Girish Mahajan (Editor)

Weekly Shōnen Magazine

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Categories
  
Shōnen manga

Publisher
  
Kodansha

Frequency
  
Weekly

Country
  
Japan

Weekly Shōnen Magazine

Circulation
  
995,017 (July–September, 2016)

First issue
  
March 17, 1959; 58 years ago (1959-03-17)

Weekly Shōnen Magazine (Japanese: 週刊少年マガジン, Hepburn: Shūkan Shōnen Magajin) is a weekly shōnen manga anthology published in Japan by Kodansha, first published on March 17, 1959. Despite some unusual censorship policies (until just recently, it was one of the only shōnen magazines to forbid the depiction of female nipples), it's mainly read by an older audience, with a large portion of its readership falling under the male high school or college student demographic. According to circulation figures accumulated by the Japanese Magazine Publishers Association, circulation of the magazine has dropped in every quarter since records were first collected in April–June, 2008. This is however, not an isolated occurrence as digital media continues to be on the rise.

Contents

Reception

The Weekly Shōnen Magazine achieved success in the 1970s and subsequently had increased sales. As a result, it became the top selling manga magazine in Japan of its period, appearing popular amongst many otaku. But the position was later occupied by Weekly Shōnen Jump, when this competitor was born in 1968, knocking Shonen Magazine off the top spot. Shōnen Jump had now begun to circulate and dominate the manga magazine market. This began from the 1970s and continued throughout the 1990s, largely owed to Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball. In the middle of the 1990s, Shōnen Jump suffered the loss of Dragon Ball, as the franchise had come to an end in 1996, and thus lost much of its readership. Shōnen Magazine had now made a comeback in October 1997, regaining its original position as the top selling manga magazine of its day until this was brokered in 2002. Currently, the two magazines have competed closely in terms of market circulation. Sales of the two magazines now remain very close. Circulation has dropped below two million. In a rare event due to the closeness of the two magazine's founding dates, Weekly Shōnen Magazine and Weekly Shōnen Sunday released a special combined issue on March 19, 2008. In addition, other commemorative events, merchandise, and manga crossovers were planned for the following year as part of the celebrations. Others include Shōnen Magazine, published by Kobunsha of the same Kodansha group. Shōnen Magazine famously serialized Tetsujin 28-go, the first anime Mecha from July 1956 to May 1966.

Currently running manga series

There are currently 22 manga titles being serialized in Weekly Shōnen Magazine.

Series in Shōnen Magazine

  • Notable works in Bold
  • 1950s

  • GeGeGe no Kitarō (1959-1969, Shigeru Mizuki)
  • 1960s

  • Chikai no Makyū (1961-1962, Tetsuya Chiba, Kazuya Fukumoto)
  • Rainbow Sentai Robin (1963, Shotaro Ishinomori)
  • Eightman (1963–1966, Kazumasa Hirai, Jiro Kuwata)
  • Shiden-kai no Taka (1963–1965, Tetsuya Chiba)
  • W3 (1965)
  • Haris no Kaze (1965-1967, Tetsuya Chiba)
  • Cyborg 009 (1966, Shotaro Ishinomori) *only episode 2
  • Kyojin no Hoshi (1966–1971, Ikki Kajiwara, Noboru Kawasaki)
  • Tensai Bakabon (1967–1976, Fujio Akatsuka)
  • Ashita no Joe (1968–1973, Asao Takamori, Tetsuya Chiba)
  • 1970s

  • Skull Man (1970, Shotaro Ishinomori)
  • Kamen Rider (1971, Shotaro Ishinomori)
  • Karate Baka Ichidai (1971–1977, Ikki Kajiwara, Jiro Tsunoda, Jouya Kagemaru)
  • Tiger Mask (1971, Ikki Kajiwara, Naoki Tsuji)
  • Ai to Makoto (1972-1976, Ikki Kajiwara, Takumi Nagayasu)
  • Devilman (1972–1973, Go Nagai)
  • Yakyū-kyō no Uta (1972-1976, Shinji Mizushima)
  • Tsurikichi Sanpei (1973–1983, Takao Yaguchi)
  • Ore wa Teppei (1973-1980, Tetsuya Chiba)
  • Violence Jack (1973–1974, Go Nagai)
  • Iyahaya Nantomo (1974-1976, Go Nagai)
  • The Three-Eyed One (1974–1978, Osamu Tezuka)
  • Shutendoji (1976-1978, Go Nagai)
  • Queen Emeraldas (1978-1979, Leiji Matsumoto)
  • Shōnen Jidai (1978–1979, Fujiko Fujio A.)
  • Susano Oh (1979-1981, Go Nagai)
  • 1980s

