http://completelyfutile.blogspot.com/2006_06_01_completelyfutile_archive.html#115081985073309632 JAPANESE MANGA ANTHOLOGY CIRCULATION FIGURES, 2005: PART I Recently I noticed that the 2005 circulation figures for Japanese manga anthologies have been put online. As with the 2003 and 2004 figures, I thought I'd translate them for anyone who's interested. My post is rather long, so I've divided it into two parts: the first part with the figures themselves, and the second part with some simple analysis. As before, I've tried to give the titles in the form that would be most recognizable to Western fans. Also as before, I don't know whether these figures are average circulation for 2005, or the circulation of the last issue in 2005, or what. Also as before, this list is far from complete. All three of the anthologies published by Square Enix that were on the 2004 list have been dropped from this list, though they're presumably still being published. (One of their current anthologies is Full Metal Alchemist, so I'd guess they're doing pretty well.) Both of Kindaieigasha's listed anthologies have also been dropped (Erutiin and Petit Momo, both shoujo titles). The only other to be dropped, Young You, suspended publication in November 2005. These facts make me suspect that being listed must be voluntary on the publishers' part, but I don't know for sure. In 2004 and 2005 most of the circulation figures were confirmed by audit. I've marked with a single asterisk those figures that haven't been so verified. Other footnotes are on the bottom of the table. SHOUNEN (BOY'S) MANGA Weekly Shounen Jump (Shuueisha) 2003: 3,240,000 2004: 2,994,897 2005: 2,953,750 Weekly Shounen Magazine (Koudansha) 2003: 3,190,000 2004: 2,721,633 2005: 2,365,750 Corocoro Comic (Shogakukan) 2003: 1,222,000 2004: 1,198,333 2005: 1,085,000 Weekly Shounen Sunday (Shogakukan) 2003: 1,311,000 2004: 1,160,913 2005: 1,068,265 Monthly Shounen Magazine (Koudansha) 2003: 1,140,000 2004: 1,041,417 2005: 1,009,167 Weekly Shounen Champion (Akita Shoten) 2003: 800,000 2004: 500,000* 2005: 500,000* Monthly Shounen Jump (Shuueisha) 2003: 510,000 2004: 446,666 2005: 417,500 Bessatsu [special volume] Corocoro Special (Shogakukan) 2003: 263,000 2004: 240,000 2005: 223,333 Monthly Dengeki [electric shock or blitzkrieg] Comic Gao! (Media Works) 2003: 200,000 2004: 200,000* 2005: 200,000* V Jump (Shuueisha) 2003: 310,000 2004: 149,833 2005: 178,334 Comic Bom Bom (Koudansha) 2003: 200,000 2004: 186,666 2005: 136,417 Magazine Special (Koudansha), 2003: 110,000 2004: 107,083 2005: 110,750 Shounen Ace (Kadokawa Shoten), 2003: 300,000 2004: 59,167 2005: 68,917 Dragon Age (Kadokawa Shoten), 2003: 200,000 2004: 55,667 2005: 46,167 Shounen Sunday Chou (Super) (Shogakukan) 2003: 65,000 [1] 2004: 41,000 2005: 39,333 SEINEN (YOUNG MEN'S) MANGA Weekly Young Jump (Shuueisha) 2003: 1,275,000 2004: 1,136,666 2005: 1,081,459 Young Magazine (Koudansha) 2003: 1,220,000 2004: 1,044,489 2005: 1,012,209 Big Comic Original (Shogakukan) 2003: 1,184,000 2004: 1,030,000 2005: 958,958 Big Comic (Shogakukan) 2003: 741,000 2004: 677,916 2005: 627,083 Weekly Manga Goraku [entertainment] (Nihonbungeisha) 2003: 500,000 2004: 500,000* 2005: 500,000* Weekly Manga Times (Houbunsha) 2003: 540,000 2004: 500,000* 2005: 500,000* Morning (Koudansha) 2003: 660,000 2004: 