Manga Mystery Coloring Book Volume 2 (William Bal, Hachette Heroes) : My review

Technical specs

Before my impressions, here's the essential at a glance:

• Publisher: Hachette Heroes
• Illustrator: William Bal
• Number of designs: 100
• Number of pages: 128
• Difficulty: Easy
• Paper: Premium
• Print: Both sides (front and back)
• Format: 21.5 x 1.4 x 30 cm (A4 format)
• Release date: July 1, 2026

What I loved

1. The artwork is really pretty. If you're a fan of the manga style, you're in for a treat. The illustrations have character, you can feel William Bal's line work, and 100 different designs give you plenty to do. It's the kind of volume you want to flip through entirely before even grabbing your pencils.

2. It's nicely detailed. The designs aren't rushed, there's real work in the backgrounds and the characters. That gives you rich colorings where you can truly take your time and unwind.

3. There are double-page colorings. Some designs spread across two pages, giving you large illustrations that are really satisfying to color. It's a genuine plus if you enjoy slightly ambitious projects.

What disappointed me a bit

1. The color codes are sometimes hard to read. On some zones that are too small, the color code number isn't visible enough and you have to literally guess which color to use. It's the annoying little detail when you want to be precise, especially on tight areas.

2. The white zones aren't solid. The lines stay visible in the areas meant to be left white. As a result, you'll need a good opaque white marker to go over them and get a truly clean finish. Plan for it if you want a flawless result.

3. The double-sided printing rules out alcohol markers. This is the big downside for alcohol marker lovers (Copic, Promarker, and so on). On this book they'll bleed through the page and ruin the design on the back. You'll need to switch to colored pencils or acrylic markers, which don't soak through.

Worth noting (neither positive nor negative)

1. Several colorings are in black / grey / white. Some of the designs work only with shades of black, grey and white. So a few will only require 2 colors (a black and a grey), while others go up to 27 colors. Depending on your mood, that can be relaxing or a little frustrating if you were after full-on color. On average, still count on fewer than 10 colors per design.

2. An "Easy" level to put in perspective. It's labeled Easy, and it is in terms of the number of colors. But watch out: there are tons of lines running all over the designs, and some zones are deceptive. So you won't get bored, and you'll need to stay focused not to mix up a zone. And honestly, that little trap is exactly what makes mystery coloring so fun!

Preview of solution pages

Here are two pages from the solutions section of the book, to show you what the final result of the designs looks like:

My personal take

This volume is really great for manga fans. Since some designs only require 2 colors (black and grey for the black & white illustrations) and others up to 27, but you'll need fewer than 10 colors per design on average, it's an excellent choice if you want to start with a book that doesn't demand too many shades, and refine later once you buy a fuller set of pencils or markers.

That said, be careful: despite the small number of colors it sometimes asks for, it stays easy but not that simple, because there really are lots of lines running everywhere across the designs and the zones can be deceptive. But honestly, that's exactly what makes mystery coloring fun!

My only real regret: I would have preferred William Bal to release this volume as two books of 50 designs, so we'd only have single-sided pages. Because personally, I love doing manga with alcohol markers, and here the double-sided printing rules that out. But it won't stop me from enjoying coloring them with colored pencils or acrylic markers.

What materials to use with this book?

Given the double-sided printing, forget alcohol markers (they bleed through). You're left with two excellent options that work perfectly: acrylic markers and colored pencils. Also consider a good opaque white marker to cover the lines in the areas meant to stay white.

If you want markers (acrylic only, no alcohol)

Acrylic markers dry on the surface, don't soak through the paper, and give a clean, opaque finish. This is the ideal marker option for this double-sided book.

• Tooli-Art (acrylic): my reference for value for money, with 0.7 mm to 3 mm tips that handle both details and large zones. My full review of the Tooli-Art markers.

If you prefer colored pencils

Colored pencils are perfect for this book, especially for the many grey shades of the black & white designs and for a soft, even finish.

• Faber-Castell Polychromos (premium): my favorites, pencils that truly last with a gorgeous range of shades, ideal for manga gradients. My detailed review of the Polychromos with photos.

Who is this book for?

Here's who I recommend this volume to in particular:

• Manga fans, obviously, because the style and illustrations are really well done.
• Beginners who want a book that requires few colors, to get started without investing in a huge palette.
• Those who love large formats, thanks to the double-page colorings.
• Colored pencil and acrylic marker users, since those are the perfect tools for the double-sided printing.

On the other hand, if you swear only by alcohol markers, the double-sided printing may frustrate you: you'll have to limit yourself to one page out of two, or switch materials for this particular book.

Conclusion

The Manga Mystery Coloring Book Volume 2 by William Bal at Hachette Heroes is a very good volume for manga lovers. The artwork is pretty and detailed, the double pages are a real plus, and the moderate number of colors makes it an excellent book to start with. The only downsides: color codes that are sometimes hard to read on small zones, white areas to go over with a white marker, and the double-sided printing that rules out alcohol markers. Nothing dealbreaking if you go with pencils or acrylics.

While you wait for your book, you can also try my free printable pixel mystery colorings, or color directly online in the PixelSecret gallery.