private company?
mangaya is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was mangaya founded?
mangaya was founded in 2023. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is mangaya based?
mangaya is headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in the Middle East region.
How does mangaya make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Product Sales - Manga & Comics are the primary driver. The others are trading Card Game (TCG) Products, collectibles and Merchandise and magazines and Artbooks.
Who are mangaya's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Right Stuf Anime (Crunchyroll Store), Mandarake, Forbidden Planet and Kinokuniya. CDJapan is listed as an others. Card Kingdom is listed as a direct peer. BookWalker is listed as an emerging player. Regional players are Game Over (UAE), Geekay Games and Toy Hunters (UAE).
Does mangaya have an API?
No public API is recorded for mangaya.
What industry is mangaya in?
mangaya's product category is Specialty Anime and Manga Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRALAAAF, Comic Books, Graphic Novels & Manga Retail, with a secondary code of CRALAGAC, Collectible Card Games (CCG/TCG) Retail. Its NAICS code is 45912 and its SIC code is 5945.