584,167 2005: 462,979 Big Comic Spirits (Shogakukan) 2003: 556,000 2004: 460,354 2005: 416,625 Business Jump (Shuueisha) 2003: 440,000 2004: 416,875 2005: 376,667 Super Jump (Shuueisha) 2003: 410,000 2004: 370,000 2005: 357,917 Kairakuten [Pleasure heaven] (Wanimagajinsha) 2003: 150,000 2004: 300,000* 2005: 350,000* Big Comic Superior (Shogakukan) 2003: 428,000 2004: 370,400 2005: 339,000 Manga Time (Houbunsha) 2003: 400,000 2004: 320,000* 2005: 320,000* Manga Time Original (Houbunsha) 2003: 380,000 2004: 300,000* 2005: 300,000* Weekly Manga Sunday (Jitsugyounonihonsha) 2003: 300,000 2004: 300,000* 2005: 300,000* Young King (Shounengahousha) 2003: 300,000 2004: 280,000* 2005: 268,000* Monthly Comic Dengeki Daioh (Media Works) 2003: 250,000 2004: 250,000* 2005: 250,000* Manga Action (Futabasha) 2003: 220,000 2004: 245,000* 2005: 245,000* Weekly Comic Bunch (Shinchousha) 2003: 450,000 2004: 259,271 2005: 238,568 Young Sunday (Shogakukan) 2003: 285,000 2004: 245,417 2005: 230,479 Evening (Koudansha) 2003: 330,000 2004: 266,250 2005: 229,125 Gundam Ace (Kadokawa Shoten) 2003: 300,000 2004: 211,416 2005: 209,292 Young Animal (Hakusensha) 2003: 240,000 2004: 201,083 2005: 201,209 Comic Ran [disorder, riot] (Riidosha) 2003: 200,000 2004: 191,201 2005: 200,975 Young Champion (Akita Shoten) 2003: 220,000 2004: 180,000* 2005: 180,000* Young Animal Ran [storm, tempest] (Hakusensha) 2005: 150,000* Comic Ran [disorder, riot] Twins (Riidosha) 2003: 150,000 2004: 134,571 2005: 146,325 Afternoon (Koudansha) 2003: 140,000 2004: 144,583 2005: 133,834 Zoukan [special edition] Ran [disorder, riot] Twins Sengoku Bushou Retsuden [series of biographies of civil wars military commanders], (Riidosha) 2004: 180,000* 2005: 130,000* Young Comic (Shounengahousha) 2003: 145,000 2004: 125,000* 2005: 117,000* Young King Ours (Shounengahousha) 2003: 115,000 2004: 95,000* 2005: 91,000* Monthly Comic Tokujou [special energetic] (Shuueisha) 2004: 99,166 2005: 90,834 Dengeki Moeoh [moe king] (Media Works) 2004: 90,000* 2005: 90,000* Ultra Jump (Shuueisha) 2003: 90,000 2004: 72,000 2005: 72,000 Sunday Gene-X (Shogakukan) 2004: 39,167 2005: 39,000 Monthly Magazine Z (Koudansha) 2003: 50,000 2004: 46,041 2005: 36,584 Ikki (Shogakukan) 2003: 75,000 2004: 33,916 2005: 29,000 Comic Beam (Enterbrain) 2005: 25,000* SHOUJO (GIRLS') COMICS Ciao (Shogakukan), 2003: 910,000 2004: 1,065,000 2005: 1,033,333 Ribbon (Shuueisha) 2003: 990,000 2004: 729,167 2005: 537,500 Nakayoshi (Koudansha) 2003: 520,000 2004: 457,083 2005: 457,500 Bessatsu Margaret (Shuueisha), 2003: 465,000 2004: 378,333 2005: 355,833 Shoujo Comic (Shogakukan) 2003: 265,000 2004: 301,956 2005: 299,565 Hana to Yume [flower and dream] (Hakusensha) 2003: 340,000 2004: 300,416 2005: 295,208 Deluxe Margaret (Shuueisha) 2003: 290,000 2004: 218,333 2005: 208,334 Cookie (Shuueisha) 2003: 190,000 2004: 203,333 2005: 204,167 The Margaret (Shuueisha) 2003: 280,000 2004: 216,666 2005: 200,000 Margaret (Shuueisha) 2003: 260,000 2004: 209,565 2005: 173,913 LaLa (Hakusensha) 2003: 200,000 2004: 166,750 2005: 173,583 Cheese! (Shogakukan) 2003: 208,000 2004: 174,833 2005: 155,833 Petit Comic (Shogakukan) 2003: 131,000 2004: 121,250 2005: 117,583 Betsucomi (Shogakukan) 2003: 110,000 2004: 101,833 2005: 106,833 Bessatsu Hana to Yume (Hakusensha) 2003: 130,000 2004: 106,166 2005: 