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Monthly Afternoon

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Monthly Afternoon
Cover of the October 2011 issue, featuring Mysterious Girlfriend X
Editor-in-ChiefAkira Kanai[1]
Former editors
  • Yoshiyuki Kurihara[2]
  • Koichi Yuri[3]
  • Kohei Furukawa[4]
  • Shohei Yoshida[5]
  • Tatsuya Shishikura[6]
CategoriesSeinen manga[7][8]
FrequencyMonthly
Circulation
  • 19,633[9]
  • (April – June 2026)
PublisherKodansha
First issueDecember 25, 1986; 39 years ago (1986-12-25)
CountryJapan
Based inTokyo
LanguageJapanese
Websiteafternoon.kodansha.co.jp

Monthly Afternoon (Japanese: 月刊アフタヌーン, Hepburn: Gekkan Afutanūn) is a Japanese monthly seinen manga anthology published by Kodansha. The first issue was published in December 1986, with new issues released on the 25th of each month. Monthly Afternoon has spawned many successful manga series that span a variety of different genres, such as Oh My Goddess!, Blade of the Immortal, Genshiken, and Big Windup!. Chapters of each manga series in the magazine are compiled and released as tankōbon volumes under its "Afternoon KC" imprint. A spin-off magazine, named good! Afternoon, started publishing in November 2008.

History

[edit]

The magazine was founded as a sister magazine to Morning by the same publisher, Kodansha. It originated as a special issue to the magazine, titled Morning Magnum Zōkan.[a][10] Its first issue was released on December 25, 1986, with the cover date of February 1987.[11] Its purpose was as a complementary magazine, acting as an "experimental zone" for new artists to develop unique art styles in manga.[12] Vice editor of Morning, Yasumitsu Tsutsumi, described the differences between the two magazines in 1994: "Morning uses manga to express ideas and write stories. Afternoon, of course, is similar, but it is also about manga itself, and experimenting and developing forms of expression in manga."[13]

Initially, both Afternoon and Morning shared the same editorial department.[12][14] Its first editor-in-chief was also the editor-in-chief of Morning at the time, Yoshiyuki Kurihara.[2][11] According to Frederik L. Schodt, stories that the editors of Morning liked but felt did not fit the magazine would often land in Afternoon.[15] Afternoon has since maintained its own separate editorial department.[6]

Under the magazine's approach of eschewing an editorial policy in favor of publishing what is experimental and "interesting",[16] Afternoon eventually gained a reputation for its sheer quantity of both its titles and pages, alongside its diverse selection of manga.[17] From 1992 to 1997, an average issue would contain over 1,000 pages.[11][17] Adding to its diversity was the novel approach of inviting foreign artists and writers to create manga in Afternoon, much like in Morning.[15][18]

Many of the artists working for the magazine used to publish amateur doujinshi and were influenced by lolicon amateur manga. Sharon Kinsella claims that around half of all series featured in Afternoon between 1994 and 1997 were inspired by lolicon aesthetics. She lists Discommunication, Gunsmith Cats, Assembler 0X, Seraphic Feather, Aqua and Oh My Goddess! as examples.[19][20]

A sister magazine, titled Afternoon Season Zōkan [ja],[b] was originally published in eight issues between 1987 and 1988, shortly after Afternoon's launch.[21][22] After over a decade, it was revived and began publishing on a quarterly basis, from October 1999 to October 2002.[23][24] After 14 issues, the magazine was discontinued;[25] some of its series, like Mushishi and Mokke, were transferred to Afternoon. Another sister magazine, good! Afternoon, began publishing on November 7, 2008.[26]

Between 2006 and 2009, Afternoon was part of Kodansha's "e-1day" series, a comprehensive website which also included Morning and Evening, its other sister magazine.[27] A similar website, "Moae", was established in May 2013, featuring the aforementioned magazines and their spin-offs, Morning Two and good! Afternoon.[28][29] It has since been discontinued.[30] An online platform, titled Comic Days [ja], was launched in March 2018, featuring manga titles from various Kodansha magazines, including Afternoon.[31] As of November 2013, new issues of Afternoon are distributed simultaneously in print and digitally.[32]

In February 2024, the Afternoon editorial department, Skip and Loafer author Misaki Takamatsu, and the Skip and Loafer anime team donated 10 million yen to the Ishikawa Prefecture Relief Fund after the 2024 Noto Earthquake.[33]

