Weekly Shōnen Magazine
First weekly manga magazine, aimed at older male youth.
via Wikipedia: Weekly Shōnen Magazine · see source
Weekly Shōnen Magazine is a weekly shōnen manga magazine published by Kodansha in Japan, debuting on March 17, 1959, and hitting shelves every Wednesday. It holds the distinction of being the first weekly manga magazine ever released. Its readership skews older than typical shōnen titles, with many readers being male high school or college students. By March 2008, it had sold 4.55 billion copies, making it one of the best-selling manga magazines. Critic Jason Thompson compared it to *Weekly Shōnen Jump* by calling it "more down-to-earth, as well as just a tad more guy-oriented," adding that it feels "more like something you'd find in the guys' locker room."
The magazine launched on March 17, 1959, and was quickly followed by rival Shogakukan's *Weekly Shōnen Sunday*. During the 1960s, it competed as a top seller alongside *Sunday* and *Weekly Shōnen King*. In its early years, it wasn't purely a manga magazine, also featuring other children's content. Starting in 1965, chief editor Masaru Uchida brought in artists from the *gekiga* movement, which emphasized dramatic, realistic storytelling for mature audiences. Blending children's manga with these adolescent *gekiga* themes attracted new readers, and circulation hit nearly one million by the end of 1966.
Currently, 30 manga titles are serialized in the magazine, though *Ahiru no Sora* is on indefinite hiatus. Its circulation has dropped every quarter since records began in April–June 2008, a trend linked to the rise of digital media. The magazine also ties into Magazine Pocket (nicknamed MagaPoke), an online web comic site launched by Kodansha on August 3, 2015, which hosts original series and titles moved from print.
*Weekly Shōnen Magazine* saw major success in the 1970s, becoming Japan's top-selling manga magazine and gaining popularity among otaku. However, *Weekly Shōnen Jump*, which debuted in 1968, eventually overtook it, dominating the market from the 1970s through the 1990s. *Shōnen Magazine* reclaimed the top spot in October 1997 and held it until 2002. Since then, the two magazines have competed closely, with circulation now below two million. Due to their close founding dates, *Weekly Shōnen Magazine* and *Weekly Shōnen Sunday* released a special combined issue on March 19, 2008, with further crossovers and merchandise planned for the following year. Separately, the name *Shōnen Magazine* was also used by Kobunsha (part of the Kodansha group) for a magazine that famously serialized *Tetsujin 28-go*, the first mecha anime, from July 1956 to May 1966.
- first_published
- March 17, 1959
- publisher
- Kodansha
- field
- Manga magazine
- nationality
- Japanese
- known_for
- First weekly manga magazine; serialized Tetsujin 28-go; rival of Weekly Shōnen J
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Weekly Shōnen Magazine was launched on March 17, 1959, as the first weekly manga magazine, followed rapidly by Weekly Shōnen Sunday by rival publisher Shogakukan. Throughout the 1960s, it was one of the top selling weekly manga magazines alongside Weekly Shōnen Sunday and Weekly Shōnen King. During its first years, the magazine was not solely focused on manga but also published other content for children. From 1965 onwards, chief editor Masaru Uchida invited artists associated with the gekiga movement, which had a style marked by dramatic, realistic storytelling aimed at mature audiences. Blending children's manga with adolescent gekiga themes attracted new readers, and readership expanded rapidly, reaching nearly one million by the end of 1966. The magazine famously serialized Tetsujin 28-go from July 1956 to May 1966, though this was published by Kobunsha of the same Kodansha group under the title Shōnen Magazine.
Reader's Guide
Weekly Shōnen Magazine achieved success in the 1970s and became the top-selling manga magazine in Japan of its period, appearing popular amongst many otaku. However, its position was later occupied by Weekly Shōnen Jump, which was born in 1968 and began to dominate the market from the 1970s through the 1990s. In October 1997, Shōnen Magazine reclaimed the top spot until 2002. Since then, the two magazines have competed closely in terms of market circulation, with sales remaining very close and circulation dropping below two million. In a rare event due to the closeness of the two magazines' founding dates, Weekly Shōnen Magazine and Weekly Shōnen Sunday released a special combined issue on March 19, 2008. The magazine's circulation has dropped in every quarter since records were first collected in April–June 2008, a trend attributed to the rise of digital media. By March 2008, the magazine had 2,942 issues, sold 4.55 billion copies, and generated approximately ¥590 billion in sales revenue. Additionally, about 1 billion compiled tankōbon volumes had been sold by that date. The magazine also has a digital platform, Magazine Pocket, which opened on August 3, 2015.
Did You Know?
- Weekly Shōnen Magazine was the first weekly manga magazine, launched on March 17, 1959.
- By March 2008, the magazine had sold 4.55 billion copies and generated approximately ¥590 billion in sales revenue.
- From 1965, chief editor Masaru Uchida invited gekiga artists to work for the magazine, blending children's manga with mature storytelling.
- The magazine's circulation has dropped in every quarter since records began in April–June 2008.
- Magazine Pocket, the digital platform tied to Weekly Shōnen Magazine, opened on August 3, 2015.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Weekly Shōnen Magazine and who publishes it?
Weekly Shōnen Magazine is a Japanese weekly manga periodical released every Wednesday by Kodansha. It first appeared on March 17, 1959, and holds the distinction of being the very first weekly manga magazine ever put on the market.
Who is the target readership of Weekly Shōnen Magazine?
The magazine is aimed at an older shōnen demographic, primarily male high-school and college-age readers. This older audience positioning distinguishes it from competitor titles that skew younger.
What makes Weekly Shōnen Magazine historically significant?
As the first weekly manga magazine in Japan, it established the weekly-release format that the entire industry later adopted. Its long-running serialization of Tetsujin 28-go is also a landmark in manga history.
How successful is Weekly Shōnen Magazine in terms of circulation?
By March 2008 the title had sold roughly 4.55 billion copies, cementing its status as one of the best-selling manga magazines in Japan. It remains a major force in the weekly manga market decades after its launch.
How does Weekly Shōnen Magazine compare to its rival, Weekly Shōnen Jump?
Both are weekly shōnen manga magazines, but Shōnen Magazine (Kodansha) traditionally targets a slightly older male readership and carries a different editorial tone than Jump (Shueisha). The two have long been viewed as the primary rivals in the weekly shōnen space.
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