Manga Shōnen

Manga Shōnen (漫画少年; "Manga Boy") was a pioneering Japanese manga magazine founded in 1947 by Ken’ichi Katō and published monthly until 1955. Emerging in the immediate aftermath of World War II during a time of cultural reconstruction and political upheaval, the magazine played a crucial role in shaping postwar manga culture by blending prewar literary traditions with innovative storytelling techniques. It distinguished itself by elevating manga as a central art form and fostering a participatory culture through monthly reader-submission contests, which helped launch and solidify the careers of many influential manga artists, including Osamu Tezuka, Shotaro Ishinomori, and Fujiko Fujio. Beyond its editorial achievements, Manga Shōnen contributed to the formation of amateur manga clubs and influenced a broad spectrum of Japanese visual culture.