Newcomer award

[edit]

Since 1987, Monthly Afternoon has held the seasonal Afternoon Shiki Shō [ja][c] contest for potential newcomer manga artists. Contenders submit one-shot stories for the chance to win prize money and have their work published in Monthly Afternoon, good! Afternoon, or Comic Days [ja], out of five prize categories.[34] A number of winning works have become serialized hits in Monthly Afternoon, such as Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou, Blame!, and Love Roma.[35] In 2013, Kodansha published a selection of past winners in several volumes.[36]

Circulation and demographic

[edit]

Like with most major manga magazines, Monthly Afternoon's circulation has been steadily declining, from an estimated 200,000 in the 1990s,[15][13] to 22,800 in 2025.[9] Despite higher circulation figures in the past, they were still considered low by large publishers' standards; according to Sharon Kinsella, the magazine did not generate any revenue for Morning's editorial department between its launch in 1986 and 1994.[13]

About two-thirds of Monthly Afternoon readers consist of corporate workers or civil servants.[1] In 1994, the average age of Monthly Afternoon readers was 28 years and four months, younger than the average age of 30 years and two months for adult manga readers.[37] That same year, magazine editor Haruo Ogawa guessed that up to a third of readers of the magazine could be called otaku.[19][20] In 2014, former editor-in-chief Tatsuya Shishikura estimated that most readers of Monthly Afternoon were in their mid-30s, further stating that while good! Afternoon is aimed at casual manga readers, Monthly Afternoon is aimed at "hardcore manga readers".[38]

Features

[edit]

Series

[edit]

There are currently 38 manga titles being serialized in Monthly Afternoon. Out of them, Big Windup!, Historié, Wandering Island and Yakuza Fiancé are on hiatus. Nella of the Horizon is serialized on an irregular schedule.

Series title Author Premiered
7-nin no Nemuri Hime (7人の眠り姫, Shichinin no Nemuri Hime) Fiok Lee March 2023
Asayake Refrain (あさやけリフレイン, Asayake Rifurein) Hikari Matsuda March 2025
Big Windup! (おおきく振りかぶって, Ōkiku Furikabutte) Asa Higuchi September 2003
Blue Period (ブルーピリオド, Burū Piriodo) Tsubasa Yamaguchi June 2017
The Chronicles of Leënde (レーエンデ国物語, Rēende Kuni Monogatari) Rei Tasaki (story) and Nezu Usugumo (art) October 2024
The Darwin Incident (ダーウィン事変, Dāwin Jihen) Shun Umezawa June 2020
Dig It (ディグイット, Digu Itto) Yoshidamaru April 2025
Fragile (フラジャイル, Furajairu) Bin Kusamizu (story) and Megumi Saburo (art) June 2014
Furu Kara-suya Satoshi (フルカラ～スヤサトシ) Satoshi Karasuya January 2024
Fushichō Koroshi (不死鳥殺し) Akira Suga August 2025
Golden Phantom (ゴールデンファントム, Gōruden Fantomu) Daiki Yamazaki February 2026
Gyakusatsu Kigen (逆殺起源) Yūichirō Momose (story) and Shiwasu Hoshikawa (art) May 2026
Heavenly Delusion (天国大魔境, Tengoku Daimakyō) Masakazu Ishiguro January 2018
Hellhound (ヘルハウンド, Heruhaundo) Ryōji Minagawa June 2022
Historié (ヒストリエ, Hisutorie) Hitoshi Iwaaki January 2003
Hyakudai Heikifu (百大兵器譜) Ryū Suenobu June 2026
Kaettekita Karasuya Satoshi (帰ってきたカラスヤサトシ) Satoshi Karasuya January 2018
Kraken Mare Izu (story), Hagane (art) and Masato Hara (translation) February 2025
Manga Lover (マンガラバー, Manga Rabā) Kou Fumimura April 2025
Medalist (メダリスト, Medarisuto) Tsurumaikada May 2020
Mirairaifurai (ミライライフライ) Ao Ameta October 2023
Mojiponica! (モジポニカ!) Masaki Andō May 2025
Moyashimon+ (もやしもん+) Masayuki Ishikawa November 2024
Nella of the Horizon (水平線のネラ, Suiheisen no Nera) Yuki Urushibara February 2025
Omori Omocat (story) and Nui Konoito (art) June 2024
Paris ni Saku Étoile (パリに咲くエトワール, Pari ni Saku Etowāru) Gorō Taniguchi (original work) and Zelihan (art) November 2025
PAX Kokumin Kōfuku Kanrikyoku (PAX 国民幸福管理局) Maki Marukido March 2026
Poo-Neko (プ～ねこ, Pu Neko) Masayuki Kitamichi December 2003
Shingetsu no Ban ni (新月の盤に) Akino Miyabi July 2025
Skip and Loafer (スキップとローファー, Sukippu to Rōfā) Misaki Takamatsu August 2018
Tengu no Daidokoro (天狗の台所) Ai Tanaka September 2021
Toppu GP (トップウGP, Toppū Jīpī) Kōsuke Fujishima May 2016
Under 3 (アンダー3, Andā Surī) Shunji Enomoto April 2014
Wandance (ワンダンス, Wandansu) Coffee January 2019
Wandering Island (冒険エレキテ島, Bōken Erekite-tō) Kenji Tsuruta September 2011
Wave, Listen to Me! (波よ聞いてくれ, Nami yo Kiitekure) Hiroaki Samura July 2014
When the Chameleon Flowers Bloom (どくだみの花咲くころ, Dokudami no Hanasaku Koro) Shiho Kido November 2023
Yakuza Fiancé (来世は他人がいい, Raise wa Tanin ga Ii) Asuka Konishi August 2017

