Big Comic
Encyclopedia
is a semimonthly seinen
manga magazine published since 1968-02-29 by Shogakukan
in Japan
. It was originally launched as a monthly magazine, but switched to twice monthly on the 10th and 25th beginning in April 1968. It is paired with sister magazine Big Comic Original
, going on sale in the weeks Big Comic Original doesn't. Circulation in 2008 was reported at slightly over a half-million copies.
The magazine has published works by a number of well-known manga artists
, including Osamu Tezuka
, Shotaro Ishinomori
, Sanpei Shirato
, Takao Saito
, Fujiko Fujio (A)
, Fujiko F. Fujio
, and Tetsuya Chiba
. Big Comic also serializes Saito's long-running Golgo 13
manga. The front cover of the magazine always features a caricature
by Shūichi Higurashi of a famous individual.
Seinen
is a subset of manga that is generally targeted at a 20–30 year old male audience, but the audience can be older with some manga aimed at businessmen well into their 40s. In Japanese, the word Seinen means "young man" or "young men" and is not suggestive of sexual matters...
manga magazine published since 1968-02-29 by Shogakukan
Shogakukan
is a Japanese publisher of dictionaries, literature, manga, non-fiction, DVDs, and other media in Japan.Shogakukan founded Shueisha which founded Hakusensha. These are three separate companies, but are together called the Hitotsubashi Group, one of the largest publishing groups in Japan...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It was originally launched as a monthly magazine, but switched to twice monthly on the 10th and 25th beginning in April 1968. It is paired with sister magazine Big Comic Original
Big Comic Original
is a Japanese seinen manga magazine published by Shogakukan, aimed at an older adult and mostly male audience. It is a sister magazine to Big Comic, the biggest difference being that it goes on sale twice a month in the weeks Big Comic doesn't. Cover artwork usually features a dog or cat, and a haiku...
, going on sale in the weeks Big Comic Original doesn't. Circulation in 2008 was reported at slightly over a half-million copies.
The magazine has published works by a number of well-known manga artists
Mangaka
is the Japanese word for a comic artist or cartoonist. Outside of Japan, manga usually refers to a Japanese comic book and mangaka refers to the author of the manga, who is usually Japanese...
, including Osamu Tezuka
Osamu Tezuka
was a Japanese cartoonist, manga artist, animator, producer, activist and medical doctor, although he never practiced medicine. Born in Osaka Prefecture, he is best known as the creator of Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion and Black Jack...
, Shotaro Ishinomori
Shotaro Ishinomori
was a Japanese manga artist who became an influential figure in manga, anime, and tokusatsu, creating several immensely popular long-running series such as Cyborg 009 and Himitsu Sentai Goranger, what would go on to become part of the Super Sentai series, and the Kamen Rider Series...
, Sanpei Shirato
Sanpei Shirato
, known by the pen name , is a Japanese manga artist and essayist known for his social criticism as well as his realistic drawing style and the characters in his scenarios. He is considered a pioneer of gekiga. The son of the Japanese proletarian painter Toki Okamoto, his dream to become an artist...
, Takao Saito
Takao Saito
is a Japanese manga and gekiga artist. He is best known for creating the successful series Golgo 13.-Early life and career:Takao Saito was born on November 3, 1936 in Wakayama Prefecture. During his school days in Osaka he was the best in his class in drawing and fighting, and also considered...
, Fujiko Fujio (A)
Fujiko Fujio
was a nom de plume of a manga writing duo formed by two Japanese manga artists. Their real names are and . They formed their partnership in 1951, and used the Fujiko Fujio name from 1954 until dissolution of the partnership in 1987....
, Fujiko F. Fujio
Fujiko Fujio
was a nom de plume of a manga writing duo formed by two Japanese manga artists. Their real names are and . They formed their partnership in 1951, and used the Fujiko Fujio name from 1954 until dissolution of the partnership in 1987....
, and Tetsuya Chiba
Tetsuya Chiba
is a Japanese manga artist famous for his sports stories.He was born in Tokyo, Japan, but lived most of his early childhood in Manchuria when it was still a Japanese colony during the Second Sino-Japanese War. His father was working in a paper factory during that time they lived in China. One of...
. Big Comic also serializes Saito's long-running Golgo 13
Golgo 13
is a manga series written and illustrated by Takao Saito, published in Shogakukan's Big Comic magazine since January 1969. In 1976, the manga won the 21st Shogakukan Manga Award for general manga...
manga. The front cover of the magazine always features a caricature
Caricature
A caricature is a portrait that exaggerates or distorts the essence of a person or thing to create an easily identifiable visual likeness. In literature, a caricature is a description of a person using exaggeration of some characteristics and oversimplification of others.Caricatures can be...
by Shūichi Higurashi of a famous individual.
