Welcome to The Avocado’s weekly discussion of Japanese pop culture! I recently made a video to show a long-distance friend what a shoujo manga magazine looks like. He was curious because he’s a lifelong comics fan, but not very familiar with manga, and he’s interested in the differences between the publishing of comics in the US and manga in Japan.1He’s also just a really great friend who wants to learn more about the things his friends are passionate about. Great friend, highly recommend. And I’m fairly clueless about US comics publishing so he’s been sharing his knowledge with me in return. So today, I’ve decided to feature my favorite manga magazine, デザート (Dessert). This shoujo magazine is owned by Kodansha and is released monthly in Japan. It’s been in circulation since 1996, and it is currently running 23 ongoing series (according to their website). If you check out the list, you’ll see that I’m currently reading (and obsessing over) 5 of these (A Sign of Affection; A Condition Called Love; In the Clear Moonlit Dusk; Love, That’s an Understatement; How I Met My Soulmate). 4 more are on my to-read list, and honestly, it’s highly likely that I’d enjoy the rest too. Because there’s something about Dessert series that I can’t get enough of. Every manga magazine has a kind of vision, a point of view, a vibe, and Dessert‘s is, like the title suggests, sweet stories about love. In my experience with Dessert, you’ll find slice-of-life settings, compelling and sweet romances, layered and interesting characters, gorgeous art, and lots of cuteness. Which I love! So when I’m not sure what to read next, I know I can check out what Dessert is publishing and probably find something to enjoy.
If you’re not very familiar with manga magazines, you might be interested in the information I gave my friend. So, in the video below you’ll see my copy of the September 2023 issue of Dessert.2The A Sign of Affection volume next to it was for size comparison and also because the original video went on to show my friend how the tankobon version compared to magazine version of the same chapter (pointing out things like paper quality, extras, etc.) That issue had 17 series, I think 3 of them were one-shots or extras. Dessert also comes with a smaller book that has several one-shots, new series, etc., but I bought this one secondhand so I didn’t get it. Issues will also often include fun extras. Like this month’s issue comes with a coloring book! The reason I bought the magazines I own is because I wanted to see the beautiful art, and/or because they came with something cool.3for example, the issue of LaLa I have came with a Natsume’s Book of Friends bag! I also see them as possible study tools.4I can only read the simplest panels right now, but even that feels like a small accomplishment! The dream is to be able to read the whole magazine someday!
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed learning a little about Dessert! If you’re interested in learning more about shoujo manga magazines, and from someone who actually did research and stuff, check out Colleen’s Manga Recs! They’ve done several videos on individual magazines, like this one on Hana to Yume.
And, as always…
What have you been watching/reading/playing/eating/listening to lately?
Happy Wednesday! 👹