Circulation figures

[edit]
Monthly circulation
Year/PeriodJanuary–MarchApril–JuneJuly–SeptemberOctober–DecemberMagazine sales (est.)Ref
1990s 200,000 24,000,000 [15][13]
2000 170,000 2,040,000 [39]
2001 160,000 1,920,000 [40]
2002 160,000 1,920,000 [41]
2003 140,000 1,680,000 [42]
2004 144,583 1,734,996 [43]
2005 133,834 1,606,008 [43]
2006 127,417 1,529,004 [44]
2007 119,666 1,435,992 [45]
2008 —114,000114,334117,667 1,380,000[d] [47]
2009112,667106,334105,000105,000 1,287,003 [48]
2010104,334102,000100,000100,000 1,219,002 [49]
201198,00095,00091,66791,667 1,129,002 [50]
201290,00089,00087,00087,000 1,059,000 [51]
201387,00085,00085,00087,000 1,032,000 [52]
201485,00085,00084,50083,367 1,013,601 [53]
201575,60775,31074,44474,110 898,413 [54]
201673,84372,31069,31065,000 841,389 [55]
201765,00065,00063,00063,000 768,000 [56]
201862,33360,33353,33351,000 680,997 [57]
201949,00044,16742,70041,500 532,101 [9]
202037,80034,26733,38032,000 412,341 [9]
202130,46730,20029,33328,333 354,999 [9]
202227,00026,50026,33325,633 316,398 [9]
202324,73326,63327,70025,200 312,798 [9]
202423,66722,80022,80022,800 276,201 [9]
202522,80022,80022,80022,800 273,600 [9]
1990s to 2025 65,840 27,652,845

