Mangajin

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Mangajin
Mangajin 01.jpg
First printed issue of Mangajin
CategoriesManga, Japanese culture, language learning
PublisherMangajin, Inc.
Year founded1988
Final issueDecember 1997
CompanyMangajin, Inc.
LanguageEnglish
Websitemangajin.com

Mangajin was a monthly English-language magazine for students of Japanese language and culture by Mangajin, Inc. It was distinct from many other magazines of its type in that it unabashedly embraced Japanese popular culture as a learning tool and a route towards rapid acclimation into Japanese society. Each issue featured selections from various popular manga translated into English with detailed cultural and linguistic commentary.

It was a unique language learning tool in that the manga that it excerpted showed the use of the language in various types of informal conversations. It would feature a few pages of manga with explanations of the grammar used and when that grammar/vocabulary combination might be appropriate. By contrast, most Japanese language textbooks for early students focus on formal versions of the language appropriate for business discussions.

The magazine ceased publication in December 1997 (issue 70) due to financial hardship. With increased worldwide interest in Japanese pop culture, the original manga publishers expected higher payments for their content, possibly beyond what was practical in this type of educational publication. Various books that collect many of the magazine's best features (as well as back issues of the magazine itself) are still highly prized by both self-taught and professionally tutored students of Japanese. An e-zine also continued the tradition of the publication.

The name is a combination of the Japanese words for "comic" (漫画, manga) and "person" (人, jin), is a pun on a Japanese word for magazine (マガジン, magajin), and a double pun in that gaijin (外人, [ɡaidʑiɴ]) is a Japanese word for "foreigner," "non-Japanese", or "alien". Thus, it is "a manga magazine for outsiders".[citation needed]

History[]

Mangajin began shaping in 1988 when businessman and translator Vaughan P. Simmons began making prototypes of a magazine that could combine Japanese popular culture, entertainment, and language learning into one. Simmons worked with clients from American and European companies and saw how successful they could be with the Japanese and learned the culture, which boosted up the motivation for Mangajin.[1] When developing the concept, manga became an ideal solution with the medium being so large and attracting some of the best artists and writers. Manga also gives a big perspective on real Japanese society and how the language is spoken. Simmons started creating a "four-line-format" which shows the actual text as found in a Japanese manga, a romanization for pronunciation, a literal translation showing the structure of the expression, and an idiomatic English equivalent.[2]

Beginning with issue #49, the magazines include companion audio tapes for the corresponding issues until the end of the print edition at issue #70. Each tape contains audio reenactments of all of the Japanese manga material in that issue. Side A contains the stories acted by native Japanese-speaking voice actors. Side B contains stories read without pause, first in Japanese, then in English. For some of the longer/wordier issues, part of the line-by-line recording from Side A runs over onto Side B.[3]

North American versions were distributed by Weatherhill, Inc. Following the end of print magazine publication, Wasabi Brothers Trading Company and Rolomail Trading became publishers for Mangajin materials. Following the purchases of Weatherhill, Inc. by Shambhala Publications,[4] Mangajin materials were published by Shambhala Publications.

Japanese versions were distributed by Sekai Shuppan, inc.

Features[]

Manga series (bilingual English-Japanese)[]

Title Author Issues
Sō Nishimura 1
Shōtarō Ishinomori 1, 2, 30, 31
1, 2, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 19, 22, 23, 24, 27, 29, 34, 42, 46, 41
1, 3
What's Michael? Makoto Kobayashi
2, 3
Dai-Tōkyō Binbō Seikatsu Manual (ビンボー生活マニュアル, Greater Tokyo Poverty Living Manual) 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 19, 22, 26, 27, 34, 35, 51, 61
Masayuki Mori 3, 4, 6, 10, 12, 15
OL Shinkaron Akizuki Risu
Obatarian
4
5
Haguregumo George Akiyama 5
Galaxy Express 999 Matsumoto Reiji 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Urusei Yatsura, Oyuki Takahashi Rumiko 7, 8, 9
9
(オジャマします)
(サラリくん)
(釣りバカ日誌) , Hirokane Kenshi
The Silent Service Kawaguchi Kaiji
(くろこさん、こんにちは)
Kochikame Osamu Akimoto 55, 56
(サラリーマン専科)
Bonobono
Oishinbo ,
Phoenix Tezuka Osamu
(営業てんてこ日誌)
(べらんめい父ちゃん)
(夕焼けの詩)
Furiten-kun
Crayon Shin-chan Yoshito Usui
(みっくす・こねくしょん) Yoshito Usui 69
(アフター0)
(釣りバカ日誌)
(三四郎の恋)
(みどりさん) Akizuki Risu
(おだいじに)
(マンガビジネスマナー)
Yawara! Urasawa Naoki
(葛飾Q)
Kachō Kōsaku Shima Hirokane Kenshi
(ガルシアくん)
(サライくん)
(いしいひさいち選集) Ishii Hisaichi
(図説現代用語便覧)
Dr. Slump Toriyama Akira
(タケエモン家のひとびと)
The Laughing Salesman Fujiko Fujio A
Naniwa Kin'yūdō Aoki Yuji
Uchida Shungiku
Akizuki Risu
Shoot!
Fancy Dance Okano Reiko
(いまどきのこども)
Cooking Papa
Living Game
Shoji Sadao
,
,
Yamada Yoji
,
Aji Ichi Monme ,
Ono Shinjiro
Hirokane Kenshi
Ueda Masashi
Oze Akira
George Gladir,
Bow Wow
Ishii Hisaichi
Ishii Hisaichi
, Oshima Yasuichi