94,334 Ribbon Original (Shuueisha) 2004: 101,666 2005: 82,500 LaLa DX (Hakusensha) 2003: 80,000 2004: 71,833 2005: 69,500 Asuka (Kadokawa Shoten) 2003: 200,000 2004: 38,000 2005: 35,750 Ciel (Kadokawa Shoten) 2003: 120,000 2004: 23,417 2005: 23,833 JOSEI (Young Women's) COMICS You (Shuueisha) 2003: 270,000 2004: 234,166 2005: 214,167 Be Love (Koudansha) 2003: 240,000 2004: 206,875 2005: 203,750 Dessert (Koudansha) 2003: 220,000 2004: 221,666 2005: 195,750 Bessatsu Friend (Koudansha) 2003: 200,000 2004: 203,333 2005: 190,417 Kiss (Koudansha) 2003: 240,000 2004: 202,583 2005: 183,208 The Dessert (Koudansha) 2003: 210,000 2004: 197,083 2005: 182,750 Elegance Eve (Akita Shoten) 2003: 200,000 2004: 160,000* 2005: 160,000* Chorus (Shuueisha) 2003: 180,000 2004: 151,250 2005: 145,833 Judy (Shogakukan) 2003: 181,000 2004: 156,833 2005: 135,833 The Betsufure [2] (Koudansha) 2003: 170,000 2004: 153,333 2005: 126,000 Office You (Shuueisha) 2003: 140,000 2004: 129,333 2005: 124,667 One More Kiss (Koudansha) 2003: 130,000 2004: 99,166 2005: 90,660 Silky (Hakusensha) 2003: 100,000 2004: 86,833 2005: 80,167 Feel Young (Shuueisha) 2003: 80,000 2004: 72,458 2005: 68,396 Flowers (Shogakukan) 2003: 75,000 2004: 58,000 2005: 54,417 Comic Aqua (Aqua Shuppan) 2004: 36,000* 2005: 30,000* MRS. COMICS For Mrs. (Akita Shoten) 2003: 210,000 2004: 160,000* 2005: 160,000* [1] The 2003 figure is actually for a magazine called "Zoukan [Special edition] Shounen Sunday (Super)." I don't know whether these are the same magazine or not. [2] The Betsufure was formerly known as Juliet, and the 2003 and 2004 figures here are for Juliet. (Edited 6/25/06 to fix an error: "Deluxe Margaret" was mistakenly transcribed as "Deluxe Magazine") JAPANESE MANGA ANTHOLOGY CIRCULATION FIGURES, 2005: PART II Here are the manga anthologies which appeared in both the 2004 and 2005 lists, in descending order of percentage change in circulation. As with the table in Part I of this post, in this and the following two tables an asterisk following the percentage indicates that the circulation for 2004 and/or 2005 was not audited. 1. V Jump +19.0% 2*. Kairakuten +16.7% 3. Shounen Ace +16.5% 4. Comic Ran Twins +8.7% 5. Comic Ran +5.1% 6. Betsucomi +4.9% 7. LaLa +4.1% 8. Magazine Special +3.4% 9. Ciel +1.8% 10. Cookie +0.4% 11. Nakayoshi +0.1% 12. Young Animal +0.1% 13*. Monthly Dengeki Comic Gao 0% 14*. Monthly Comic Dengeki Daioh 0% 15*. Dengeki Moeoh 0% 16*. Elegance Eve 0% 17*. For Mrs. 0% 18*. Manga Action 0% 19*. Manga Time 0% 20*. Manga Time Original 0% 21. Ultra Jump 0% 22*. Weekly Manga Goraku 0% 23*. Weekly Manga Sunday 0% 24*. Weekly Manga Times 0% 25*. Weekly Shounen Champion 0% 26*. Young Champion 0% 27. Sunday Gene-X -0.4% 28. Shoujo -0.8% 29. Gundam Ace -1.0% 30. Weekly Shounen Jump -1.4% 31. Be Love -1.5% 32. Hana to Yume -1.7% 33. Ciao -3.0% 34. Petit Comic -3.0% 35. Young Magazine -3.1% 36. Monthly Shounen Magazine -3.1% 37. LaLa DX -3.2% 38. Super Jump -3.3% 39. Chorus -3.6% 40. Office You -3.6% 41. Shounen Sunday Chou (Super) -4.1% 42*. Young King Ours -4.2% 43*. Young King -4.3% 44. Deluxe Margaret -4.6% 45. Weekly Young Jump -4.9% 46. Feel Young -5.6% 47. Asuka -5.9% 48. Bessatsu Margaret -5.9% 49. Young Sunday -6.1% 50. Flowers -6.2% 51. Bessatsu Friend -6.4% 52*. Young Comic -6.4% 53. Monthly Shounen Jump -6.5% 