is a Japanese monthly manga anthology published by Kodansha. The first issue was published in December 1986, with new issues released on the 25th of each month. Monthly Afternoon has spawned many successful manga series that span a variety of different genres, such as Oh My Goddess!, Blade of the Immortal, Genshiken, and Big Windup!. Chapters of each manga series in the magazine are compiled and released as volumes under its "Afternoon KC" imprint. A spin-off magazine, named good! Afternoon, started publishing in November 2008.
History
The magazine was founded as a sister magazine to Morning by the same publisher, Kodansha. Its first issue was released on December 25, 1986, with the cover date of February 1987. Initially, both Afternoon and Morning shared the same editorial department. According to Frederik L. Schodt, stories that the editors of Morning liked but felt did not fit the magazine would often land in Afternoon. Afternoon has since maintained its own separate editorial department. Afternoon eventually gained a reputation for its sheer quantity of both its titles and pages, alongside its diverse selection of manga. From 1992 to 1997, an average issue would contain over 1,000 pages.
Many of the artists working for the magazine used to publish amateur and were influenced by amateur manga. Sharon Kinsella claims that around half of all series featured in Afternoon between 1994 and 1997 were inspired by aesthetics. She lists Discommunication, Gunsmith Cats, Assembler 0X, Seraphic Feather, Aqua and Oh My Goddess! as examples.
From October 1999 to October 2002, was published quarterly as a sister magazine to Afternoon. After 14 issues were published, the magazine was discontinued; some of its series, like Mushishi and Mokke, were transferred to Afternoon. Another sister magazine, good! Afternoon, began publishing on November 7, 2008.
Between 2006 and 2009, Afternoon was part of Kodansha's "e-1day" series, a comprehensive website which also included Morning and Evening, its other sister magazine. A similar website, "Moae", was established in May 2013, featuring the aforementioned magazines and their spin-offs, Morning Two and good! Afternoon. It has since been discontinued. An online platform, titled ', was launched in March 2018, featuring manga titles from various Kodansha magazines, including Afternoon. As of November 2013, new issues of Afternoon are distributed simultaneously in print and digitally.
In February 2024, the Afternoon editorial department, Skip and Loafer author Misaki Takamatsu, and the Skip and Loafer anime team donated 10 million yen to the Ishikawa Prefecture Relief Fund after the 2024 Noto Earthquake.
Newcomer award
Since 1987, Monthly Afternoon has held the seasonal contest for potential newcomer manga artists. Contenders submit one-shot stories for the chance to win prize money and have their work published in Monthly Afternoon, good! Afternoon, or ', out of five prize categories. A number of winning works have become serialized hits in Monthly Afternoon, such as Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou, Blame!, and Love Roma. In 2013, Kodansha published a selection of past winners in several volumes.
Circulation and demographic
Like with most major manga magazines, Monthly Afternoons circulation has been steadily declining, from an estimated 200,000 in the 1990s,
Features
Ongoing
There are currently 37 manga titles being serialized in Monthly Afternoon. Out of them, Big Windup!, Historie, Wandering Island and Yakuza Fiancé are on hiatus. Nella of the Horizon is serialized on an irregular schedule.
