Viz Media has canceled Shojo Beat, a 3 year-old manga fan magazine that doubled as a marketing vehicle for Viz manga titles, and the July issue will be the last. Aimed at teen girls and fans of shojo (or girl-oriented manga), Shojo Beat was an American example of the Japanese model of publishing in which a book imprint uses magazine serialization to promote titles and find popular new properties.
In the pages of Shojo Beat Viz mixed serialized excerpts from upcoming manga titles with articles on fashion, music and youth culture. The magazine had a circulation of about 35,000. Viz will continue to publish Shonen Jump, a similar fan magazine focused on Shonen (or boys-oriented manga) with a circulation of nearly 200,000.
Ev Dubocq, director of publicity for Viz, said that “no layoffs have been announced at this time.” She said that Shojo Beat was the victim of the faltering economy. “The magazine developed quite a fan base but unfortunately in today's difficult economic climate we felt the need to place our resources elsewhere," Dubocq said. She said the cancellation will not affect manga titles published under the Shojo Beat imprint. In addition, all Shojo Beat subscribers will receive a free copy of the August Shonen Jump that will also include information on refund options. Subscribers can also find information on Shojo Beat titles at the Shojo Beat website.