Publications[]

Mangajin magazines[]

  • Mangajin's Basic Japanese Through Comics: A compilation of issues 1-24 of Mangajin magazines categorized in lessons format. Each lesson consists of 6 pages of illustrations from the comics sections of the source magazines.
  • Weatherhill version: ISBN 083480452-2/ISBN 978-083480452-4[5][6][7]
  • Mangajin's Basic Japanese Through Comics (Part 2): Same as the previous release, but different lessons from issues 25-48 of Mangajin.
  • Weatherhill version: ISBN 083480453-0/ISBN 978-083480453-1[8]
  • Mangajin CD-ROM: Contains selected manga from the first 10 issues of Mangajin magazine, with trademark translations, language and cultural notes, and digitalized native Japanese voice recording.[9] Tony Gonzalez was the author of the CD-ROM.[10]
  • Mangajin's Japanese Grammar Through Comics
  • Weatherhill version: ISBN 0-9634335-5-5/ISBN 978-0-9634335-5-8[11]

Other Mangajin, Inc. books[]

  • Bringing Home the Sushi: An Inside Look at Japanese Business through Japanese Comics: A collection of business manga, in English, with introductory essays by Japan specialists[12]
  • Weatherhill version: ISBN 0-9634335-2-0[13]
  • The Essence of Modern Haiku: 300 haiku poems by Seishi Yamaguchi: An English translation of Seishi Yamaguchi's haiku collection.[14][15]
  • Weatherhill version: ISBN 0-9634335-3-9/ISBN 978-0-9634335-3-4 (paperback), ISBN 0-9634335-0-4/ISBN 978-0-9634335-0-3 (hardcover)[16]
  • Senryū: Haiku Reflections of the Times: A compilation of 100 senryu that have appeared over an eight year period in Japan's most popular newspaper, the Yomiuri.[17]
  • Unlocking the Japanese Business Mind: An in-depth analysis of the complex cultural dynamics Japanese and Americans must confront when they come together to do business.
  • DIANE Publishing Company version: ISBN 075675074-1/ISBN 978-075675074-9
  • Weatherhill version: ISBN 093012410-3/ISBN 978-093012410-6[18]

Rolomail Trading Company Products[]

  • Joyo Kanji Wall Chart Set: Contains 3 wall charts with the entire 1,945 General Use Chinese Characters.[19]
  • The Kanji Way to Japanese Language Power
  • 2nd edition: ISBN 09625489-0-1/ISBN 978-09625489-0-1[20]
  • A Guide to Remembering Japanese Characters: Includes etymology of 1,945 General Use Chinese Characters.
  • 2nd edition: ISBN 080482038-4/ISBN 978-080482038-7[21]
  • Salaryman Kintaro: The Complete Series: Contains all 10 Volumes of the series.[22]

Sekai Shuppan, inc. products[]

  • Master English the Mangajin Way/ 漫画人英語上達革命 マンガで英語をものにするトレーニング・ブック: Includes print and cassette tape editions.[23]

Stone Bridge Press products[]

  • Stone Bridge Press version: ISBN 1-880656-90-6/ISBN 978-1-880656-90-7[24]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "The Beginnings of Mangajin". Wasabi Brothers. Retrieved 23 January 2009.
  2. ^ "Developing the Concept". Wasabi Brothers. Archived from the original on 20 October 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  3. ^ Tape Description
  4. ^ About Shambhala
  5. ^ Basic Japanese Through Comics Part 1[dead link]
  6. ^ Basic Japanese Through Comics Vol. 1[dead link]
  7. ^ Basic Japanese through Comics
  8. ^ Basic Japanese Through Comics Vol. 2
  9. ^ Mangajin CD-ROM[dead link]
  10. ^ Tony Gonzalez Translation, Software Localization, and Technical Project Professional[permanent dead link]
  11. ^ Mangajin's Japanese Grammar Through Comics
  12. ^ Bringing Home the Sushi Nine examples of Japanese business comics, with introductory essays by Japan experts.
  13. ^ Bringing Home the Sushi An Inside Look at Japanese Business Through Japanese Comics
  14. ^ The Essence of Modern Haiku
  15. ^ The Essence of Modern Haiku[dead link]
  16. ^ The Essence of Modern Haiku 300 Poems by Seishi Yamaguchi
  17. ^ Senryu: Haiku Reflections of the Times[dead link]
  18. ^ Unlocking the Japanese Business Mind
  19. ^ Japanese Kanji Wall Chart Set
  20. ^ The Kanji Way to Japanese Language Power
  21. ^ A Guide to Remembering Japanese Characters
  22. ^ Salaryman Kintaro: The Complete 10 Volume Series[dead link]
  23. ^ 「漫画人」英語上達革命：マンガで英語をモノにするトレーニング・ブック
  24. ^ Japanese the Manga Way: An Illustrated Guide to Grammar and Structure

External links[]

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