Weekly Shonen Champion

Also known as 週刊少年チャンピオン (Shuukan Shonen Champion)

Weekly Shonen Champion
January 1, 1982

Weekly Shonen Champion is a weekly manga magazine published in Japan by Akita Shoten.

Launched in July, 1969, in response to monthly manga magazines such Adventure King and Manga King, the magazine was initially published twice a month under the name Shonen Champion. However, due to demand, with the June 24, 1970 issue it began to be published weekly and changed its name to Weekly Shonen Champion.

Over the years, Weekly Shonen Champion has been home to many of Tezuka’s important adventure series, notably Black Jack (1973-83) and The Rainbow Parakeet (1981-83). However it has also featured some of Tezuka’s darker series, such as Alabaster (1970-71), as well as some of his most hilarious comedies, such as Don Dracula (1979).

Beginning, very shortly after the magazine’s debut, with The Crater (1969-70) in August of 1969, Tezuka published manga series in Weekly Shonen Champion more often than not for nearly 20 years, finally ending with the last chapter of Midnight (1986-87) in September, 1987.