CoroCoro Comic

Summary

CoroCoro Comic (コロコロコミック, KoroKoro Komikku) is a Japanese monthly manga magazine published by Shogakukan;[3] established on May 15, 1977. Its main target is elementary school-aged boys. Several of its properties, like Doraemon and the Pokémon series of games, have gone on to be cultural phenomena in Japan.

CoroCoro Comic
Monthly CoroCoro Comic (September 1983 issue)
CategoriesChildren (elementary school boys)[1]
FrequencyMonthly
Circulation1,000,000
(November, December 2017)[2]
First issue15 May 1977; 46 years ago (1977-05-15)
CompanyShogakukan
CountryJapan
Based inTokyo
LanguageJapanese
Websitecorocoro.jp Edit this at Wikidata

The name comes from a phenomime korokoro (ころころ) which means "rolling" and also represents something spherical, fat, or small, because children supposedly like such things. The magazine is A5-sized, about 6 cm (2+14 in) thick, and each issue is 750 pages long. CoroCoro Comic is released monthly with new issues on the 15th of each month (or earlier if the 15th falls on a weekend). CoroCoro Comic sold 400 million copies as of April 2017, making it one of the best-selling comic/manga magazines.[4]

The magazine has three sisters: Bessatsu CoroCoro Comic (別冊コロコロコミック), CoroCoro Ichiban! (コロコロイチバン) and CoroCoro Aniki (コロコロアニキ). Bessatsu and Ichiban! are published bi-monthly, while Aniki, which targeted an older audience, was released quarterly. On November 20, 2020, CoroCoro Comic cover designer Tariji Sasaki was recognized by Guinness World Records as the longest-running cover designer for a children's magazine.[5] CoroCoro Aniki ended publication in March 2021.[6]

History edit

The magazine was launched in 1977 as a magazine for Doraemon, which is one of the most popular manga in Japan. Before then Doraemon had been serialized in 6 Shogakukan magazines, targeted to students of 6 elementary school grades, that target audience has now increased. It collected stories of Doraemon from these magazines. It celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2007 with an exhibition at the Kyoto International Manga Museum.[7]

Tie-ins edit

CoroCoro regularly promotes toys and video games related to their manga franchises, releasing stories and articles featuring them. Pocket Monsters/Pokémon's big success in Japan owes to this in a way; the Game Boy game Pocket Monsters Blue was sold exclusively through the magazine at first, which helped CoroCoro's sales as well. CoroCoro is also often a source of information about upcoming Pokémon games and movies.

Other successful tie-ins include:

Manga series currently being serialized edit

Manga titles currently serialized in Monthly CoroCoro Comic edit

Manga titles currently serialized in Bessatsu CoroCoro Comic edit

  • Super Mario-kun (Since February 1991)
  • Pokémon Pocket Monsters (Since February 1997)
  • Denjyarasu Jiisan Jya! (Since June 2010)
  • Duel Masters Victory (Since June 2011)
  • Animal Crossing: New Leaf (Since October 2012)
  • Lapis Lazuli (Since October 2012)
  • Big Gathering! We are Oreca! [ja] (Since December 2012)
  • Pokémon Torretta (Since February 2013)
  • A Penguin's Troubles Plus (Since April 2013)
  • Friendship Attached! Foot Burst (Since April 2013)
  • Nyaemon (Since April 2013)
  • Really!! Majime-kun! (Since June 2013)
  • Super Conversion War Mojibakeru G Beat! (Since June 2013)
  • Story of Duel Masters: Outrage (Since June 2013)
  • Cosmos Stamp (Since August 2013)
  • Orecabattle Oreca-Monsters Adventure-Retsuden [ja] (Since October 2013)
  • Puniru Is a Cute Slime (Since March 2022)

Manga titles currently serialized in CoroCoro Ichiban edit

Formerly serialized manga edit

This is a list of all manga that had been serialized by CoroCoro Comic at one point, but currently no longer.

1960s edit

1970s edit

1980s edit

1990s edit

2000s edit

2010s edit

2020s edit

Circulation edit

Year / Period Monthly circulation Magazine sales
1987 1,400,000[9] 16,800,000[9]
1988 1,100,000[9] 13,200,000[9]
1989 1,100,000[9] 13,200,000[9]
1990 880,000[9] 10,560,000[9]
1991 600,000[9] 7,200,000[9]
1992 670,000[9] 8,040,000[9]
1993 500,000[9] 6,000,000[9]
1994 450,000[9] 5,400,000[9]
1995 630,000[9] 7,560,000[9]
1996 1,350,000[9] 16,200,000[9]
1997 1,800,000[9] 21,600,000[9]
1998 1,650,000[9] 19,800,000[9]
1999 1,260,000[9] 15,120,000[9]
2000 1,240,000[9] 14,880,000[9]
2001 1,260,000[9] 15,120,000[9]
2002 1,260,000[9] 15,120,000[9]
2003 1,350,000[9] 16,200,000[9]
2004 1,270,000[9] 15,240,000[9]
2005 1,090,000[9] 13,080,000[9]
January 2006 to August 2006 963,334[10] 7,706,672[10]
September 2006 to August 2007 932,500[10] 11,190,000[10]
September 2007 to August 2008 885,000[10] 10,620,000[10]
September 2008 to August 2009 911,667[10] 10,940,004[10]
September 2009 to August 2010 950,834[10] 11,410,008[10]
September 2010 to August 2011 837,500[10] 10,050,000[10]
October 2011 to September 2012 697,917[11] 8,375,004[11]
October 2012 to September 2013 595,000[12] 7,140,000[12]
October 2013 to September 2014 768,334[13] 9,220,008[13]
October 2014 to September 2015 1,014,167[14] 12,170,004[11]
October 2015 to September 2016 840,833[15] 10,089,996[15]
October 2016 to March 2017 803,333[16] 4,819,998[16]
April 2017 to June 2017 776,667[16] 2,330,001[16]
July 2017 to September 2017 763,333[17] 2,289,999[17]
October 2017 to September 2018 757,500[18] 9,090,003[18]
October 2018 to September 2019 621,667[19] 7,460,004[19]
May 1977 to September 2018 418,840,006[4][17][18][19]

Rivals edit

Corocoro has had many rival magazines in the past, with one of them, Comic Bom Bom, closing down due to declining sales. The current competition includes V Jump and Saikyo Jump.

