Weekly Shōnen Magazine is a weekly shōnen manga magazine published on Wednesdays in Japan by Kodansha, first published on March 17, 1959. The magazine is mainly read by an older audience, with a significant 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, the magazine's circulation 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.
It is one of the best-selling manga magazines. By March 2008, the magazine had 2,942 issues, having sold 4.55 billion copies, with an average weekly circulation of 1,546,567. At an average issue price of ¥129 ($1.29), the magazine had generated approximately ¥590 billion ($5.9 billion) in sales revenue by March 2008. In addition, about 1 billion compiled tankōbon volumes had been sold by March 2008.
Jason Thompson stated that it is "more down-to-earth, as well as just a tad more guy-oriented" compared to Weekly Shōnen Jump and likened this magazine to "more like something you'd find in the guys' locker room."
Features
Series
Main article: List of series run in Weekly Shōnen Magazine
There are currently 29 manga titles being serialized in Weekly Shōnen Magazine. Out of them, Ahiru no Sora is on indefinite hiatus.
| Series title | Author(s) | Premiered |
|---|---|---|
| A Couple of Cuckoos (カッコウの許嫁, Kakkō no Iinazuke) | Miki Yoshikawa | January 2020 |
| Ahiru no Sora (あひるの空) | Takeshi Hinata | December 2003 |
| Batchiri Scratch (ばっちりスクラッチ) | Punatsu | July 2024 |
| Blue Lock (ブルーロック, Burū Rokku) | Muneyuki Kaneshiro, Yusuke Nomura | August 2018 |
| The Blue Wolves of Mibu (青のミブロ, Ao no Miburo) | Tsuyoshi Yasuda | October 2021 |
| The Café Terrace and Its Goddesses (女神のカフェテラス, Megami no Kafe Terasu) | Koji Seo | February 2021 |
| Dream Jumbo Girl (ドリーム☆ジャンボ☆ガール, Dorīmu Janbo Gāru) | Hiroyuki | May 2025 |
| Four Knights of the Apocalypse (黙示録の四騎士, Mokushiroku no Yonkishi) | Nakaba Suzuki | January 2021 |
| Gachiakuta (ガチアクタ) | Kei Urana | February 2022 |
| Go! Go! Loser Ranger! (戦隊大失格, Sentai Daishikkaku) | Negi Haruba | February 2021 |
| Hajime no Ippo (はじめの一歩) | George Morikawa | October 1989 |
| Irozuku Monochrome (色憑くモノクローム) | Atsushi Uchiyama | August 2024 |
| Kaijin Fugeki (灰仭巫覡) | Oh! great | May 2024 |
| Kanan-sama wa Akumade Choroi (カナン様はあくまでチョロい) | Nonco | June 2022 |
| Kito the Night Bell (夜鐘のキト, Yorukane no Kito) | Genri Natsume | May 2025 |
| Medaka Kuroiwa Is Impervious to My Charms (黒岩メダカに私の可愛いが通じない, Kuroiwa Medaka ni Watashi no Kawaii ga Tsūjinai) | Ran Kuze | May 2021 |
| Orion's Board (盤上のオリオン, Banjō no Orion) | Naoshi Arakawa | January 2024 |
| Rent-A-Girlfriend (彼女、お借りします, Kanojo, Okarishimasu) | Reiji Miyajima | July 2017 |
| Seitokai ni mo Ana wa Aru! (生徒会にも穴はある!) | Muchimaro | April 2022 |
| Shangri-La Frontier (シャングリラ・フロンティア〜クソゲーハンター、神ゲーに挑まんとす〜, Shangurira Furontia ~ Kusogē Hantā, Kamigē ni Idoman to su ~) | Katarina, Ryosuke Fuji | July 2020 |
| Suruga Meteor (スルガメテオ, Suruga Meteo) | Tanaka Drill | January 2025 |
| The Kagari Monster Family (篝家の8兄弟, Kagari-ke no Hachi Kyōdai) | Sora Daichi | March 2025 |
| The Werewolf Who Wants to Stay Alive (生きたがりの人狼（ワーウルフ）, Ikitagari no Wāurufu) | Shigeki Tange | March 2025 |
| To Your Eternity (不滅のあなたへ, Fumetsu no Anata e) | Yoshitoki Ōima | November 2016 |
| Tune In to the Midnight Heart (真夜中ハートチューン, Mayonaka Heart Tune) | Masakuni Igarashi | September 2023 |
| Tying the Knot with an Amagami Sister (甘神さんちの縁結び, Amagami-san Chi no Enmusubi) | Marcey Naito | April 2021 |
| Yaergnacht of the Dark Moon (黒月のイェルクナハト, Kurotsuki no Ierukunahato) | Kou Suzumoto | April 2025 |
| Yowayowa Sensei (よわよわ先生) | Kamio Fukuchi | November 2022 |
| Yumene Connect (ゆめねこねくと, Yumene Konekuto) | Kou Sawada | September 2024 |
Circulation
Circulation| Date(s) | January–March | April–June | July–September | October–December | Magazine sales | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 1959 to March 2008 | 1,546,567 | 4,550,000,000 | 3 | |||
| April 2008 to December 2008 | — | 1,755,000 | 1,720,000 | 1,691,667 | 67,166,671 | 4 |
| 2009 | 1,664,167 | 1,633,334 | 1,614,616 | 1,593,637 | 84,574,802 | 5 |
| 2010 | 1,571,231 | 1,565,000 | 1,556,250 | 1,551,819 | 81,175,900 | 6 |
| 2011 | 1,529,693 | 1,491,500 | 1,489,584 | 1,472,084 | 77,777,193 | 7 |
| 2012 | 1,447,500 | 1,436,017 | 1,412,584 | 1,404,834 | 74,112,155 | 8 |
| 2013 | 1,376,792 | 1,357,000 | 1,324,209 | 1,308,117 | 69,759,534 | 9 |
| 2014 | 1,277,500 | 1,245,417 | 1,211,750 | 1,192,267 | 64,050,142 | 10 |
| 2015 | 1,156,059 | 1,127,042 | 1,107,840 | 1,085,110 | 58,188,663 | 1112 |
