Interest
Kodansha Offers Weekly & Bessatsu Magazine Issues for Free After January 1 Quake
posted on by Ken Iikura-Gross
On the evening of January 1, the Noto Peninsula on the Japan Sea side of Japan was struck by a 7.6 magnitude earthquake. Although a month has passed, relief efforts and donations are still pouring in to help those who have been affected by the quake. However, not all the relief is on-site or monetary. Distribution of manga to areas affected by the quake has been difficult, so Kodansha announced on January 30 that it will be offering a handful of its manga magazines free of charge.
<お知らせ>
— 週刊少年マガジン公式 (@shonenmagazine1) January 29, 2024
令和6年能登半島地震で被災された皆さまへ、心よりお見舞い申し上げます。
この度の地震による雑誌配送の遅れや購入できない地域が発生している状況を受け、「週刊少年マガジン」6~9号と「別冊少年マガジン」2月号を無料公開いたします。
【期間】1/30(火)~
・週刊少年マガジン… pic.twitter.com/qiuRBhJhr3
notice
We would like to express our deepest sympathies to everyone affected by the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake.
Due to the recent earthquake, which has caused delivery delays and purchase unavailable in some areas for our magazines, we will be releasing issues 6-9 of Weekly Shōnen Magazine and the February issue of Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine for free.
[Period] 1/30 (Tuesday) ~
・Weekly Shōnen Magazine No. 6, No. 7, No. 8 ・Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine February issue
2/6 (Tue) ~
・Weekly Shōnen Magazine No. 9 ~ Free release until 2/29 (Thursday) 23:59
Magapoke app DL 📲 https://bit.ly/2XFeae2
Please view from "Magazine" > "Weekly Shōnen Magazine Back Issues" at the bottom right of the screen.
While the announcement on the official Twitter account for Weekly Shōnen Magazine was a bit light on the details, the magazine's website elaborates four issues of Weekly Shōnen Magazine (Issues 6-9) and one issue of Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine (the February edition) are available for free on the Magapoke smartphone app. Paperback distribution to the affected areas is rather difficult and as the tweet says, “caused delivery delays”.
Issues 6-8 of Weekly Shōnen Magazine have been available on the app since January 30 and the ninth issue as well as the February issue of Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine became available on February 2. Unfortunately, neither the tweet nor the magazine's homepage has information regarding when the issues will be locked on Magapoke. If you're in Japan and wish to read those issues of Weekly and Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine, now is your chance, but please keep in mind those who don't have access to the paperback versions.
Sources: Weekly Shōnen Magazine's website, and Twitter account (link 2), Comic Natalie