Used as a loanword in English, the term specifically refers to a printed collection of a manga that was previously published in a serialized format.
Manga tankōbon typically contain a handful of chapters, and may collect multiple volumes as a series continues publication.
These anthologies often have hundreds of pages and dozens of individual series by multiple authors.
Since the 1930s, though, comic strips had been compiled into tankōbon collecting multiple installments from a single series and reprinting them in a roughly paperback-sized volume on higher quality paper than in the original magazine printing.
Aizōban are generally printed in a limited run, thereby increasing the value and collectability of those few copies made.
"luxury favorite edition") is another term occasionally used to designate a type of special release.
"perfect complete edition") is yet another term sometimes used to denote a type of special release.
A kanzenban release is generally A5 size (148 mm × 210 mm, 5.8 in × 8.3 in) and will typically reproduce individual chapter covers, colour pages, and side-stories from its original magazine run, features that are often omitted or converted to grayscale in standard tankōbon releases.
For example, in 2002, Sailor Moon was re-edited; some pages were completely redrawn, and most dialogues were rewritten by the author.
[citation needed] A wide-ban or waidoban (ワイド版) edition is larger (A5 size) than a regular tankōbon.