Shojo Beat
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| Shojo Beat | |
|---|---|
Shojo Beat Volume 1, Issue 1, cover dated July 2005 |
|
| Editor-Chief/VP of Magazines | Yumi Hoashi |
| Categories | manga, Shōjo |
| Frequency | Monthly |
| Circulation | 38,000 (2007)[1] |
| Publisher | Hyoe Narita |
| First issue | July 2005 |
| Company | Viz Media |
| Country |  USA |
| Language | English |
| Website | http://shojobeat.com/ |
| ISSN | 1932-1600 |
Shojo Beat is a shōjo manga magazine published in North America by Viz Media. Launched in June 2005 and targeted at older teenage and young adult women. Each issue features chapters from six to seven manga series, as well as a variety of articles on Japanese culture, manga, anime, fashion and beauty. With a circulation of 38,000, the publication of the Shojo Beat magazine was Viz's first step in creating a female oriented label that includes manga, light novel, and anime lines.
Contents |
[edit] History
The coming of Shojo Beat was first announced by Viz Media in February 2005. Slated to be a monthly manga anthology, the new magazine would feature 250-300 pages and six manga series: Crimson Hero, Kaze Hikaru, Baby & Me, Godchild, NANA, and Absolute Boyfriend.[2] Of the six titles, two each came from Japanese publishers Shueisha, Shogakukan, and Hakusensha. To promote the new magazine, Viz released a free "Issue 0" in April 2002 to Suncoast and Diamond Distributors. The free issue included previews of each series that would be in the first issue of the magazine.[3]
The first issue of Shojo Beat was released in June 2005, featuring Nana Komatsu of NANA on its July-dated cover and Yumi Hoashi as its editor-in-chief. In November 2006, Hoashi left Viz and Marc Weidenbaum replaced him as the magazine's editor-in-chief.[4][5]
With the launch of the Shojo Beat magazine, Viz Media also created new labels for its manga and fiction lines, with the manga "Shojo Beat" label including both series featured in the and other shōjo manga titles licensed by Viz since the magazine's release. Published under the "Shojo Beat Fiction" label, Viz also began releasing a few Japanese light novels that relate to the "Shojo Beat" manga titles.[6][7] In February 2006, Viz launched the "Shojo Beat Home Video" line, to release anime titles targeted towards the female audience. The first title under the new line was Full Moon o Sagashite, the anime adaptation of the same titled manga already being released by Viz Media. To promote the new anime line, Viz included a preview disc of the first volume of Full Moon in the June 2006 issue of Shojo Beat.[8]
[edit] Circulation
When Shojo Beat launched, it had a circulation of 20,000.[9] In 2006, its average circulation had increased to 35,000, with 41% of copies distributed through subscriptions, and the rest sold in newsstands and stores.[10][11] In 2007, the circulation grew to 38,000 while the distribution, with subscription distribution growing to 51% of copies.[1]
[edit] Features
Being a manga anthology, Shojo Beat's primary content are the chapters of the manga titles currently being serialized. Many issues also include a preview chapter of titles being published under the Shojo Beat manga label. In addition to the manga chapters, current issues also include a letter from the editor, manga related news, and articles Japanese culture, current trends in Japan, and fashion and beauty. The end of the magazine has fan related sections, including fan art, letters from readers, manga drawing lessons, and cosplay how-to guides and highlights.[12] Additionally, its official website includes additional articles, downloads of templates for dressing up the magazine's panda mascot, and online previews of many of the manga series being published under the "Shojo Beat" label.[13]
[edit] Series
Shojo Beat originally started with chapters from six different manga series, but now includes seven. As of March 2008, thirteen series have been serialized within its page, with seven having completed their runs and been removed from the magazine. Of those, only three series had all of their chapters appear in the magazine before they were removed. The rest were canceled and replaced part way through their stories, prompting those reading to have to buy the collected volumes published under the Viz's Shojo Beat manga label. All series that appear in the magazine thus far have been published in paperback volumes.
| Series Title | Author | Premiered | Finished | Completed? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Absolute Boyfriend | Yuu Watase | July 2005 | March 2008[14] | Yes |
| Baby and Me | Marimo Ragawa | July 2005 | September 2007 | No |
| Backstage Prince | Kanoko Sakurakoji | October 2006 | March 2007 | Yes |
| Crimson Hero | Mitsuba Takanashi | July 2005 | Ongoing | |
| Gaba Kawa | Rie Takada | April 2008 | Ongoing | |
| Godchild | Kaori Yuki | July 2005 | June 2006 | No |
| Haruka ~Beyond the Stream of Time~ | Tohko Mizuno | November 2007 | Ongoing | |
| Honey and Clover | Chika Umino | September 2007 | Ongoing | |
| Kaze Hikaru | Taeko Watanabe | July 2005 | September 2006 | No |
| Nana | Ai Yazawa | July 2005 | August 2007 | No |
| Sand Chronicles | Hinako Ashihara | August 2007 | Ongoing | |
| Vampire Knight | Matsuri Hino | July 2006 | Ongoing | |
| Yume-Kira: Dream Shoppe | Aqua Mizuto | April 2007 | July 2007 | Yes |
[edit] References
- ^ a b Viz Media. "Shojo Beat Media Kit (January 2008)" (pdf). Press release. Retrieved on 2008-03-07.
- ^ Shojo Beat Details (2005-02-08). Retrieved on 2008-03-07.
- ^ Shojo Beat Preview (2005-04-24). Retrieved on 2008-03-07.
- ^ Viz Names New Shonen Jump, Shojo Beat Editor-in-Chief (2006-11-15). Retrieved on 2008-03-07.
- ^ Marc Weidenbaum Named V.P. Magazines (2006-11-16). Retrieved on 2008-03-07.
- ^ Viz to Publish Novels (2005-06-04). Retrieved on 2008-03-07.
- ^ Viz Launches New Fiction Imprints (2005-06-06). Retrieved on 2008-03-07.
- ^ Viz Launches Shojo Beat Home Video Line (2006-02-20). Retrieved on 2008-03-07.
- ^ Viz Media Happy Birthday Shojo Beat Magazine. Anime News Network (2007-05-14). Retrieved on 2008-03-07.
- ^ "Shojo Beat Marks Second Year", PW Comics Week, Publishers Weekly, 2007-04-17. Retrieved on 2008-02-11.
- ^ Viz Media. "Shojo Beat Media Kit (January 2007)" (pdf). Press release. Retrieved on 2008-03-07.
- ^ In the Magazine. Shojo Beat Online. Viz Media. Retrieved on 2008-03-07.
- ^ Downloads. Shojo Beat Online. Viz Media. Retrieved on 2008-03-07.
- ^ "Absolute Boyfriend" (March 2008). Shojo Beat 4 (3): p. 72. ISSN 1932-1600.
