Doki-Doki☆Visual 4-Koma Magazine
Magazine Information
Genre | Monthly seinen 4-koma magazine |
---|---|
Publisher | Houbunsha |
First issue | 17 May 2002 |
Date of issue | 9th of each month |
Publication status | In issue |
Overview
Manga Time Kirara (まんがタイムきらら) is a 4-panel manga magazine published by Houbunsha.
A monthly manga magazine launched in 2002 as the first magazine specialising in 'moe 4-koma' manga. The cover of the first issue was designed by Ayano Ota.
It is the most famous magazine for "4-panel manga magazines that mainly deal with kawaii and moe-style drawings", and has various sister magazines, as well as forming a genre known as "Kirara-kei" (lit. 'Kirara style').
The binding was saddle-stitched in the early days when it was an extra issue of another magazine, but later changed to side-stitch binding when it became an independent publication.
Many of the artists are women, and although the magazine is not aimed for men, the majority of the readership is said to be male.
Unlike today, many of the artists in the initial first issue were originally 4-panel manga specialists (examples include Ayano Ota, Masahito Mizuki, Mayumi Ogino, Tōko Shiwasu, Matsuri Atono, Kaoru Yukawa, Chiharu Sasano, Uina Kinomoto, Ryoji Sekine, etc.).
In other words, Manga Time Kirara in its early years was simply a 'four-frame manga magazine with mainly cute designs', rather than the 'characteristic moe 4-panel manga magazine that carries Kirara-style works' as it is currently known.
Originally an offshoot of the well-established family-oriented 4-panel monthly Manga Time magazine, Kirara was launched as an extra issue aimed at a new generation of young readers, and after various changes established its own unique line and is now part of the Manga Time Kirara series (まんがタイムきらら系列, Manga Time Kirara Keiretsu), which includes four sister magazines.
Style
The works carried in the magazine mainly feature girls as the main characters, with a relaxed, slice-of-life style. There is a kind of 'standard' Kirara-kei style in which settings are in schools (especially junior high and high schools) and the stories are depicted with a focus on the relationships between the girls. For this reason, there are relatively many works of genres such as yuri, school club activities, and art (art school, manga artists, music activities).
In addition to these, some absurdist and hyperactive works are serialised. There are also a small number of fantastical works with 4-panel layout and appearance, but the content is almost identical to that of story manga.
Perhaps due to the main readership, the number of male characters is extremely small, and in some works only their relatives appear (not to say that they do not appear at all, but the number of appearances is quite limited). In contrast, girl-meets-girl fiction fills most of the pages, and some works are clearly labelled as yuri works. As a result, some works, such as Power of Smile and Blend S , which deal with male-female romance, are considered to be quite rare.
Sister Magazines
Manga Time Kirara series
- Manga Time Kirara Carat
- Manga Time Kirara MAX
- Manga Time Kirara Forward (not a 4-panel magazine)
- Manga Time Kirara Miracle (ceased publication as of the December 2017 issue)
- Manga Time Kirara Carino (quarterly magazine published as a book, six issues in all, not a 4-panel magazine)
- Manga Time Kirara Magica (anthology magazine about Puella Magi Madoka Magica, treated as an extra issue of Carat)
- Tsubomi (magazine treated as a book, on indefinite hiatus)
- Comic Yell! (extra issue of Carat, on indefinite hiatus)
- Comic Gear (magazine treated as a book, on indefinite hiatus).
Sister 4-panel Magazines of Houbunsha
- Manga Time
- Manga Time Original
- Manga Time Family (ceased publication as of the May 2018 issue)
- Manga Home
- Manga Time Jumbo (ceased publication as of the April 2018 issue)
- Manga Time Special (ceased publication as of the December 2019 issue)
Competing Magazines
Competing magazines in the same genre include KADOKAWA's Comic Dengeki Daiouji and Comic Cune.
In the past, COMIC Gyutto! from Heiwa Publishing (ceased publication on 9 December 2004 (No. 3)), Moeyon from Futabasha (ceased publication with the August 2005 issue), 4-koma nano Ace from KADOKAWA (formerly Kadokawa Shoten) (ceased publication with the October 2013 extra issue), Manga 4-koma Pallette from Ichijinsha (ceased publication with the April 2022 issue), and others were the same type of 4-panel magazine.
There was also Takeshobo's Manga Life MOMO (ceased publication with the Jan 2019 issue), which was an eclectic mix of general 4-panel and moe 4-panel magazines.
Major serialised works
This section lists serialised works pertaining to the flagship magazine "Manga Time Kirara". For serialised works in sister magazines, see the articles in the respective magazines.