Currently serialized
These series appear according to a regular schedule in the magazine.- Akabee, by Hiroshi Kurogane, by Keisuke Yamashina
- Cruise: Ishi Yamada Kōhei Kōkaishi, written by Masao Yajima, illustrated by Hiroyuki Kikuta, by Fujihiko HosonoFujihiko Hosonois a Japanese manga artist. Hosono was born in Ōta, Tokyo. In 1979, he made his debut with Crusher Joe while he was a student at Keio University. Around the same time, he joined the as an animator...
, by Shinri Mori, by Takao SaitoTakao Saitois a Japanese manga and gekiga artist. He is best known for creating the successful series Golgo 13.-Early life and career:Takao Saito was born on November 3, 1936 in Wakayama Prefecture. During his school days in Osaka he was the best in his class in drawing and fighting, and also considered...
, written by Yūji Nishi, illustrated by Shinji Hikino - Kamuroba-mura e, by Mikio IgarashiMikio Igarashiis a Japanese manga artist born 13 January 1955 in the town of Nakaniida , Kami District, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, though he currently lives in the city of Sendai. He is most well known for his manga series Bonobono and Ninpen Manmaru...
- Munakata Kyōju Ikōroku, by Yukinobu HoshinoYukinobu Hoshinois a Japanese manga artist. He was born in Kushiro, Hokkaidō and dropped out of Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music mid-semester from the fine arts department. He made his debut in 1975 with Kotetsu no Queen and with Harukanaru Asa won the Tezuka prize for an outstanding manga. On...
, by Tsuyoshi NakaimaTsuyoshi Nakaimais a Japanese manga artist who writes shōnen sports manga. He is best known for the martial arts series Ucchare Goshogawara, which was adapted as an anime OVA produced by Bandai, and for which he received the 1990 Shogakukan Manga Award for shōnen manga...
, written by Norio Hayashi, illustrated by Ken'ichirō Takai, by Kaiji KawaguchiKaiji Kawaguchiis a Japanese manga author whose works include Eagle and Zipang. Generally, his stories involve Japan and examine the moral choices that people make in extreme situations. He received the Kodansha Manga Award three times, for Actor in 1987, for The Silent Service in 1990, and for Zipang in 2002... - Sekuhara-kachō no Tsubuyaki, by Tōru Nakajima, written by Masaharu Nabeshima, illustrated by Mitsuo HashimotoMitsuo Hashimoto (manga artist)is a Japanese manga artist. After winning an honorable mention at the 11th Tezuka Awards in 1976 for his work Mīnya no Negai, he made his professional debut the following year in a special issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump with his work...
Irregularly serialized
These series are currently serialized, but have no specific schedule for when each chapter appears in the magazine.- Chūshun Komawari-kun, by Tatsuhiko Yamagami
- Osozaki Jijii, by Yoshinori KobayashiYoshinori KobayashiYoshinori Kobayashi is a bestselling Japanese author and manga artist...
- Uchū Kazoku Nobeyama, by Jirō Okazaki, written by Midori Natsu, illustrated by Kiyoshi Chikuyama
Formerly serialized
- Ayako, by Osamu TezukaOsamu Tezukawas a Japanese cartoonist, manga artist, animator, producer, activist and medical doctor, although he never practiced medicine. Born in Osaka Prefecture, he is best known as the creator of Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion and Black Jack...
- Barbara, by Osamu Tezuka
- Big Wing, written by Masao Yajima, illustrated by Shinji Hikino
- Swallowing the EarthSwallowing the Earthis a manga by Osamu Tezuka serialized in Big Comic and licensed by Digital Manga.-Further reading: -External links:* at TezukaOsamu.net...
, by Osamu Tezuka - Eagle: The Making of an Asian-American PresidentEagle: The Making of an Asian-American Presidentis a political seinen manga by Kaiji Kawaguchi serialized in Big Comic, a manga magazine published by Shogakukan. Its plot, following a Japanese American senator as he runs for president of the United States, was thoroughly researched by Kawaguchi during months of travel in the US.-Plot:Eagle takes...
, by Kaiji KawaguchiKaiji Kawaguchiis a Japanese manga author whose works include Eagle and Zipang. Generally, his stories involve Japan and examine the moral choices that people make in extreme situations. He received the Kodansha Manga Award three times, for Actor in 1987, for The Silent Service in 1990, and for Zipang in 2002... - Ode to KirihitoOde to Kirihitois a graphic novel by Osamu Tezuka. It was originally serialized in Big Comic in Japan 1970-1971 and was published in English translation in 2006 by Vertical Inc....