54. Big Comic Original -6.9% 55. Bessatsu Corocoro Special -6.9% 56. The Dessert -7.3% 57. Afternoon -7.4% 58. Big Comic -7.5% 59. Silky -7.7% 60. The Margaret -7.7% 61. Weekly Shounen Sunday -8.0% 62. Weekly Comic Bunch -8.0% 63. Monthly Comic Tokujou -8.4% 64. Big Comic Superior -8.5% 65. You -8.5% 66. One More Kiss -8.6% 67. Corocoro -9.5% 68. Big Comic Spirits -9.5% 69. Kiss -9.6% 70. Business Jump -9.6% 71. Cheese! -10.9% 72. Bessatsu Hana to Yume -11.1% 73. Dessert -11.7% 74. Weekly Shounen Magazine -13.1% 75. Judy -13.4% 76. Evening -13.9% 77. Ikki -14.5% 78*. Comic Aqua -16.7% 79. Margaret -17.0% 80. Dragon Age -17.1% 81. The Betsufure [1] -17.8% 82. Ribbon Original -18.9% 83. Monthly Magazine Z -20.5% 84. Morning -20.7% 85. Ribbon -26.3% 86. Comic Bom Bom -26.9% 87*. Zoukan Ran Twins Sengoku Bushou Retsuden -27.8% [1] Juliet in 2004 Here are the changes in circulation from 2003 to 2004, for comparison: 1*. Kairakuten, +100% 2. Ciao, +17.0% 3. Shoujo, +13.9% 4*. Manga Action, +11.4% 5. Cookie, +7.0% 6. Afternoon, +3.3% 7. Bessatsu Friend, +1.7% 8. Dessert, +0.8% 9. Petit Momo, 0% 10. Elle Teen, 0% 11*. Weekly Manga Goraku, 0% 12*. Monthly Comic Dengeki Daioh, 0% 13*. Monthly Dengeki Comic Gao, 0% 14*. Weekly Manga Sunday, 0% 15. Corocoro, -1.9% 16. Magazine Special, -2.7% 17. Monthly Shounen Gan Gan, -4.1% 18. Comic Ran, -4.4% 19. Business Jump, -5.3% 20. The Dessert, -6.2% 21*. Young King, -6.7% 22. Comic Bom Bom, -6.7% 23*. Weekly Manga Times, -7.4% 24. Betsucomi, -7.4% 25. Petit Comic, -7.4% 26. Weekly Shounen Jump, -7.6% 27. Office You, -7.6% 28. Monthly Magazine Z, -7.9% 29. Big Comic, -8.5% 30. Monthly Shounen Magazine, -8.6% 31. Bessatsu Corocoro Special, -8.7% 32. Young You, -9.2% 33. Feel Young, -9.4% 34. Super Jump, -9.8% 35. Juliet, -9.8% 36. LaLa DX, -10.2% 37. Comic Ran Twins, -10.3% 38. Weekly Young Jump, -10.8% 39. Weekly Shounen Sunday, -11.4% 40. Morning, -11.5% 41. Hana to Yume, -11.6% 42. Nakayoshi, -12.1% 43. Monthly Shounen Jump, -12.4% 44. Big Comic Original, -13.0% 45. Silky, -13.2% 46. You, -13.3% 47. Judy, -13.4% 48. Big Comic Superior, -13.5% 49*. Young Comic, -13.8% 50. Be Love, -13.8% 51. Young Sunday, -13.9% 52. Young Magazine, -14.4% 53. Weekly Shounen Magazine, -14.7% 54. Kiss, -15.6% 55. Cheese!, -15.9% 56. Chorus, -16.0% 57. Young Animal, -16.2% 58. LaLa, -16.6% 59. Big Comic Spirits, -17.2% 60*. Young King Ours, -17.4% 61*. Young Champion, -18.2% 62. Bessatsu Hana to Yume, -18.3% 63. Bessatsu Margaret, -18.6% 64. Evening, -19.3% 65. Margaret, -19.4% 66. Ultra Jump, -20.0% 67*. Manga Time, -20.0% 68*. Elegance Eve, -20.0% 69*. Manga Time Original, -21.1% 70. The Margaret, -22.6% 71. Flowers, -22.7% 72. One More Kiss, -23.7% 73*. For Mrs., -23.8% 74. Deluxe Margaret, -24.7% 75. Ribbon, -26.3% 76. Gundam Ace, -29.5% 77. Shounen Sunday Chou (Super) [1], -36.9% 78*. Weekly Shounen Champion, -37.5% 79. Weekly Comic Bunch, -42.4% 80. V Jump, -51.7% 81. Ikki, -54.8% 82. Monthly Gan Gan Wing, -58.4% 83. Monthly G Fantasy, -59.5% 84. Dragon Age, -72.2% 85. Shounen Ace, -80.3% 86. Ciel, -80.5% 87. Asuka, -81.0% [1] Zoukan Shounen Sunday Super in 2003 And the two-year changes from 2003 to 2005: 1*. Kairakuten, +133.3% 2. Ciao, +13.6% 3. Shoujo, +13.0% 4*. Manga Action, +11.4% 5. Cookie, +7.5% 6. Magazine Special, +0.7% 7. Comic Ran, +0.5% 