  • The Kabocha Wine (1981-1984, Mitsuru Miura)
  • Ashita Tenki ni Naare (1981-1991, Tetsuya Chiba)
  • Bats & Terry (1982-1987, Yasuichi Oshima)
  • Kōtarō Makaritōru! (1982–2001, Tatsuya Hiruta) *The title was changed to Shin - in 1995.
  • Baribari Legend (1983–1991, Shuichi Shigeno)
  • Iron Muscle (1983-????, Go Nagai)
  • Ekushisu (1984-????, Takatoshi Yamada)
  • Mister Ajikko (1986–1989, Daisuke Terasawa)
  • Break Shot (1987-1990, Takeshi Maekawa)
  • Meimon! Daisan-yakyūbu (1987–1993)
  • Doctor K (1988-????, Kazuo Mafune)
  • 1990s

  • Captain Kid (1990-????, Uno Hiroshi)
  • Chameleon (1990-1999, Atsushi Kase)
  • Shonan Junai Gumi (1990–1996, Tooru Fujisawa)
  • Aoki Densetsu Shoot! (1990-2003, Tsukasa Ōshima)
  • Hajime no Ippo (1990, George Morikawa)
  • Boys Be... (1991–2001, Masahiro Itabashi, Hiroyuki Tamakoshi)
  • Kindaichi Case Files (1992–2000, Yōzaburō Kanari, Tadashi Agi, Fumiya Satō)
  • Shota no Sushi (1992-1997, Daisuke Terasawa)
  • A.I. Love You (1993–1998, Ken Akamatsu)
  • J-Dream (1993-????, Natsuko Heiuchi)
  • Harlem Beat (1994-2000, Yuriko Nishiyama)
  • Maya (1994-????, Motoshima Yukihisa)
  • Chūka Ichiban! (1995-1999, Etsushi Ogawa) *moved to Magazine Special, and returned to Shōnen Magazine again
  • Henachoko Daisakusen Z (1995-????, Hideo Nishimoto)
  • DESPERADO (1996-????, Daiji Matsumoto)
  • Psychometrer Eiji (1996-2000, Tadashi Agi, Masashi Asaki)
  • Bad Company (1997, Tooru Fujisawa)
  • Gachinko! (1997-????, Tetsuo Yamashita)
  • Great Teacher Onizuka (1997–2002, Tooru Fujisawa)
  • Legendary Gambler Tetsuya (1997-2004, Fūmei Sai, Yasushi Hoshino)
  • Love Hina (1998–2001, Ken Akamatsu)
  • Rave (1999–2005, Hiro Mashima)
  • GetBackers (1999–2007, Tadashi Agi, Rando Ayamine)
  • Samurai Deeper Kyo (1999–2006, Akimine Kamijyo)
  • 2000s