, by Osamu Tezuka - Five, by Riki Kusaka, created by Yuzuru Hirayama
- Galaxy Express 999Galaxy Express 999is a manga written and drawn by Leiji Matsumoto, as well as various anime films and TV series based on it. It is set in a space-faring, high-tech future in which humans have learned how to transfer their minds into mechanical bodies, thus achieving practical immortality.The manga won the...
, by Leiji MatsumotoLeiji Matsumotois a well-known creator of several anime and manga series. His wife is also known as a manga artist.-Space opera:Matsumoto is famous for his space operas such as Space Battleship Yamato... - Gekiga ObaQ, by Fujiko F. FujioFujiko Fujiowas a nom de plume of a manga writing duo formed by two Japanese manga artists. Their real names are and . They formed their partnership in 1951, and used the Fujiko Fujio name from 1954 until dissolution of the partnership in 1987....
- Gekitō Magnitude 7.7, by Takao Yamaguchi
- GringoGringo (manga)is a manga by Osamu Tezuka that began serialization in 1987 in the Shogakukan manga magazine Big Comic.-Plot:In 1982, the Edo Shoji Corporation is a large Japanese trading company that has created a new branch in the fictional country of Cannibalia...
, by Osamu Tezuka - Happyaku Yachō Hyōri no Kewaishi, by Shotaro IshinomoriShotaro Ishinomoriwas a Japanese manga artist who became an influential figure in manga, anime, and tokusatsu, creating several immensely popular long-running series such as Cyborg 009 and Himitsu Sentai Goranger, what would go on to become part of the Super Sentai series, and the Kamen Rider Series...
- Hidamari no KiHidamari no Kiis a Japanese manga series written an illustrated by Osamu Tezuka about a friendship between a samurai and a doctor in the final days of the Tokugawa Shogunate...
, Osamu Tezuka - Hotel, by Shotaro Ishinomori
- I.L., by Osamu Tezuka
- The Legend of KamuiThe Legend of Kamuiis a manga by Sanpei Shirato. Set in feudal Japan, it tells the story of a low-born ninja who tries to flee his clan. The series combines historical adventure with social commentary and themes of oppression and rebellion that reflect Shirato's Marxist convictions...
(2nd series), written by Sanpei ShiratoSanpei Shirato, known by the pen name , is a Japanese manga artist and essayist known for his social criticism as well as his realistic drawing style and the characters in his scenarios. He is considered a pioneer of gekiga. The son of the Japanese proletarian painter Toki Okamoto, his dream to become an artist...
, illustrated by Tetsuji Okamoto - Kamui Gaiden (2nd series), by Sanpei ShiratoSanpei Shirato, known by the pen name , is a Japanese manga artist and essayist known for his social criticism as well as his realistic drawing style and the characters in his scenarios. He is considered a pioneer of gekiga. The son of the Japanese proletarian painter Toki Okamoto, his dream to become an artist...
- Kobayakawa Nobuki no Koi, by Fumi SaimonFumi Saimonis a female Japanese manga artist and novelist. She is best known for the series Tokyo Love Story, which was adapted as a live-action television series. She won the 1983 Kodansha Manga Award for general manga for P.S. Genki Desu, Shunpei and the 1992 Shogakukan Manga Award for general manga for...
- Kusakabe Shomei Kyūka Omiya-san, by Shotaro Ishinomori
- Minotaurus no Sara, by Fujiko F. Fujio
- Mirai no Omoide, by Fujiko F. Fujio
- MWMW (manga)-External links:****...
, by Osamu Tezuka - Notari MatsutarōNotari Matsutarois a Japanese sports manga series written and illustrated by Tetsuya Chiba about sumo wrestling. It was serialized by Shogakukan in Big Comic from August 1973 to June 1993, then after a hiatus it returned from October 1995 to March 1998...
, by Tetsuya ChibaTetsuya Chibais a Japanese manga artist famous for his sports stories.He was born in Tokyo, Japan, but lived most of his early childhood in Manchuria when it was still a Japanese colony during the Second Sino-Japanese War. His father was working in a paper factory during that time they lived in China. One of... - Sabu to Ichi Torimono HikaeSabu to Ichi Torimono Hikae, sometimes translated as Sabu & Ichi's Arrest Warrant, is a manga series by Shotaro Ishimori originally published in Weekly Shōnen Sunday beginning in 1966. In April 1968, the series moved to serialization in the first issue of Big Comic, where it was published until the series ended four years...
, by Shotaro Ishinomori - Sora! Flight Attendant Monogatari, written by Masao Yajima, illustrated by Shinji Hikino