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CoroCoro Comic (コロコロコミック KoroKoro Komikku?) is a Japanese monthly manga magazine published by Shogakukan,[1] starting in May 15, 1977. Its main target is elementary school aged boys, younger than the readers of shōnen manga. Several of its properties, like Doraemon and the Pokémon series of games, have gone on to be cultural phenomena in Japan.

The name comes from a phenomime korokoro (ころころ) representing something spherical, fat, or small, because children supposedly like such things. The magazine is A5-sized, about 6 cm (2¼ in) thick, and often more than 800 pages in length.

The magazine has two sisters: Bessatsu CoroCoro and CoroCoro Ichiban!. Both are bi-monthly.

History[]

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.[2]

Tie-ins[]

CoroCoro regularly promotes toys and video games related to their manga franchises, releasing stories and articles featuring them. 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:

  • Radio controlled car, Mini 4wd (with Tamiya)
  • Family Computer (Nintendo Entertainment System), Super Famicom (Super NES), and Game Boy (with Nintendo and third parties)
  • Beyblade, B-Daman (with Takara)
  • Bikkuriman (with Lotte)

Manga[]

1960s[]

1970s[]

1980s[]

1990s[]

2000s[]

File:Ratchetmangaimage.png

Ratchet & Clank manga cover

2010s[]

  • Pokémon Black and White

Rivals[]

Corocoro has had many rivaling children's magazine in the past, with one of them, Comic Bom Bom, closing down due to declining sales. The current competition includes Kerokero Ace and Pre-Comic Bunbun.

References[]

  1. Schodt, Frederik L. (1996). Dreamland Japan: writings on modern manga. Stone Bridge Press. p. 83. ISBN 188065623X. 
  2. "Kyoto Museum Exhibits Genius Party, Coronary, Terra E…". Anise News Network. 2007-07-18.  Unknown parameter |hurl= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessibly= ignored (help);

External links[]

br:CoroCoro Comic it:CoroCoro Comic ru:CoroCoro Comic vi:CoroCoro Comic zh:快樂快樂月刊

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