  • Buraiden Gai (2000-2001, Nobuyuki Fukumoto)
  • Sakigake!! Cromartie High School (2000–2004)
  • Date Groove (2000, Eijirou Shimada)
  • Gin no Kodou (2000, Akira Yanagiha)
  • Gründen (2000, Takashi Takayuki)
  • 3.3.7 Byooshi!! (2001-????, Mitsurou Kubo)
  • Assobot Senki Goku (2001-2002, Tadashi Agi, Romu Aoi)
  • Bakushou Mondai no Kyou no Joe (2001-????, Hideo Nishimoto)
  • Big Star Daikichi (2001-????, Akira Tsubaki)
  • Detective School Q (2001–2005, Tadashi Agi, Fumiya Satō)
  • Dragon Voice (2001-2003, Yuriko Nishiyama)
  • Gorio (2001-????, Takashi Hamori)
  • Hot Shot (2001-????, Junji Oono)
  • Howling (2001-????, Takeshi Hinata)
  • Idaten (2001, Tetsuo Yamashita)
  • Jipangu Hououden (2001-????, Etsushi Ogawa, Kazutoshi Ozasa)
  • Air Gear (2002-2012, Ito Ōgure)
  • Cross Over (2002-2003, Kouji Seo)
  • Daihyoubito (2002, Yasuaki Kita)
  • Gacha Gacha (2002-2008, Hiroyuki Tamakoshi)
  • Jigoro Jigorou (2002-2007, Atsushi Kase)
  • Jump Man (2002-????, Masaharu Inoue)
  • Pastel (2002-2003) *moved to Magazine Special
  • School Rumble (2002-2008, Jin Kobayashi)
  • Chanbara (2003, Keiyou Yamada)
  • Densetsu no Head Shou (2003-2005, Takashi Hamori)
  • Gold Rush! (2003, Tetsuo Yamashita)
  • Joshidaisei Kateikyoushi Hamanaka Ai (2003-2006, Tozen Ujiie)
  • Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle (2003-2009, CLAMP)
  • Negima! Magister Negi Magi (2003-2012, Ken Akamatsu)
  • Food Hunter Futaraiden (2004, Etsushi Ogawa, Kazutoshi Ozasa)
  • Suzuka (2004–2007, Kouji Seo)
  • 090 - Eko to Issho. (2005, Maru Asakura)
  • Bokura no Sengoku Hakkyuuden (2005, Seiji Uozumi)
  • Full Spec (2005-????, Taro Sekiguchi)
  • Haou no Ken (2005-????, Natsuko Heiuchi)
  • Kenkō Zenrakei Suieibu Umishō (2005-2008, Mitsuru Hattori)
  • Koma Koma (2005)
  • Over Drive (2005-2008, Tsuyoshi Yasuda)
  • Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei (2005-2012, Kōji Kumeta)
  • Crack!! (2006, Keisuke Honna)
  • The Knight in the Area (2006, Shin Kibayashi with pen-name Hiroaki Igano)
  • Fairy Tail (2006, Hiro Mashima)
  • Fashion Leader Imai Shoutarou (2006, Yuuta Nishiyama)
  • Hammer Session! (2006-2009, Namoshiro Tanahashi, Yamato Koganemaru)
  • Idol no Akahon (2006, Tozen Ujiie)
  • Joppare Shun! (2006-2007, Hiroshi Wakamatsu)
  • Flunk Punk Rumble (2006-2011, Miki Yoshikawa)
  • Daiya no Ace (2006-2015, Yūji Terajima)
  • Bloody Monday (2007–2009, Ryō Ryūmon, Kouji Megumi)
  • Junjou Karen na Oretachi da! (2008-2009, Yuriko Nishiyama)
  • Cage of Eden (2008-2013, Yoshinobu Yamada)
  • Cøde:Breaker (2008-2013, Akimine Kamijyo)
  • Kimi no Iru Machi (2008–2014, Kouji Seo)
  • GE – Good Ending (2009-2013, Kei Sasuga)
  • Muromi-san (2009-2014, Keiji Najima)
  • Brass Boy! (2009, Yumika Tsuru)
  • A-bout! (2009, Masa Ichikawa)
  • 2010s

  • Tobaku Haouden Zero: Gyanki-hen (2011-2013, Fukumoto Nobuyuki)
  • Again!! (2011-2014, Mitsurou Kubo)
  • Sherlock Bones (2011-2012, Yuma Ando, Yuki Sato)
  • Ai ni Iku yo (2012-2014, George Morikawa, Nobumi)
  • Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches (2012, Miki Yoshikawa)
  • Nanatsu no Taizai (2012, Nakaba Suzuki)
  • Koe no Katachi (2013-2014, Yoshitoki Ohima)
  • Fuuka (2014, Kouji Seo)
  • Daigo Tokusou (2015,Enji Tetsuta)
  • Masukomi (2015,Keiji Najima)
  • References

    Weekly Shōnen Magazine Wikipedia