How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift? Manga Editions

Shopping for How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift? manga editions can feel straightforward once you know the layout — but that simplicity hides a few traps that catch new buyers off guard. Let’s walk through every edition that exists, how to budget for the full run, and the mistakes that cost people money.

The Simplest Way to Collect How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift?

Here’s the short version: there is one English print edition, published by Seven Seas Entertainment. No omnibus (a collected volume that bundles multiple books into one). No deluxe hardcover. No box set. That’s it.

As of the most recent release (April 2026), 20 volumes are out in English, and the series is still ongoing in Japan. That means more volumes are coming — the Japanese Volume 21 is already announced for December 2026.

For budget-minded readers, this actually simplifies things. You’re not comparing formats or wondering whether to wait for a collected edition. The only variables are where you buy and when you buy. The format decision has already been made for you.

On the Japanese side, Shogakukan publishes both a standard print volume and a digital edition under its Ura Shonen Sunday Comics imprint — one of Shogakukan’s manga publishing labels. But for English readers, Seven Seas offers print only — so if you’re reading in English, physical copies are your path.

What Manga Editions Actually Exist — Japanese and English

English Edition

• Publisher: Seven Seas Entertainment
• Format: Single-volume print manga (each book contains one volume’s worth of chapters — you buy them individually, numbered in order)
• Volumes available: 20
• Age rating: 16 Years
• Alternative formats (omnibus, deluxe, box set): None released

Each English volume corresponds to one Japanese volume, so the numbering is straightforward — Volume 1 through Volume 20, read in order.

Japanese Edition

• Publisher: Shogakukan
• Imprint: Ura Shonen Sunday Comics
• Originally published in: Manga ONE / Ura Sunday (digital manga apps where chapters are released individually before being collected into book-form volumes)
• Format: Print volume and digital
• Volumes available: 20 (with Volume 21 announced for 2026-12-22)

The Japanese edition has a digital option, which is worth noting if you read Japanese. English readers don’t have that option — as of April 2026, no English digital edition of this manga has been released.

Quick Edition Comparison

Detail	English Edition	Japanese Edition
Publisher	Seven Seas Entertainment	Shogakukan
Print volumes	20	20 (Vol 21 announced)
Digital available	No	Yes
Omnibus / deluxe	No	No
Box set	No	No

The series was written by Yabako Sandrovich and illustrated by MAAM. Sandrovich is also known for writing Kengan Ashura, a popular fighting manga — the two series share some characters and exist in the same fictional universe. The combination of fitness comedy and easygoing, everyday-life charm has given this manga a unique niche that keeps it in steady demand.

Budget Plans for a 20-Volume Series

Twenty volumes is a mid-sized collection. Not as daunting as a 40+ volume series, but enough that the total cost adds up. Seven Seas volumes for this series carry a list price around the standard range for single-volume manga, so a full 20-volume set at retail typically lands in the ballpark of a few hundred dollars. Here are three approaches depending on your priorities.

The Cheapest Build

If your goal is spending as little as possible, used copies are your best friend.

• Buy secondhand singles. A 20-volume series with steady print runs means used copies circulate regularly on secondhand marketplaces. Look for sellers offering multiple volumes together — bundle sales where someone is offloading a chunk of their collection can save you a meaningful amount compared to buying each volume individually.
• Watch for major seasonal sales at online bookstores. Manga often gets marked down during big retail sale periods, and a 20-volume buy amplifies those savings.
• Be patient with gaps. If you find volumes 1–14 in a bundle but are missing 15–18, hold off. Those gaps tend to fill themselves over time as more used copies enter circulation.

The trade-off: condition varies, and you might wait weeks or months to complete the set.

The Balanced Approach

Want new copies without breaking the bank? Spread the cost.

• Buy in batches of 3–5 volumes rather than all 20 at once. This makes the expense manageable across a few months while still giving you enough reading material between purchases.
• Pre-order upcoming volumes. Since the series is ongoing, future volumes will keep releasing. Pre-ordering — placing your order before the release date — from major retailers often locks in a favorable price compared to buying after release.
• Seven Seas volumes are generally priced accessibly compared to premium manga publishers, so a new-copy collection of this series is more affordable than it might be for a deluxe-format title.

This is the approach that works for most readers — you get clean, new books on your shelf without a single massive purchase.