This section focuses on works that were media-mixed into other media and those with articles.
Some works were transferred to other magazines (including sister magazines) during the middle of the series, while others were transferred from other magazines. In addition, there are works that were serialised in several sister magazines at the same time.
In principle, the order of the start of serialisation (including those from the period of guest publication). Animated works are shown in bold (including planned), while works adapted from other media and spin-offs are shown in italic type.
Works currently in serialisation (as of the November 2022 issue).
Includes works scheduled to be serialised.
- Acchi Kocchi (あっちこっち) by Ishiki (異識) (October 2006 issue - )
- Yuyushiki (ゆゆ式) by Mikami Komata (三上小又) (Febrary 2008 issue - )
- Slow Start (スロウスタート) by Yuiko Tokumi (篤見唯子) (July 2013 issue - )
- Niini to Issho! (にーにといっしょ!) by Baron Yopan (よぱん男爵) (August 2016 issue - )
- Okusama wa Niizuma-chan (奥さまは新妻ちゃん) by Ruchief (ルッチーフ) (December 2017 issue - )
- Ichijouma Mankitsu Gurashi! (一畳間まんきつ暮らし!) by Hisamakumako (ひさまくまこ) (June 2018 issue - )
- K-ON!: Shuffle (けいおん!Shuffle) by Kakifly (かきふらい) (Aug 2018 issue - )
- Hoshikuzu Telepath (星屑テレパス) by Rasuko Ōkuma (大熊らすこ) (June 2019 issue - )
- Tantei Yumemiya Sakura no Kanzen Haiboku (探偵夢宮さくらの完全敗北) by Choborau Nyopomi (ちょぼらうにょぽみ) (Oct 2020 issue - )
- Elle's Quest ~Elvira the Brave has moved to the real world~ (えるくえすと!~勇者エルヴィーラは現実世界に転移しました) by Murasaki (むらさき*) (Feb 2021 issue - )
- Hachi mo Sasazuba Utaremai (蜂も刺さずばうたれまい) by Rurie (るりえ) (July 2021 issue - )
- OneLoli Cabaret Club (おねロリキャバクラ) by Sunao Kasuga (春日沙生) (Mar 2022 issue - )
Works that have finished serialisation
- Pocket Journey (ぽけっとジャーニー) by Ayano Ota (おおた綾乃) (Vol. 1 (first issue, July 2002) - February 2005) ※First issue front cover.
- Tori Koro (トリコロ) by Hairan (海藍) (Vol. 1 (first issue, July 2002) - May 2005) ※Later transferred to Monthly Comic Dengeki Daioh.
- Super Maid Chirumi-san (スーパーメイドちるみさん) by Toko Shiwasu (師走冬子) (Vol. 1 (first issue, July 2002) - March 2007) ※Transferred from "Manga Time Jumbo". The series was serialised in parallel with each "Manga Time" affiliate magazine. Later transferred to "Manga Time Special".
- 1-nen 777-gumi (1年777組) by Kazuki Shū (愁☆一樹) (Vol. 3 ( Oct 2002 issue) - June 2008 issue)
- Neko Kissa (ねこきっさ) by Nemigi Toto (ととねみぎ) (Vol. 3 (Oct 2002) - Jun 2011)
- Three Leaves, Three Colors (三者三葉, Sansha San'yō) by Cherry Arai (荒井チェリー) (Vol. 7 (Feb 2003 issue) - Jan 2019 issue)
- Kami-sama no Iutōri! (かみさまのいうとおり!) by Aki Konishi (湖西晶) (Dec 2003 issue - Feb 2013 issue)
- Shoulder-a-Coffin Kuro -Pocket Travel Tales- (棺担ぎのクロ。〜懐中旅話〜) by Satoko Kiyuzuki (きゆづきさとこ) (Jan 2005 issue - Jun 2018 issue)
- My neighbour Kawancha-san (となりのカワンチャさん) by Kaname Yamanashi (月見里中) (Jun 2005 - Jul 2007 issues)
- Dojin Work (ドージンワーク) by Hiroyuki (ヒロユキ) (April 2006 issue - October 2008 issue) ※Began serialisation in Manga Time Kirara Carat and was later serialised in parallel in Carat, Kirara and Manga Time Kirara Forward. Eventually serialised only in Kirara.
- Marble Inspire (まーぶるインスパイア) by Munekichi (むねきち) (Nov 2006 - Apr 2012)
- Ni-chome Rojiura Tantei kitan (二丁目路地裏探偵奇譚) by Tetsuya Kobayashi (コバヤシテツヤ) (Jan 2007 - Jul 2010 issues).