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Series title
! Author
! Premiered
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|
| Hikari Matsuda
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|-
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| Asa Higuchi
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|-
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| Tsubasa Yamaguchi
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|-
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| Shun Umezawa
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|-
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| Yoshidamaru
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|-
|
| Bin Kusamizu (story) and Megumi Saburo (art)
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|-
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| Satoshi Karasuya
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|-
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| Akira Suga
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|-
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| Daiki Yamazaki
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|-
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| Yūichirō Momose (story) and Shiwasu Hoshikawa (art)
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|-
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| Masakazu Ishiguro
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|-
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| Ryōji Minagawa
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|-
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| Hitoshi Iwaaki
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|-
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| Satoshi Karasuya
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|-
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| Izu (story), Hagane (art) and Masato Hara (translation)
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|-
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| Kou Fumimura
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|-
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| Tsurumaikada
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|-
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| Ao Ameta
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|-
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| Masaki Andō
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|-
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| Masayuki Ishikawa
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|-
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| Yuki Urushibara
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|-
|
| Omocat (story) and Nui Konoito (art)
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|-
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| Zelihan
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|-
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| Maki Marukido
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|-
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| Masayuki Kitamichi
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|-
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| Fiok Lee
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|-
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| Misaki Takamatsu
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|-
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| Ai Tanaka
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|-
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| Rei Tasaki (story) and Nezu Usugumo (art)
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|-
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| Shunji Enomoto
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|-
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| Kōsuke Fujishima
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|-
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| Coffee
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|-
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| Kenji Tsuruta
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|-
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| Hiroaki Samura
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|-
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| Shiho Kido