The Collector Build

If you want to go beyond just reading the story:

• First-print English copies of early volumes may hold some interest for collectors as the series continues, though this is speculative — there’s no guarantee early prints will appreciate in value. The manga’s connection to the Kengan Ashura universe (through shared characters and setting) gives it crossover appeal among fans of both series, which could be a factor over time.
• Pair English and Japanese volumes if you’re interested in comparing the two editions side by side. The Japanese print editions have their own cover art variations, and since both are affordably priced, doubling up doesn’t cost what it would for a premium-format series.
• Keep volumes in good condition from the start. Store them upright on a shelf without overcrowding to preserve spine quality — important if you ever want to resell or trade.

Where to Find Deals on This Series

With only one English edition and no format alternatives, deal-hunting comes down to seller choice and timing rather than format comparison. Here’s where to focus:

Used marketplaces are your strongest tool. For a 20-volume single-format series, the used market almost always offers the best value. Look specifically for bundle sales — someone selling volumes 1–10 or 1–15 together will nearly always price them lower per volume than individual listings.

Retailer membership or subscription discounts matter more when you’re buying 20 volumes. Even a small per-volume discount compounds across the full set. If you regularly buy manga, a membership that offers a percentage off books can pay for itself with a purchase like this.

New volume releases sometimes trigger deals on earlier volumes. When a publisher releases a new volume, retailers occasionally discount earlier entries in the same series to encourage catch-up purchases. Keep an eye on pricing around new release dates.

There are no format-comparison savings here. With some manga, you can save money by choosing an omnibus over singles or a box set over individual volumes. That option doesn’t exist for this series — every English copy is the same Seven Seas single-volume edition. All your savings come from where and when you buy.

You can pick up Volume 1 to get started and see how the edition looks and feels for yourself.

Buying Mistakes to Avoid

A single-edition series sounds foolproof, but people still trip up. Here are the most common mistakes:

Waiting for an omnibus or box set that doesn’t exist. This is the biggest one. Some readers hold off for months expecting Seven Seas to announce a collected edition or box set. As of this writing, no alternative format has been announced. If you want to read this manga in English, the single-volume print edition is your only option. Waiting for something unannounced just delays your reading.

Confusing the Japanese digital edition with an English digital release. The Japanese edition has a digital version through Shogakukan, but that doesn’t mean an English digital version exists. If you see a digital listing, double-check the language — it may be the Japanese digital edition, not an English translation.

Accidentally buying Japanese volumes. The cover art between the Japanese and English editions can look similar at a glance. Always check the publisher name before purchasing — look at the copyright page or the product listing details. Seven Seas Entertainment means English. Shogakukan means Japanese. You can also check the ISBN (the unique product number printed on the back cover near the barcode) to confirm which edition you’re getting.

Overpaying for in-print volumes. This series is ongoing and in active production. There’s no scarcity driving prices up — if you see a Volume 3 listed at double or triple the typical retail price, that’s a seller taking advantage of uninformed buyers. Check the publisher’s catalog to confirm the volume is still in print before paying a premium.

Forgetting to budget for future volumes. With 20 volumes out and the series ongoing in Japan (Volume 21 is already announced), more English releases are coming. If you’re budgeting for the “complete” set, build in room for at least a few more volumes. The series hasn’t ended yet.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many volumes of How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift? are there in English?

There are 20 volumes available in English from Seven Seas Entertainment as of the most recent release in April 2026.

Is the manga finished?

No. The series is ongoing in Japan. Volume 21 of the Japanese edition has been announced for December 2026, and more volumes are expected to follow.

Who publishes the English edition?

Seven Seas Entertainment publishes the English print edition. There is no other licensed English publisher for this series.

Is there an anime adaptation?

Yes — a TV anime series aired starting in July 2019. It covers early material from the manga and can serve as a preview of the story’s tone and characters if you’re deciding whether to commit to the volumes.

Who created the manga?

The series is written by Yabako Sandrovich and illustrated by MAAM. Sandrovich is also known for writing the Kengan Ashura fighting manga series.

Do I need to read the manga in order?

The reading order is straightforward: Volume 1 through Volume 20. Each chapter builds on recurring characters and jokes that develop over time, so reading in sequence gives you the best experience. There are no separate side-story volumes that require a special reading order.

Is there a digital English edition?

No. As of April 2026, no English digital edition has been released. The Japanese edition has a digital version, but English readers are limited to the print volumes from Seven Seas.