Categories Women's magazine Publisher Magazine House Ltd. Country Japan | Frequency Weekly First issue 20 March 1970 Based in Tokyo | |
an an is a weekly Japanese women's lifestyle magazine. It is one of the earliest and popular women's magazines in Japan. In 2009 it was described by Japan Today as mega-popular women's magazine. It is also one of the best-selling women's magazines in the country.
Contents
History and profile
The magazine was started as a sister publication of French magazine Elle and was named as Elle Japon. The first issue of the magazine was published on 20 March 1970. The magazine was renamed as an an in 1982, which was the name of a panda bear. Its content was also changed to reflect the trends of Japanese women and their self-identity.
At the end of the 1990s an an was published biweekly. The magazine has its headquarters in Tokyo and is published on a weekly basis on Tuesdays. The publisher is Magazine House Ltd., a Tokyo based publishing company. The company, which is also the founder of the magazine, was formerly named Heibun Shuppan. Its target audience is women aged between 20 and 24 year-old. The magazine has two versions, a regular one and a cheaper one.
Like other young women's magazines in Japan an an frequently features articles on fashion, cosmetics and relationships. On the other hand, it emphasizes on the visual aspect and advertisements rather than text. Celebrities, including Jang Geun Suk, have appeared on its covers. However, instead of focusing on gossip, an an and another women's magazine Non-no provide their readers with materials with the aim of developing their self-identity. In addition, since its inception an an was instrumental in changing attitudes of young Japanese women as well as in reinforcing new and subversive identities. In 1984 it began to publish annual sex special issue. Its April 1989 cover read "Become Beautiful through Sex" (sekkusu de kirei ni naru).
In 1976 the male version of an an, Popeye magazine, was started.
an an celebrated its 2,000 issues publication with an exhibition at Tokyo Metro Omotesando station between 11 April and 17 April 2016.
Circulation
The circulation of an an was between 540,000 copies and 720,000 copies in the period of 1970 and 2009. In the mid 1990s the magazine sold 650,000 copies. In 2006 the magazine sold 280,683 copies.