Notes

[edit]
  1. ↑ Japanese: モーニングマグナム増刊, Hepburn: Mōningu Magunamu Zōkan; lit. 'Morning Magnum Special Edition'
  2. ↑ Japanese: アフタヌーンシーズン増刊, Hepburn: Afutanūn Shīzun Zōkan; lit. 'Afternoon Season Special Edition'
  3. ↑ Japanese: アフタヌーン四季賞, Hepburn: Afutanūn Shiki-shō; lit. 'Afternoon Four Seasons Award'
  4. ↑ Total average circulation for the year 2008 was 115,000.[46]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 アフタヌーン. Kodansha AD Station (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on May 22, 2026. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  2. 1 2 "KURIHARA Yoshiyuki". Japan Media Arts Festival. Agency for Cultural Affairs. Archived from the original on May 21, 2026. Retrieved May 21, 2026.
  3. ↑ 縦読み漫画は本当に”新しい漫画”なのか？ WEBTOONの歴史と本質を伝説の編集者・鳥嶋和彦たちと紐解く ― 韓国の経済危機が誕生のきっかけとなり、「待てば無料」の確立が歴史を変えた【イ・ヒョンソク氏インタビュー】. DenFamiNicoGamer. Archived from the original on July 16, 2025. Retrieved May 21, 2026. ※由利耕一1972年講談社に入社。[…]『ミスターマガジン』『月刊アフタヌーン』で編集長を務める。2018年逝去。
  4. ↑ 出版デジタル機構の目指すもの 【page2012】 ＜魅力的な電子書籍コンテンツを生み出すには＞. Japan Association of Graphic Arts Technology (in Japanese). February 9, 2012. Archived from the original on May 31, 2026. Retrieved May 31, 2026. […] 2002年アフタヌーン編集長、2004年モーニング編集長などを歴任。
  5. ↑ AMG×講談社「月刊アフタヌーン」タイアップカリキュラム！！. Amusement Media Academy (in Japanese). March 1, 2012. Archived from the original on January 23, 2026. Retrieved May 30, 2026. 講師として、『月刊アフタヌーン』編集長である吉田昌平さんと副編集長である鈴木直之さんにお越しいただきました。
  6. 1 2 【編集長の部屋1】アフタヌーン宍倉立哉編集長①「編集者とは、その作家の一番身近にいる良い読者だが、その作品を一番突き放して見ている存在」. ManNavi (in Japanese). June 9, 2014. Archived from the original on April 29, 2026. Retrieved May 16, 2026. […] モーニング編集部は40人、アフタヌーン編集部は19人。
  7. ↑ "Men's Manga" (in Japanese). Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. September 2016. Archived from the original on November 4, 2016. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
  8. ↑ Thompson, Jason (2007). Manga: The Complete Guide. Del Rey Books. pp. 327–329. ISBN 978-0-345-48590-8.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 アフタヌーン (in Japanese). Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. Archived from the original on May 16, 2026. Retrieved May 16, 2026.
  10. ↑ モーニングマグナム増刊 1986.0 16. Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Archived from the original on July 7, 2026. Retrieved July 7, 2026. マグナムからアフタヌーンへ増刊 [Magnum to Afternoon Special Issue]
  11. 1 2 3 Kanai, Akira (January 10, 2023). アフタヌーンってどんな雑誌問題 [What kind of magazine is Afternoon?]. note.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 29, 2026. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  12. 1 2 Kinsella 1996, p. 352.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Kinsella 1996, p. 209.
  14. ↑ "Interview with "Afternoon" editor-in-chief Akira Kanai – globalization, webtoons and "healthy" seinen manga". Manga Passion. May 29, 2024. Archived from the original on May 21, 2026. Retrieved May 21, 2026. Back then, Afternoon and Morning were still one editorial team.
  15. 1 2 3 4 Schodt, Frederik L. (1996). Dreamland Japan : writings on modern manga. Berkeley, California: Stone Bridge Press. pp. 104–105. ISBN 1-880656-23-X. OCLC 34597965.
  16. ↑ 腐女子論から「ゼロ年代のモテ技術」まで――「アフタヌーン新書」創刊. ITMedia (in Japanese). April 10, 2009. Archived from the original on October 7, 2025. Retrieved May 25, 2026.
  17. 1 2 "From Japan: L'Afternoon". Mangakana (in French). Archived from the original on August 10, 2002. Retrieved May 16, 2026.
  18. ↑ Gravett, Paul (2004). Manga : sixty years of Japanese comics. New York: Harper Design. p. 157. ISBN 978-1-85669-391-2. OCLC 159940421.
  19. 1 2 Kinsella, Sharon (2000). Adult manga : culture and power in contemporary Japanese society. Honolulu, Hawaii: University of Hawaiʻi Press. pp. 134–135. ISBN 0-8248-2317-6. OCLC 42603226.
  20. 1 2 Kinsella 1996, p. 206–207.
  21. ↑ アフタヌーンシーズン増刊 1987.0. Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Archived from the original on June 4, 2026. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  22. ↑ アフタヌーンシーズン増刊 1988.0 8. Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Archived from the original on June 4, 2026. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  23. ↑ アフタヌーン増刊1999年11号詳細情報. manganetto.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on May 17, 2026. Retrieved May 16, 2026.
  24. ↑ アフタヌーン増刊2002年14号詳細情報. manganetto.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on March 3, 2026. Retrieved May 16, 2026.
  25. ↑ 細かいのいろいろ4・GW情報 (in Japanese). Mandarake Complex. Archived from the original on January 3, 2015. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