| 2016 | 1,038,450 | 1,015,659 | 995,017 | 986,017 | 52,456,859 | 1314 |
| 2017 | 964,158 | 932,713 | 883,804 | 840,667 | 47,077,446 | 15 |
| January 2018 to March 2018 | 815,458 | — | — | — | 10,600,954 | 16 |
| March 1959 to March 2018 | 1,512,6921718 | 5,236,940,319 | ||||
Magazine Pocket
Magazine Pocket (マガジンポケット, Magajin Poketto), or MagaPoke (マガポケ), is an online web comic site run by Kodansha and tied in to their Weekly Shōnen Magazine line. It runs original manga created for the site as well as manga moved from one of the print magazines related to Weekly Shōnen Magazine. It opened on August 3, 2015.
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 Shōnen Magazine off the top spot. Shōnen Jump had begun to circulate and dominate the manga magazine market. This started from the 1970s and continued throughout the 1990s.
In October 1997, Shōnen Magazine reclaimed its 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.19 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.20
Others include Shōnen Magazine, published by Kobunsha of the same Kodansha group. Shōnen Magazine famously serialized Tetsujin 28-go, the first mecha anime from July 1956 to May 1966.
See also
- Anime and manga portal
- List of manga magazines
- Shonen Magz, Indonesian version
- Sunday vs Magazine: Shūketsu! Chōjō Daikessen (video game)
External links
- Official website (in Japanese)
References
"Shonen Magazine, Shonen Sunday Mark 50th Anniversary (Updated)". Anime News Network. March 18, 2008. Retrieved February 1, 2021. https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-03-18/shonen-magazine-shonen-sunday-mark-50th-anniversary ↩
Thompson, Jason (February 2, 2012). "Jason Thompson's House of 1000 Manga - Harlem Beat". Anime News Network. Retrieved April 14, 2020. /wiki/Jason_Thompson_(writer) ↩
"Shonen Magazine, Shonen Sunday Mark 50th Anniversary (Updated)". Anime News Network. March 18, 2008. Retrieved February 1, 2021. https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-03-18/shonen-magazine-shonen-sunday-mark-50th-anniversary ↩
2008 circulation figures: "Circulation figures "Boys' Manga" April-June, 2008". Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. Retrieved August 13, 2016. "Circulation figures "Boys' Manga" July-September, 2008". Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. Retrieved August 13, 2016. "Circulation figures "Boys' Manga" October-December, 2008". Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. Retrieved August 13, 2016. http://www.j-magazine.or.jp/magadata/index.php?module=list&action=list&cat1cd=1&cat3cd=14&period_cd=1 ↩
2009 circulation figures: "Circulation figures "Boys' Manga" January-March, 2009". Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. Retrieved August 13, 2016. "Circulation figures "Boys' Manga" April-June, 2009". Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. Retrieved August 13, 2016. "Circulation figures "Boys' Manga" July-September, 2009". Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. Retrieved August 13, 2016. "Circulation figures "Boys' Manga" October-December, 2009". Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. Retrieved August 13, 2016. http://www.j-magazine.or.jp/magadata/index.php?module=list&action=list&cat1cd=1&cat3cd=14&period_cd=4 ↩
2010 circulation figures: "Circulation figures "Boys' Manga" January-March, 2010". Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. Retrieved August 13, 2016. "Circulation figures "Boys' Manga" April-June, 2010". Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. Retrieved August 13, 2016. "Circulation figures "Boys' Manga" July-September, 2010". Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. Retrieved August 13, 2016. "Circulation figures "Boys' Manga" October-December, 2010". Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. Retrieved August 13, 2016. http://www.j-magazine.or.jp/magadata/index.php?module=list&action=list&cat1cd=1&cat3cd=14&period_cd=8 ↩
2011 circulation figures: "Circulation figures "Boys' Manga" January-March, 2011". Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. Retrieved August 13, 2016. "Circulation figures "Boys' Manga" April-June, 2011". Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. Retrieved August 13, 2016. "Circulation figures "Boys' Manga" July-September, 2011". Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. Retrieved August 13, 2016. "Circulation figures "Boys' Manga" October-December, 2011". Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. Retrieved August 13, 2016. http://www.j-magazine.or.jp/magadata/index.php?module=list&action=list&cat1cd=1&cat3cd=14&period_cd=12 ↩
