It has been announced that the latest chapter of the martial arts manga “Kinninkuman” will be published on “Weekly Playboy”. It has only been distributed online on “Shupure NEWS”, but from the 35the issue of “Weekly Playboy”, which will be released on Aug. 17, it will be published in the magazine as well.
“Kinnnikuman” won the second prize of the Akatsuka Award, an award for new comedy manga artists, in 1978, and started its serialization in “Weekly Shonen Jump” from 1979. It has published 75 million copies in total with 71 volumes.
A new series has started in 2011 on the “Weekly Playboy” website “Shupure NEWS”. As of chapter 316, which is released on Jul. 13, 2020, the ongoing series “Omega Centauri's Six Spears arc” has finished.
A new series will be starting from Aug. 17, and in response to the readers who “want to read it in the magazine”, it has been decided that it will be also published in the magazine from the 35th issue of “Weekly Playboy” along with the online distribution.
In 2019, the magazine celebrated the 40th anniversary of the series with a cover, serialized manga, and a feature, but this is the first time that the series is serialized in the magazine since “Ultimate Muscle” (1998 to 2011).
The 35th issue of “Weekly Playboy” will commemorate the return of “Kinnikuman” by giving chapter 317, which will be the first chapter of the new series, 24 pages, including color pages. The cover is illustrated by author Yudetamgo, and the magazine will include a special bonus of “Special 'Kinnikuman' Sticker for working men”.
There will also be a countdown project for the new series. “Weekly Shonen Jump Edition” (equivalent to vol.1 to 36) on the 31st and 32nd combined issue, which will be released on Jul. 20, and “Shupure Edition” (equivalent to vol.38 to 71) on the 33rd and 34th combined issue, which will be released on Aug. 3, will each have 6 pages of a review of the story so far.
In addition, there will be a long interview of Shimada Takashi on the 31st and 32nd combined issue and Nakai Yoshinori on the 33rd and 34th combined issue, along with a 4-panel manga of “Kinnikuman” by the Akatsuka Award-winning author Oginuma X.
On the Shueisha general e-books store “Zebrack”, the first 3 volumes of each series of “Kinnikuman” will be released for free every week from Jul. 13 to Aug. 16.
<Full comments are as below>
【”Kinnikuman” Author: Yudetamago】
“Kinnikuman” had its 40th anniversary celebrated on May 1 of last year. We'd like to thank everyone who has supported us through this long journey. We are grateful for the support of our readers, who are the 3rd member of Yudetamago.
This project was initially planned to be announced in April of this year as a closing event for the “40th anniversary”, but due to the spread of COVID-19, the serialization of “Kinnikuman” itself had stopped, so we had to postpone the announcement as well. However, these ups and downs are typical of “Kinnikuman”, aren't they?
Looking back at our history, “Kinnikuman” started on “Weekly Shonen Jump” from 1979, “Ultimate Muscle” started on “Weekly Playboy” form 1998, and we have moved to an online platform in 2011 to draw “Kinnikuman” again on “Shupure NEWS”. Now that the web media is on the right track, we are returning to the print media that we had grown up with. This not only a new inspiration for us but also a great opportunity for “Kinnikuman” to reach out to more readers.
As for the content, the new series will have popular “Kinnikuman” characters appearing one after another. Please look forward to it.
【”Weekly Playboy” Chief Editor: Matsumaru Atsuo】
What's amazing about “Kinnikuman” is that it is still improving after 40 years of serialization. The main readers of Weekly Playboy are “working men” around 30 and 40, and they have been introduced to Kinnikuman in their childhood. Some of them even enjoy the series with their children.
The reason I asked Yudetamago-sensei to “come back to Weekly Playboy magazine” was because there were many readers who “wanted to read it in paper like the old days”, but also because I wanted everyone to enjoy “Kinnikuman” including the way of life of Yudetamago-sensei as a veteran “working man”.
The online serialization is also getting much attention every Monday when the latest chapter is released and is creating an amazing fan community. I hope the paper and online serialization will create new synergies.
(C)YudeTamago / Shueisha