8*. Monthly Dengeki Comic Gao, 0% 9*. Monthly Comic Dengeki Daioh, 0% 10. Weekly Manga Goraku, 0% 11*.Weekly Manga Sunday, 0% 12. Comic Ran Twins, -2.4% 13. Betsucomi, -2.9% 14. Afternoon, -4.4% 15. Bessatsu Friend, -4.8% 16. Weekly Manga Times, -7.4% 17. Weekly Shounen Jump, -8.8% 18. Petit Comic, -10.2% 19. Young King, -10.7% 20. Office You, -11.0% 21. Dessert, -11.0% 22. Corocoro, -11.2% 23. Monthly Shounen Magazine, -11.5% 24. Nakayoshi, -12.0% 25. Super Jump, -12.7% 26. The Dessert, -13.0% 27. LaLa DX, -13.1% 28. Hana to Yume, -13.2% 29. LaLa, -13.2% 30. Business Jump, -14.4% 31. Feel Young, -14.5% 32. Bessatsu Corocoro Special, -15.1% 33. Weekly Young Jump, -15.2% 34. Big Comic, -15.4% 35. Young Animal, -16.2% 36. Young Magazine, -17.0% 37. Monthly Shounen Jump, -18.1% 38*. Young Champion, -18.2% 39. Weekly Shounen Sunday, -18.5% 40. Chorus, -19.0% 41. Big Comic Original, -19.0% 42. Young Sunday, -19.1% 43. Silky, -19.8% 44*. Elegance Eve, -20.0% 45. Manga Time, -20.0% 46. Ultra Jump, -20.0% 47. You, -20.7% 48. Big Comic Superior, -20.8% 49. Young King Ours, -20.9% 50. Manga Time Original, -21.1% 51. Bessatsu Margaret, -23.5% 52. Kiss, -23.7% 53*. For Mrs., -23.8% 54. Judy, -25.0% 55. Big Comic Spirits, -25.1% 56. Cheese!, -25.1% 57. Weekly Shounen Magazine, -25.8% 58. The Betsufure [1], -25.9% 59. Monthly Magazine Z, -26.8% 60. Bessatsu Hana to Yume, -27.4% 61. Flowers, -27.4% 62. Deluxe Margaret, -28.2% 63. The Margaret, -28.6% 64. Morning, -29.9% 65. Gundam Ace, -30.2% 66. One More Kiss, -30.3% 67. Evening, -30.6% 68. Comic Bom Bom, -31.8% 69. Margaret, -33.1% 70*. Weekly Shounen Champion, -37.5% 71. Shounen Sunday Chou (Super) [2], -39.5% 72. V Jump, -42.5% 73. Ribbon, -45.7% 74. Weekly Comic Bunch, -47.0% 75. Ikki, -61.3% 76. Dragon Age, -76.9% 77. Shounen Ace, -77.0% 78. Ciel, -80.1% 79. Asuka, -82.1% [1] Juliet in 2003 [2] Zoukan Shounen Sunday Super in 2003 As far as I know, the Japanese website which originally posted these figures didn't indicate which, if any, of the 2003 circulation figures were independently audited. Unfortunately, this means that comparisons between the 2003-2004 period and the 2004-2005 period are on shaky ground. (Though I suspect that the apparent collapse between 2003 and 2004 of several titles, which were reported as having lost over half of their circulation, actually reflects a switch from self-reported to independently audited figures.) But if we assume that the 2003 figures are mostly accurate, then the general circulation decline seen between 2003 and 2004 was slowed, but by no means halted, in 2005. Apart from this, what chiefly strikes me from the 2005 figures are the developments at the tops of the shounen and shoujo categories. Weekly Shounen Magazine, which was neck-and-neck with Weekly Shounen Jump in 2003 for first place among all the anthologies (again assuming the 2003 figures are mostly accurate), is now over half a million behind Jump: both declined in circulation, but Shounen Magazine declined over twice as much. But the pleasure of Jump's publisher Shuueisha at this is no doubt tempered by what happened to their flagship shoujo title Ribbon. In 2003 this was the No. 1 shoujo anthology. But in just two years it's lost nearly half its circulation, and now is no longer a serious contender for No. 1. What the heck happened?