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|-
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| Akino Miyabi
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|-
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| Asuka Konishi
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|}
Past
1980s
- Let It Roll by Atsushi Kamijo (1987)
- by U-Jin (1987–1988)
- by Kōsuke Fujishima (1988–2014)
- by Norifusa Mita (1988–1989)
- by Hitoshi Iwaaki (1989–1994) (moved from Morning Open Zōkan)
- Spirit of Wonder by Kenji Tsuruta (1989–1994) (originally serialized in Morning)
1990s
- by Kia Asamiya (1990–1992)
- Gunsmith Cats by Kenichi Sonoda (1990–1997)
- by Riichi Ueshiba (1991–1999)
- by Chen Uen (1991–1994)
- by Yoshitoh Asari (1992–1999) (moved from Morning Party Zōkan)
- by Tony Takezaki (1992–1998) (moved from Morning Party Zōkan)
- by Kazuichi Hanawa (1992–1994)
- by Hideji Oda (1992–1998)
- by Tsutomu Takahashi (1992–1999)
- by Kia Asamiya (1992–1995)
- by Kiyoshi Nagamatsu (1992–1994)
- by Narumi Kakinouchi (1993–1999)
- by Shinji Ohara (1993–1994)
- by Jaime Brocal Remohí (1993–1994)
- by Yun Kōga (1993–1999)
- by Hisashi Sakaguchi (1993–1995)
- by Hiroaki Samura (1993–2012)
- by Tony Luke (original work, art) and Alan Grant (story) (1993–1994)
- by Yo Morimoto, Toshiya Takeda (story) and Hiroyuki Utatane (art) (1993–2008)
- by Shinji Makari (story) and Shū Akana (art) (1993–2004) (transferred to Evening)
- by Daisuke Igarashi (1993–1996)
- by Hitoshi Ashinano (1994–2006)
- Aqua by Kazuhiko Tsuzuki (1994–1995)
- by Iou Kuroda (1994–1996)
- by Jon J Muth (art) and John Kuramoto (story) (1994–1997)
- by Shimoku Kio (1994–1996)
- by Kazumasa Takayama (1994–1995)
- by Yukinobu Hoshino (1995–1997)
- by Mohiro Kitoh (1995–1997)
- by Hiroki Endo (1995–1997) (transferred to Afternoon Season Zōkan)
- by Masaya Hokazono (1996–2002)
- by Riichi Ueshiba (1996–1997)
- by Shinji Ohara (1996–1999)
- Blame! by Tsutomu Nihei (1997–2003)
- by Satoshi Shiki (1997–2003)
- by Kenichi Sonoda (1997–2004)
- Eden: It's an Endless World! by Hiroki Endo (1997–2008)
- by Yuzo Takada (1997–2004)
- by Shimoku Kio (1997–1998)
- by Mohiro Kitoh (1998–2003)
- by Kon Kimura (1998–2006)
- by Shimoku Kio (1998–2001)
- by Megumu Okada (1999–2002)
- by Yoshitoh Asari (1999–2000)
- by Riichi Ueshiba (1999–2000)
- by Haguki (1999–2012)
- by Hideji Oda (1999–2000)
- by Asa Higuchi (1999–2000)
2000s
- by Hitoshi Tomizawa (2000–2001)
- by Hiroyuki Shoji (2000–2002)
- by Shohei Manabe (2000)
- by Iou Kuroda (2000–2002)
- by Asa Higuchi (2000–2001)
- Space Pinchy by Tony Takezaki (2000–2002)
- by Riichi Ueshiba (2001–2003)
- Dead End by Shohei Manabe (2001–2002)
- by Isutoshi (2001–2004)
- by Kenji Tsuruta (2001–2002)
- Stone by Sin-ichi Hiromoto (2001–2002)
- by Yoshitoh Asari (2001–2009)
- by Shimoku Kio (2002–2006)
- by Tsutomu Takahashi (2002–2012)
- by Daisuke Igarashi (2002–2005)
- by Minoru Toyoda (2002–2005)
- Acony by Kei Toume (2002–2010)
- by Yuki Urushibara (2002–2008) (moved from Afternoon Season Zōkan)
- by Takatoshi Kumakura (2003–2009) (moved from Afternoon Season Zōkan)
- by Hiroshi Tamaru (2003–2015) (moved from Afternoon Season Zōkan)
- Shadow Skill by Megumu Okada (2003–2014) (moved from Afternoon Season Zōkan)
- by Tōru Fujisawa (2003–2004)
- by Akira Hiramoto (2003–2008) (transferred to Young Magazine the 3rd)
- by Kia Asamiya (2003–2004)
- by Makoto Shinkai (original work) and Sumomo Yumeka (art) (2004)
- by Masaru Katori (story) and Jiro Ando (art) (2004–2008)
- by Yuki Tanaka (2004–2006)
- Gunsmith Cats Burst by Kenichi Sonoda (2004–2008)
- by Yuzo Takada (2004–2008)
- by Tetsuya Toyoda (2004–2005)
- by Haru Akiyama (2004–2006)
- by Harutoshi Fukui (original novel), Takashi Nagasaki (story) and Takayuki Kosai (art) (2005–2007)
- by Yukari Takinami (2005–2014)
- by Mahiro Maeda (2005–2008)
- by Kei Toume (2005–2008) (moved from Morning)
- by Sabe (2005–2008)
- by Mami Kashiwabara (2005–2011)
- by Makoto Shinkai (original work) and Sumomo Yumeka (art) (2005–2006)
- by Makoto Yukimura (2005–2025) (moved from Weekly Shōnen Magazine)
- by Riichi Ueshiba (2006–2014)
- by Daisaku Tsuru (2006–2010)
- by Iou Kuroda (2006–2010)
- by Shinji Ohara (2006–2008)
- by Keito Koume (2006–2007)
- by Yutaka Tanaka (2006–2009)
- by Kazuki Nakashima (original story) and Una Hamana (art) (2007–2009)
- by Kenji Sonishi (2007–2010)
- by Hitoshi Ashinano (2007–2012)
- by Natsumi Itsuki (2007–2010)
