is a weekly shà Ânen 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 AprilâÂÂJune 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 4.55billion copies, with an average weekly circulation of . At an average issue price of ($), the magazine had generated approximately () in sales revenue by March 2008. In addition, about compiled tankà Âbon 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 Shà Ânen Jump and likened this magazine to "more like something you'd find in the guys' locker room."
The magazine, launched on March 17, 1959, was the first weekly manga magazine, followed rapidly by Weekly Shà Ânen Sunday by rivalling publisher Shogakukan. Throughout the 1960s, Weekly Shà Ânen Magazine was the top selling weekly manga magazines besides Weekly Shà Ânen Sunday and '. During the first years of its run, the magazine was not solely focused on manga, but also published other content for children.
From 1965 onwards, the chief editor of Weekly Shà Ânen Magazine, Masaru Uchida, invited artists associated with the movement to work for the magazine. The movement had a style marked by dramatic, realistic storytelling often aimed at mature audiences. Blending children's manga with adolescent gekiga themes and styles attracted new readers to manga magazines. In a short time, the readership of the magazine expanded rapidly and was at nearly one million by the end of 1966.
There are currently 25 manga titles being serialized in Weekly Shà Ânen Magazine. Out of them, Ahiru no Sora is on indefinite hiatus.
, or , is an online web comic site run by Kodansha and tied in to their Weekly Shà Ânen Magazine line. It runs original manga created for the site as well as manga moved from one of the print magazines related to Weekly Shà Ânen Magazine. It opened on August 3, 2015.
The Weekly Shà Ânen 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 Shà Ânen Jump, when this competitor was born in 1968, knocking Shà Ânen Magazine off the top spot. Shà Ânen Jump had begun to circulate and dominate the manga magazine market. This started from the 1970s and continued throughout the 1990s.
In October 1997, Shà Ânen 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. In a rare event due to the closeness of the two magazine's founding dates, Weekly Shà Ânen Magazine and Weekly Shà Ânen 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 Shà Ânen Magazine, published by Kobunsha of the same Kodansha group. Shà Ânen Magazine famously serialized Tetsujin 28-go, the first mecha anime from July 1956 to May 1966.