Shogakukan

Shogakukan Inc. (株式会社小学館, Kabushiki gaisha Shōgakukan) is a Japanese publisher of dictionaries, literature, manga, non-fiction, DVDs, and other media in Japan.[1]

Shogakukan Inc.
Native name
株式会社 小学館
Kabushiki gaisha Shōgakukan
TypePrivate KK
IndustryPublishing
FoundedAugust 8, 1922 (1922-08-08)
FounderTakeo Ōga
Headquarters
Tokyo
,
Japan
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Masahiro Ōga (President, CEO)
ProductsMagazines, manga, picture books, light novels, educational books, reference books, other books
OwnerŌga family
Number of employees
728 (2017)
ParentHitotsubashi Group
Subsidiaries
Websitewww.shogakukan.co.jp

Shogakukan founded Shueisha, which also founded Hakusensha. These are three separate companies, but are together called the Hitotsubashi Group,[2] one of the largest publishing groups in Japan. Shogakukan is headquartered in the Shogakukan Building in Hitotsubashi, part of Kanda, Chiyoda, Tokyo, near the Jimbocho book district. The corporation also has the other two companies located in the same ward.

International operations

In the United States
The exterior of Shogakukan's main headquarters in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan

Shogakukan, along with Shueisha, owns Viz Media,[3] which publishes manga from both companies in the United States.

Shogakukan's licensing arm in North America was ShoPro Entertainment; it was merged into Viz Media in 2005.[4]

Shogakukan's production arm is Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions (previously Shogakukan Productions Co.,Ltd.)

In March 2010 it was announced that Shogakukan would partner with the American comics publisher Fantagraphics to issue a line of manga to be edited by Rachel Thorn.[5]

In Europe

In Europe, manga from Shōgakukan and Shūeisha are published by local publishers such like Pika Édition, Ki-oon, Kana and Kazé for the French market, and Kazé, Carlsen, Egmont and Tokyopop for the German market. Shogakukan, Shueisha and ShoPro have made a joint venture named Viz Media Europe.[6] Viz Media Europe bought in 2009 the French Kazé Group whose activities are mainly publishing manga and home video for the French and German market.[7]

In Southeast Asia

The company has a wholly owned subsidiary, Shogakukan Asia, headquartered in Singapore. Besides producing popular titles in English such as Detective Conan, Pokémon and Future Card Buddyfight, the company also partners with local creators such as Johnny Lau to publish comic series for distribution in Southeast Asia.[8]

New Manga Awards

Shogakukan has awards for amateur manga artists who want to become professional. It allows people to either send in their manga by mail or bring it in to an editor.

Genghis Khan controversy

On February 15, 2018, CoroCoro Comic (aka "Gekkan Corocoro Comic"), a children's magazine published by Shogakukan published its March issue with a cartoon making fun of Genghis Khan, the founder of the Mongol Empire. The comic depicted a mischievous boy drawing juvenile things on pictures of famous people, such as a dog's face on a picture of Albert Einstein.[9] Genghis Khan was depicted with a crude rendering of male genitalia on his forehead.[10][11] Initially after some backlash, Shogakukan offered an apology addressed to the Mongolian Embassy in Tokyo on February 23, but it failed to mollify reactions by the Mongolians in Japan who regard Genghis Khan a national hero.[10]

On February 26, Mongolians and citizens from China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region residing in Japan sent a formal letter of protest to Shogakukan and a group of approximately 90 demonstrators protested in front of Shogakukan Inc.'s headquarters.[10] Major bookselling chains, Kinokuniya, Miraiya and Kumazawa pulled the publication off its shelves after the Mongolian Embassy of Tokyo filed an official complaint with the Japanese Foreign Ministry.[9] In March 2018, Shogakukan issued a further public apology, announced a national recall of the magazine and offered reimbursement to magazine goers.[12] CoroCoro Comic's website also published an apology by Asumi Yoshino, author of the serialized manga, "Yarisugi!!! Itazura-kun," which contained the controversial cartoon drawing.[13]

List of magazines published

Male oriented manga magazines
Children's manga magazines
  • CoroCoro Comic (Since 1977)
  • Bessatsu CoroCoro Comic (Since 1981)
  • CoroCoro Ichiban! (Since 2005)
Shōnen manga magazines
Seinen manga magazines

Female oriented manga magazines

Woman's weekly magazine (since 1805)

Children's manga magazines
Shōjo manga magazines
Josei manga magazines

Fashion magazines

See also

References
  1. "Company Overview of SHOGAKUKAN". Bloomberg. Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  2. "Global Publishing Leaders 2015: Shogakukan". PWxyz. Publishers Weekly. 26 Jun 2015. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  3. Alverson, Brigid (13 May 2016). "Hachette and Kadokawa Partner on Manga and Graphic Novels". PWxyz. Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  4. "ShoPro Entertainment Inc. and VIZ, LLC to Merge". Anime News Network. 25 Jan 2005. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  5. Deppey, Dirk (March 8, 2010). "Journalista reputation-destroying extra: Four years' work". Journalista!. The Comics Journal. Archived from the original on September 7, 2015. Retrieved 2015-11-16.
  6. Vizmedia Europe rachète le groupe Kazé
  7. Organisation du groupe Vizmedia Europe
  8. "Education through entertainment" (Archive). Singapore Economic Development Board. January 15, 2014. Retrieved on June 2, 2015.
  9. "Genghis Khan-insulting manga pulled from major book stores amid further Mongolian protests". SoraNews24. Socio Corporation. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  10. "Mongolians irate over manga showing penis on Genghis Khan". The Asahi Shimbun Company. The Asahi Shimbun. 28 February 2018. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  11. "Coro Coro Comics Apologizes for Manga's Depiction of Genghis Khan". Anime News Network. 25 Feb 2018. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  12. "Publisher Shogakukan withdraws and apologizes for comic that mocks Genghis Khan". The Japan Times. Kyodo. 6 March 2018. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  13. Shiohara, Ken (7 March 2018). "Publisher recalls manga magazine that infuriated Mongolians". The Asahi Shimbun Company. The Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  14. "Rinka". manga-news.com (in French). Retrieved November 23, 2014.
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