Comments on: Roundtable: Farewell to Shojo Beat http://blogs.slj.com/goodcomicsforkids/2009/05/26/roundtable-farewell-to-shojo-beat/ A School Library Journal Blog Wed, 15 May 2013 20:46:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Katherine Dacey http://blogs.slj.com/goodcomicsforkids/2009/05/26/roundtable-farewell-to-shojo-beat/#comment-1027 Katherine Dacey Sun, 19 Jul 2009 12:12:20 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/goodcomicsforkids/2009/05/26/roundtable-farewell-to-shojo-beat/#comment-1027 All of us write about manga, and are very aware of the gender-based marketing categories that Japanese publishers use. I don't think anyone who participated in this discussion would argue that comics are gender-neutral in their appeal. In fact, the whole point of this discussion is that Shojo Beat's demise leaves a gaping hole in the market for girls' comics here in US. All of us write about manga, and are very aware of the gender-based marketing categories that Japanese publishers use. I don’t think anyone who participated in this discussion would argue that comics are gender-neutral in their appeal. In fact, the whole point of this discussion is that Shojo Beat’s demise leaves a gaping hole in the market for girls’ comics here in US.

]]> By: Rena http://blogs.slj.com/goodcomicsforkids/2009/05/26/roundtable-farewell-to-shojo-beat/#comment-1028 Rena Sun, 19 Jul 2009 11:42:00 +0000 http://blogs.slj.com/goodcomicsforkids/2009/05/26/roundtable-farewell-to-shojo-beat/#comment-1028 Very interesting to read, though I'm sorry I did laugh out loud at the comment of comics not being targeted at gender. Maybe not <b>quite</b> as much in the US, but in Japan you very clearly on the box have labels saying "This is for boys! This is for adult women!" and so on. I'm unsure what my feelings are about this, I never bought an issue since beyond Nana and perhaps Honey & Clover none of the titles interested me too much. I do think something for female fans was good, since I personally like the magazine format and it does offer a different blend. At the end, you do have things like taste. I like certain types of shojo, and go through periods when I seek it out. But overall I do prefer shonen and certain josei, they offer more of what I'm interested in. Very interesting to read, though I’m sorry I did laugh out loud at the comment of comics not being targeted at gender. Maybe not quite as much in the US, but in Japan you very clearly on the box have labels saying “This is for boys! This is for adult women!” and so on.

I’m unsure what my feelings are about this, I never bought an issue since beyond Nana and perhaps Honey & Clover none of the titles interested me too much. I do think something for female fans was good, since I personally like the magazine format and it does offer a different blend.

At the end, you do have things like taste. I like certain types of shojo, and go through periods when I seek it out. But overall I do prefer shonen and certain josei, they offer more of what I’m interested in.

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