Past rivals edit

  • Shōnen Challenge [ja] (January 1979–February 1982)
  • 100-Point Comic [ja] (January 1981–January 1983)
  • Comic Bom Bom (November 1981–December 2007)
  • One-Pack Comic [ja] (November 1985–January 1989)
  • Comic Bun-Bun [ja] (January 2004–October 2009)
  • Kerokero Ace (December 2007–September 2013)

Current rivals edit

Foreign adaptations edit

  • CO-CO! (Hong Kong)
  • CoroCoro Monthly (Taiwan)
  • Dragon Comic CORO-CORO (China)

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Morrissy, Kim (July 7, 2017). "CoroCoro's 40th Anniversary Celebrates New Generation of Pokémon, Doraemon, and More". Anime News Network. Retrieved April 2, 2020. If you've ever been a kid in Japan, you've probably heard of CoroCoro Comic, the biggest manga magazine aimed at elementary schoolboys.

    Miller, Evan (March 11, 2007). "Legends of Corocoro 10 Comic Series Debuts in May". Anime News Network. Retrieved February 12, 2020. [CoroCoro Comic] has long been viewed as one of Japan's most popular manga magazines for younger children.

    月刊コロコロコミック (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Retrieved February 12, 2020. いつの時代も、子供たちの遊びをリードする雑誌、それがコロコロコミックです。(A magazine that always leads children's play, that's CoroCoro Comic.)

    Loveridge, Lynzee (August 29, 2017). "CoroCoro Comic Page Shows Infantile Trump Using 20 Fidget Spinners". Anime News Network. Retrieved February 12, 2020. The children's manga magazine CoroCoro Comic runs some of the tamest manga the industry has to offer.

    大人が楽しめる!最新コロコロ漫画が ぶっ飛び過ぎな件. OKMusic. Japan Music Network. February 22, 2016. Retrieved February 12, 2020. 「コロコロコミック」は、モチロン子供向け漫画雑誌です。 しかし、たまには子供向け漫画を読んでみても、いいかもしれませんよ。(CoroCoro Comic is a comic magazine for children. But sometimes it might be nice to read comics for children.)

  2. ^ [1] Archived April 16, 2019, at the Wayback Machine, CoroCoroNews
  3. ^ Schodt, Frederik L. (1996). Dreamland Japan: writings on modern manga. Stone Bridge Press. p. 83. ISBN 1-880656-23-X.
  4. ^ a b コロコロ×スカイツリーのコラボビジュアル公開、カフェメニューも明らかに. AnimeAnime.jp (in Japanese). May 4, 2017.
  5. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (November 20, 2020). "Coro Coro Comics Cover Designer Sets Guinness World Record". Anime News Network. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  6. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (March 14, 2021). "Shogakukan's Coro Coro Aniki Magazine Ends Publication". Anime News Network. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  7. ^ Loo, Egan (July 18, 2007). "Kyoto Museum Exhibits Genius Party, Coronary, Terra E…". Anime News Network. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  8. ^ "Is the World Ready for a "Minions" Manga?".
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al "コミック誌の部数水準". Yahoo! Japan. Archived from the original on March 6, 2007. Retrieved March 6, 2007.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l 社団法人日本雑誌協会 JMPAマガジンデータによる該当期間中に発売された雑誌1号当たりの平均印刷部数。
  11. ^ a b c "JMPAマガジンデータ : 男性 コミック". Japan Magazine Publishing Association. Archived from the original on October 22, 2013. Retrieved October 22, 2013.
  12. ^ a b "JMPAマガジンデータ : 男性 コミック". Japan Magazine Publishing Association. Archived from the original on November 17, 2014. Retrieved November 17, 2014.
  13. ^ a b "JMPAマガジンデータ : 男性 コミック". Japan Magazine Publishing Association. Archived from the original on November 16, 2015. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
  14. ^ "JMPAマガジンデータ : 男性 コミック". Japan Magazine Publishing Association. Archived from the original on October 3, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  15. ^ a b "JMPAマガジンデータ : 男性 コミック". Japan Magazine Publishing Association. Archived from the original on November 9, 2017. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  16. ^ a b c d "印刷部数公表". Japan Magazine Publishing Association. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
  17. ^ a b c "印刷部数公表". Japan Magazine Publishing Association. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
  18. ^ a b c "印刷部数公表". Japan Magazine Publishing Association. Retrieved March 24, 2019.
  19. ^ a b c "JMPAマガジンデータ : 男性 コミック". Japan Magazine Publishing Association. September 30, 2019. Archived from the original on February 22, 2020. Retrieved February 22, 2020.

External links edit

  • Official site (in Japanese)
    • CoroCoro Comic (coro.shogakukan.co.jp) at the Wayback Machine (archive index)
    • CoroCoro Comic (shogakukan.co.jp/corocoro/index.html) at the Wayback Machine (archived June 27, 1997)
  • Bessatsu CoroCoro Comic Minisite (in Japanese)
  • CoroCoro Ichiban Minisite (in Japanese)
  • CoroCoro Archive (in Japanese)