In an image forming apparatus having at least one single electrostatic latent image bearing member and a plurality of image forming units each having a replenishing developer cartridge and a developing assembly, at least one of the image forming units is a special-color image forming unit having a special-color replenishing developer cartridge containing a special-color replenishing developer, and at least one of the other image forming unit is a non-special-color image forming unit having a non-special-color replenishing developer cartridge containing a non-special-color replenishing developer. The special-color replenishing developer cartridge has a volume larger than the volume of the non-special-color replenishing developer cartridge, and the special-color replenishing developer contains a toner and a carrier.