- K-ON! (けいおん!) by Kakifly (かきふらい) (May 2007 - Oct 2010 issues) ※Serialised alongside Manga Time Kirara Carat.
- Natural Born ALuminium! (天然あるみにゅーむ!) by Komusou (こむそう) (Dec 2007 - Jun 2013 issues).
- Limbo on the Border Line (境界線上のリンボ) by Sakyuu Tottori (鳥取砂丘) (Nov 2008 - Feb 2011 issues)
- Omamoringo-san (おまもりんごさん) by ms/hirahira.net (Feb 2009 - Jan 2010 issues)
- Cherry Blossom! (チェリーブロッサム!) by Shinta Sakayama (茶菓山しん太) (Apr 2010 - Jul 2016 issues)
- Shoujo Koudan Apartment (少女公団アパートメント) by ms (May 2010 - Oct 2012 issues)
- K-ON!: college (けいおん!college) by Kakifly (かきふらい) (May 2011 - July 2012 issues) ※Serialised alongside K-ON!: highschool in Manga Time Kirara Carat.
- JOB&JOY (JOB&JOY) by Ka-ku Inoue (井上かーく) (Sept 2011 - Mar 2014 issues)
- PRE-FRE (プレフレ) by Chibimaru (ちび丸) (Jan 2012 - Apr 2014 issues)
- Koharu Biyori. (こはる日和。) by Nekoume (ねこうめ) (November 2014 - September 2019 issues)
- Mermaid in the Glass (グラスのマーメイド) by Aiu Aoi (葵藍兎) (Oct 2017 - Dec 2018 issues)
- After School Strip (放課後すとりっぷ) by Nikomi Wakadori (若鶏にこみ) (Oct 2017 - Dec 2019 issues)
- Gankutsu-so no Fuyajo-san (がんくつ荘の不夜城さん) by Satoru Konosu (鴻巣覚) (Jan 2018 - Jul 2019 issues) ※Transferred from Manga Time Kirara Miracle following the magazine's ceasing publication.
- Castle Town Dandelion (城下町のダンデライオン) by Ayumu Kasuga (春日歩) (Jan 2018 - Sep 2019) ※Transferred from Manga Time Kirara Miracle following its cessation of publication. Later transferred to COMIC FUZ.
- Urara Meirocho (うらら迷路帖) by Harikamo (はりかも) (Feb 2018 - Jul 2019) ※Transferred from "Manga Time Kirara Miracle" following its cessation of publication.
- Tool's Tool Store (トールさんの通り道) by Nekozuki (猫月) ( Feb 2019 - Jun 2021 issues)
- Therefore, Idol Revolution! (ゆえに、アイドル革命!) by Mintoru (みんとる) (Sept 2019 - Jun 2021 issues)
- Sora Communication (そらコミュニケーション) by Neneha Ōmi (淡海音々葉) (October 2019 - February 2022 issues)
- Hanamaru Skip (はなまるスキップ) by Mikurun (みくるん) (Apr 2020 - Jul 2022 issues)
- Ginshio Shoushou (ぎんしお少々) by Nikomi Wakadori (若鶏にこみ) (May 2020 - May 2022 issues)
Single-volume book (Tankōbon) labels
As a general rule, tankōbon books are released under the Manga Time KR Comics label. In addition, serialised works from Manga Time Kirara Forward are under the subsidiary label Manga Time KR Comics Forward Series (however, the actual books are not labelled as Forward Series, but as Manga Time KR Comics, just like the 4-panel versions).
In principle, the size and number of pages of the books are 122 pages in A5 format, with 178 pages in B6 format only for the Forward Series. Other exceptions include book formatted magazines such as Carino and anime guidebooks.
Each book has a serial number (KIRARARA MENU), and "KIRARARA MENU 1" is the first volume of "Tori Koro".
Other child labels include KR Comics -YELL! series-, which handles serialised works from Comic Yell!, KR Comics -tsubomi series-, which handles serialised works from Tsubomi, and KR Bunko, which handles related novelised works.
Originally, the label name was planned to be "Manga Time Kirara Comics", and the very first books actually released under this label ("Tori Koro" vol. 1, first printing, and "Tencho's Watanabe-san" vol. 1, first printing) had different logos. However, for some reason the registration of the 'Manga Time Kirara Comics' trademark was not permitted, so the current label name was adopted as an alternative.
Related Article
Houbunsha Manga Magazine 4-koma
Kirara Fantasia ...RPG apps game for smartphones
Manga Time Kirara Exhibition ...Travelling exhibitions on the general theme of Kirara series magazines
Manga Time Kirara Carat Manga Time Kirara MAX Manga Time Kirara Forward