The first 50 Years of Children's and Girl's Magazines
Magazine List as given in the September, 2009, issue of Gekkan Bijutsu. (Monthly Artwork) magazine. Focus is on girl's magazines, but does include some women's, boy's and children's titles. Some end dates, and notes on name changes were added based on Japanese google searches.
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Romaji Title | Original Title | English Translation | Launched | Folded | Duration |
Myoujou | 明星 | Morning Star | 1900 | 1908 | 8 years |
Jogaku Sekai | 女学世界 | Woman's Learning World | 1901 | 1925 | 24 years |
Shojo Kai | 少女界 | Girl's Kingdom | 1902 | 1912 | 10 years |
Shojo Sekai | 少女世界 | Girl's World | 1906 | 1931 | 15 years |
Shojo no Tomo | 少女の友 | Girl's Friend | 1908 | 1955 | 47 years |
Shirakanba | 白樺 | White Birch | 1910 | 1923 | 13 years |
Fujo Kai | 婦女世 | Woman's Kingdom | 1910 | ??? | ??? |
Seitou | 青踏 | Blue Stocking | 1911 | 1916 | 5 years |
Kodansha Kurabu | 講談倶楽部 | Kodansha Club | 1911 | 1962 | 51 years |
Shojo Gahou | 少女画報 | Girl's Illustrated | 1912 | 1942 | 30 years |
Kodomo no Tomo | 子供之友 | Child's Friend | 1914 | 1943 | 29 years |
Shonen Kurabu | 少年倶楽部 | Boy's Club | 1914 | 1962 | 48 years |
Fujin Kouron | 婦人公論 | Woman's Opinion | 1916 | Present | On-going |
Shufu no Tomo | 主婦之友 | Housewife's Friend | 1917 | Present | On-going |
Akai Tori | 赤い鳥 | Redbird | 1918 | 1936 | 18 years |
Kin no Fune | 金の船 | Gold Ship / Gold Star | 1919 | 1922 | 10 Years |
Fujin Kurabu | 婦人倶楽部 | Woman's Club | 1920 | 1988 | 68 years |
Myoujou (Reissue) | 明星 | Morning Star (Reissue) | 1921 | 1927 | 6 years |
Reijo Kai | 令女会 | Reijo World | 1922 | 1950 | 28 years |
Sande- Mainichi | サンデー毎日 | Sunday Everyday | 1922 | Present | On-going |
Shuukan Asahi | 週刊朝日 | Weekly Asahi | 1922 | Present | On-going |
Kodomo no Kuni | コドモノクニ | Child's Country | 1922 | 1944 | 22 years |
Bungeishunjuu | 文藝春秋 | Literary Seasons | 1923 | Present | On-going |
Shojo Kurabu | 少女倶楽部 | Girl's Club | 1923 | 1962 | 39 years |
Kingu | キング | King | 1924 | 1966 | 42 years |
Fuji | 冨士 | Fuji | 1928 | ??? | ??? |
Hinode | 日の出 | Sunrise | 1932 | ??? | ??? |
Shin Joen | 新女苑 | New Woman's Garden | 1937 | ??? | ??? |
Soreiyu | それいゆ | Soleil | 1946 | 1960 | 14 years |
Himawari | ひまわり | Sunflower | 1947 | 1952 | 5 years |
Manga Shonen | 漫画少年 | Manga Boy | 1947 | 1955 | 8 years |
Bokura | ぼくら | Us | 1954 | 1969 | 15 years |
Shukan Shojo Furendo | 週刊少女フレンド | Weekly Girl's Friend | 1962 | 1996 | 37 years |
Garo | ガロ | Garo | 1964 | 2002 | 38 years |
Notes:
Not all of the magazines mentioned in the September, 2009, issue of Gekkan Bijutsu have information about them on the net. Specifically, I can not information on Fujo Kai, Fuji, Hinode and Shin Joen. They seem to be primarily women's fashion magazines but I can't tell that for sure. In any event, I don't have end dates for them.
I added Bokura, Garo and Manga Shonen to the list to make my own life easier. Specifically, Bokura replaced Shonen Club; Garo was an experimental manga magazine that has been getting some attention in the U.S. press lately; and, Manga Shonen was the focus of an exhibit in Tokyo at the end of 2009.
In 1922, the company producing 金の船 (Gold Ship) changed its name to 金の星 (Gold Star), which was reflected in the changing of the name of the magazine as well. In 1929, the 金の星 magazine was discontinued.
In 1942, the Japanese military government issued an order to reduce the number of magazines, and to ban "pure entertainment" publications ostensibly to conserve printing paper, but also to ensure that publications would churn out war-time propaganda. Under this order, Shojo Gahou was absorbed by Shojo no Tomo.
In 1946, 少年倶楽部 (Shonen Kurabu) changed it's name to 少年クラブ (Shonen Club). In 1962, Kodansha decided that it didn't need both Shonen Club and Bokura, which were both aimed at young males, and decided to discontinue Shonen Club in favor of Bokura.
In 1946, 少女倶楽部 (Shojo Kurabu) changed it's name to 少女クラブ (Shojo Club). In 1962, it was supplanted by the new start-up, Weekly Shojo Friend.
In 1953, 主婦之友 (Shufu no Tomo) changed it's name to 主婦の友 (Shufu no Tomo).
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All text copyright Curtis Hoffmann, (2009) ThreeStepsOverJapan. Do not reproduce or distribute without permission of the author. All rights to the images belong to their respective owners and are used here for educational purposes only.