2012 circulation figures: "Circulation figures "Boys' Manga" January-March, 2012". Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. Retrieved August 13, 2016. "Circulation figures "Boys' Manga" April-June, 2012". Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. Retrieved August 13, 2016. "Circulation figures "Boys' Manga" July-September, 2012". Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. Retrieved August 13, 2016. "Circulation figures "Boys' Manga" October-December, 2012". Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. Retrieved August 13, 2016. http://www.j-magazine.or.jp/magadata/index.php?module=list&action=list&cat1cd=1&cat3cd=14&period_cd=16 ↩
2013 circulation figures: "Circulation figures "Boys' Manga" January-March, 2013". Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. Retrieved August 13, 2016. "Circulation figures "Boys' Manga" April-June, 2013". Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. Retrieved August 13, 2016. "Circulation figures "Boys' Manga" July-September, 2013". Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. Retrieved August 13, 2016. "Circulation figures "Boys' Manga" October-December, 2013". Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. Retrieved August 13, 2016. http://www.j-magazine.or.jp/magadata/index.php?module=list&action=list&cat1cd=1&cat3cd=14&period_cd=20 ↩
"Top Manga Magazines' Circulation Dropped 10%+ in 1 Year". Anime News Network. April 28, 2015. Retrieved August 13, 2016. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2015-04-28/top-manga-magazines-circulation-dropped-10-percent-in-1-year/.87596 ↩
"Top Manga Magazines' Circulation Dropped 10%+ in 1 Year". Anime News Network. April 28, 2015. Retrieved August 13, 2016. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2015-04-28/top-manga-magazines-circulation-dropped-10-percent-in-1-year/.87596 ↩
2015 circulation figures "Circulation figures "Boys' Manga" April-June, 2015". Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. Retrieved August 13, 2016. "Circulation figures "Boys' Manga" July-September, 2015". Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. Retrieved August 13, 2016. "Circulation figures "Boys' Manga" October-December, 2015". Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. Retrieved August 13, 2016. http://www.j-magazine.or.jp/magadata/index.php?module=list&action=list&cat1cd=1&cat3cd=14&period_cd=29 ↩
"Boys' Manga" (in Japanese). Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. September 2016. Retrieved November 6, 2016. http://www.j-magazine.or.jp/magadata/index.php?module=list&action=list&cat1cd=1&cat3cd=14&period_cd=34 ↩
"Circulation figures "Boys' Manga" January-March, 2016". Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. Retrieved August 10, 2018. http://www.j-magazine.or.jp/magadata/index.php?module=list&action=list&cat1cd=1&cat3cd=14&period_cd=32 ↩
"Circulation figures "Boys' Manga" January-March, 2016". Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. Retrieved August 10, 2018. http://www.j-magazine.or.jp/magadata/index.php?module=list&action=list&cat1cd=1&cat3cd=14&period_cd=32 ↩
"Circulation figures "Boys' Manga" January-March, 2016". Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. Retrieved August 10, 2018. http://www.j-magazine.or.jp/magadata/index.php?module=list&action=list&cat1cd=1&cat3cd=14&period_cd=32 ↩
"Shonen Magazine, Shonen Sunday Mark 50th Anniversary (Updated)". Anime News Network. March 18, 2008. Retrieved February 1, 2021. https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-03-18/shonen-magazine-shonen-sunday-mark-50th-anniversary ↩
"Circulation figures "Boys' Manga" January-March, 2016". Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. Retrieved August 10, 2018. http://www.j-magazine.or.jp/magadata/index.php?module=list&action=list&cat1cd=1&cat3cd=14&period_cd=32 ↩
"Weekly Shonen Magazine Circulation Drops Under 2M". http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-04-20/weekly-shonen-magazine-circulation-drops-under-2m ↩
Shonen Magazine, Shonen Sunday Mark 50th Anniversary (Updated) - Anime News Network http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-03-18/shonen-magazine-shonen-sunday-mark-50th-anniversary ↩