- by Haru Akiyama (2008–2010)
- by Rokuro Shinofusa (2008–2013)
- by Tetsuya Imai (2008–2010)
- by Shimoku Kio (2008–2010)
- by Ichiro Takeuchi (story) and Etsushi Ogawa (art) (2008–2011)
- by Go Nagai (2008–2010)
- by Minoru Toyoda (2009–2011)
- by Yuki Tanaka (2009–2011)
- by Tetsuya Honda (original work) and Jiro Ando (art) (2009–2010)
- by Moto Hagio (art) and Ako Tanaka (story) (2009–2010)
- by Yoshiki Tanaka (story) and Narumi Kakinouchi (art) (2009)
- by Tsutomu Nihei (2009–2015)
- by Yuki Urushibara (2009–2010)
- Butter!!! by Tomoko Yamashita (2009–2013)
2010s
- by Yoshiki Tanaka (story) and Narumi Kakinouchi (art) (2010)
- by Makoto Shinkai (story) and Yukiko Seike (art) (2010–2011)
- by Kenichi Sonoda (2010–2012)
- by Shimoku Kio (2010–2016)
- by Tetsuya Imai (2011)
- by Kenshin Hidekawa (2011–2015)
- by Nisio Isin (story) and Iruka Shiomiya (art) (2011–2013)
- by Akira Miyagawa (2011–2013)
- by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko (2012–2016)
- by Masashi Tanaka (2012–2013)
- by Yoshiki Tanaka (story) and Narumi Kakinouchi (art) (2012)
- by Haruko Ichikawa (2012–2024)
- by Yoshiki Tanaka (story) and Narumi Kakinouchi (art) (2012–2013)
- by Ao Akato (2013)
- by Kaori Ozaki (2013)
- by Makoto Shinkai (story) and Midori Motohashi (art) (2013)
- by Yuri Shibamura (story) and Daisuke Kimura (art) (2013–2021)
- by Shinji Ohara (story) and Tony Takezaki (art) (2013)
- by Yukiko Seike (2013–2019)
- by Hitoshi Ashinano (2014–2017)
- by Iruka Shiomiya (2014–2015)
- by Kōsuke Fujishima (2014–2016) (moved from good! Afternoon)
- by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko (2014–2016)
- by Nisio Isin (story) and Chomoran (art) (2014–2016)
- by Daisuke Igarashi (2015–2019)
- Black-Box by Tsutomu Takahashi (2015–2019)
- by Makoto Shinkai (story) and Tsubasa Yamaguchi (art) (2016)
- by Ao Akato (2016)
- by Chima (2016–2018)
- by Yasuhiro Watanabe (2016–2018)
- by Keiko Suenobu (2016–2018)
- by Hiroki Endo (2016–2018)
- by Yu Yoshidamaru (2016–2019)
- by Yuki Shirono (2016–2018)
- by Umi Shiina (2016–2025)
- by Shinji Makari (story) and Double-S (art) (2017–2025)
- by Hideo Nishimoto (2017–2020)
- by Rui Morita (2017)
- by Riichi Ueshiba (2017–2020)
- by Kaori Ozaki (2017–2019)
- by Yoshinori Kisaragi (2017–2019)
- by Shimoku Kio (2018–2022)
- by Yuki Urushibara (2018–2020)
- by Ikko Tanaka (2018–2019)
- by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko (2018–2024)
- by Yoshiko Kon (2018–2019)
- by Uhei Aoki (story) and Kumichi Yoshizuki (art) (2019–2021)
- by Kenji Takigawa (story), Ryū Suenobu (art) and Hiroaki Samura (collaboration) (2019–2024)
- by Ryūsuke Takashiro (2019)
- by Makoto Shinkai (original work) and Wataru Kubota (art) (2019–2020)
- by Yukito Ayatsuji (story) and Hiro Kiyohara (art) (2019–2022)
2020s
- by Mikumi Yuuchi (2020–2021)
- by Kaze Miura (2020–2021)
- by Hideo Nishimoto (2020–2023)
- by Michi Ichiho (story) and Nori Arashiyama (art) (2021)
- by Fiok Lee (2021–2022)
- by Shun Sakura (2021–2022)
- by Yasuhiro Yoshiura (original story) and Megumu Maeda (art) (2021–2022)
- by Daiki Yamazaki (2022–2024)
- by Richard Woo (story) and Seimu Yoshizaki (art) (2022–2023)
- by Sako Aizawa (story) and Hiro Kiyohara (art) (2022–2023)
- by Makoto Shinkai (story) and Denki Amashima (art) (2022–2023)
- by Hinohiruko (2022–2025)
- by Bomhat (2022–2025)
- by Mikumi Yuuchi (2023–2024)
- by Ayumu Seki (2023–2024)
- by Yuichi Nakamaru (2023)
- by Nori Arashiyama (2024–2025)
- by Aki Kaneda (2025–2026)
Circulation figures
{| class="wikitable" | width=100%
|+ Circulation
! Date(s) !! January–March !! April–June !! July–September !! October–December !!
|-
| 1990s
| colspan="4" align="center" | 200,000
|
|-
| 2005
| colspan="4" align="center" | 133,834
|
|-
| 2007
| colspan="4" align="center" | 119,666
|
|-
| 2008
| align="center" | — || 114,000 || 114,334 || 117,667
|
|-
| 2009 || 112,667 || 106,334 || 105,000 || 105,000
|
|-
| 2010 || 104,334 || 102,000 || 100,000 || 100,000
|
|-
| 2011 || 98,000 || 95,000 || 91,667 || 91,667
|
|-
| 2012 || 90,000 || 89,000 || 87,000 || 87,000
|
|-
| 2013 || 87,000 || 85,000 || 85,000 || 87,000
|
|-
| 2014 || 85,000 || 85,000 || 84,500 || 83,367
|
|-
| 2015 || 75,607 || 75,310 || 74,444 || 74,110
|
|-
| 2016 || 73,843 || 72,310 || 69,310 || 65,000
|
|-
| 2017 || 65,000 || 65,000 || 63,000 || 63,000
|
|-
| 2018 || 62,333 || 60,333 || 53,333 || 51,000
|
|-
| 2019 || 49,000 || 44,167 || 42,700 || 41,500
|