  26. ↑ 沙村新作の壁紙が届くメルマガ配信開始. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. November 18, 2008. Archived from the original on May 22, 2026. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  27. ↑ "e-1day" (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on July 21, 2009. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
  28. ↑ 講談社の青年マンガを無料で大量公開！新サイト「モアイ」. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). May 30, 2013. Archived from the original on June 8, 2013. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
  29. ↑ "Kodansha's Five Magazines Join Forces! Webcomic Site Moae Opens, Free Manga Available to Read!". Tokyo Otaku Mode News. June 24, 2013. Archived from the original on May 19, 2025. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
  30. ↑ 「モアイ」は終了しました (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on March 16, 2023. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
  31. ↑ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (February 11, 2018). "Kodansha Launches 'Comic Days' App, Online Service for 6 Manga Magazines". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on January 12, 2026. Retrieved May 27, 2026.
  32. ↑ 月刊青年コミック誌「アフタヌーン」、 紙の雑誌の発売日と同時に電子版配信開始!! (Press release) (in Japanese). Kodansha. November 25, 2013. Archived from the original on May 2, 2022. Retrieved May 17, 2026 – via PR Times.
  33. ↑ Iikura-Gross, Ken (February 24, 2024). "Afternoon Magazine Editors, Skip and Loafer Creator Donate 10 Million Yen After January 1 Quake". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on December 25, 2024. Retrieved May 26, 2026.
  34. ↑ "Kodansha: „AFTERNOON" nimmt internationale Manga-Wettbewerbsbeiträge entgegen". Manga Passion (in German). September 20, 2023. Archived from the original on May 28, 2026. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
  35. ↑ 四季賞とアフタヌーンの関係性変化問題 [The changing relationship between the Shiki Awards and Afternoon magazine]. note.com (in Japanese). March 8, 2023. Archived from the original on May 17, 2026. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
  36. ↑ 『アフタヌーン四季賞ＣＨＲＯＮＩＣＬＥ １９８７－２０００ 冬Ｓｅｌｅｃｔｉｏｎ』（漆原 友紀，熊倉 隆敏，木村 紺，篠房 六郎，真鍋 昌平） 製品詳細 講談社コミックプラス (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on May 17, 2026. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  37. ↑ Kinsella 1996, p. 77.
  38. ↑ 【編集長の部屋1】アフタヌーン宍倉立哉編集長②「今の新人に感じることは、応募者が雑誌を読まなさすぎることです」. ManNavi (in Japanese). June 16, 2014. Archived from the original on December 13, 2025. Retrieved May 22, 2026.
  39. ↑ JMPAマガジンデータ (in Japanese). Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. October 26, 2000. Archived from the original on October 26, 2000. Retrieved August 11, 2026.
  40. ↑ JMPAマガジンデータ (in Japanese). Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. August 6, 2001. Archived from the original on August 6, 2001. Retrieved August 11, 2026.
  41. ↑ JMPAマガジンデータ (in Japanese). Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. December 16, 2002. Archived from the original on December 16, 2002. Retrieved August 11, 2026.
  42. ↑ JMPAマガジンデータ (in Japanese). Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. December 7, 2003. Archived from the original on December 7, 2003. Retrieved August 11, 2026.
  43. 1 2 "Manga Anthology Circulations 2004–2006". December 27, 2007. Archived from the original on March 6, 2022. Retrieved May 21, 2026.
  44. ↑ JMPAマガジンデータ (in Japanese). Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. October 28, 2007. Archived from the original on October 28, 2007. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  45. ↑ JMPAマガジンデータ (in Japanese). Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. September 20, 2008. Archived from the original on September 20, 2008. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  46. ↑ JMPAマガジンデータ (in Japanese). Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. February 26, 2009. Archived from the original on February 26, 2009. Retrieved August 11, 2026.
  47. ↑ 2008 circulation figures:
  48. ↑ 2009 circulation figures:
  49. ↑ 2010 circulation figures:
  50. ↑ 2011 circulation figures:
  51. ↑ 2012 circulation figures:
  52. ↑ 2013 circulation figures:
  53. ↑ 2014 circulation figures:
  54. ↑ 2015 circulation figures:
  55. ↑ 2016 circulation figures:
  56. ↑ 2017 circulation figures:
  57. ↑ 2018 circulation figures:

Works cited

[edit]
  • Kinsella, Sharon (1996). Editors, artists and the changing status of manga in Japanese society, 1986–1995 (Doctoral thesis). University of Oxford. doi:10.5287/ora-goe5kbrwj.
[edit]
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