CoroCoro Comic

is a Japanese monthly manga magazine published by Shogakukan, established on May 15, 1977. Its main target is elementary school-aged boys, younger than the readers of shōnen manga. Several of its properties, like ''Doraemon'' and the ''Pokémon'' series of games, have gone on to be cultural phenomena in Japan.

The name comes from a phenomime which means "rolling" and also represents something spherical, fat, or small, because children supposedly like such things. The magazine is A5-sized, about 6 cm ( in) thick, and each issue is 750 pages long. ''CoroCoro Comic'' is released monthly with new issues on the 15th of each month (or earlier if the 15th falls on a weekend).

''CoroCoro Comic'' sold 400million copies as of April 2017, making it one of the best-selling comic/manga magazines. The magazine has three sisters: ''Bessatsu CoroCoro Comic'' (別冊コロコロコミック), ''CoroCoro Ichiban!'' (コロコロイチバン) and ''CoroCoro Aniki'' (コロコロアニキ). ''Bessatsu'' and ''Ichiban!'' are published bi-monthly, while ''Aniki'', which targeted an older audience, was released quarterly.

On November 20, 2020, CoroCoro Comic cover designer Tariji Sasaki was recognized by ''Guinness World Records'' as the longest-running cover designer for a children's magazine.

''CoroCoro Aniki'' ended publication in March 2021.

History

The magazine was launched in 1977 as a magazine for Doraemon, which is one of the most popular manga in Japan. Before then Doraemon had been serialized in 6 Shogakukan magazines targeted to students of 6 elementary school grades that target audience has now increased. It collected stories of Doraemon from these magazines. It celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2007 with an exhibition at the Kyoto International Manga Museum.

Tie-ins

''CoroCoro'' regularly promotes toys and video games related to their manga franchises, releasing stories and articles featuring them. Pocket Monsters/Pokémon's big success in Japan owes to this in a way; the Game Boy game ''Pocket Monsters Blue'' was sold exclusively through the magazine at first, which helped ''CoroCoros sales as well. ''CoroCoro'' is also often a source of information about upcoming Pokémon games and movies.

Other successful tie-ins include:
* Radio controlled car, Mini 4WD (with Tamiya)
*Famicom, Super Famicom, and Game Boy line (with Nintendo and third parties)
*Beyblade, B-Daman (with Takara)
*Bikkuriman (with Lotte)
*Barcode Battler (with Epoch Co.)

Manga series currently being serialized

Manga titles currently serialized in ''Monthly CoroCoro Comic''

*''Super Mario-kun'' (Since November 1990)
*''Pocket Monsters / Pocket Monsters SPECIAL'' (Since April 1996)
*''CoroCoro Manga College'' (Since February 2001)
*'' Fujiko F. Fujio Masterpiece Theater Doraemon'' (Since April 2002)
*' (Since December 2006)
*'' Denjyarasu Jiisan Jya!'' (Since April 2010)
*' (Since October 2011)
*''Zo-Zo-Zo Zombie-kun'' (Since December 2012)
*'' Yōkai Watch'' (Since January 2013)
*''Danball Senki Wars'' (Since April 2013)
*''Puzzle & Dragons'' (Since September 2013)
*'' Danchi Tomoo 4-koma Park'' (Since September 2013)
*''Punyu-punyu Warrior Myame-myame'' (Since October 2013)
*'' Pokémon X and Y: The Legend of the Pokémon Dragon King'' (Since November 2013)
*''Hero Bank'' (Since November 2013)
*''Gundam Build Fighters'' (Since November 2013)
*'' 100% Pascal-sensei'' (Since January 2015)
*'' Splatoon'' (Since June 2016)

Manga titles currently serialized in ''Bessatsu CoroCoro Comic''

*''Super Mario-kun'' (Since February 1991)
*''Pokémon Pocket Monsters'' (Since February 1997)
*''Denjyarasu Jiisan Jya!'' (Since June 2010)
*''Duel Masters Victory'' (Since June 2011)
*'' Animal Crossing: New Leaf'' (Since October 2012)
*''Lapis Lazuli'' (Since October 2012)
*' (Since December 2012)
*'' Yo-Kai Watch'' (Since January 2013)
*'' Pokémon Torretta'' (Since February 2013)
*''A Penguin's Troubles Plus'' (Since April 2013)
*''Friendship Attached! Foot Burst'' (Since April 2013)
*''Nyaemon'' (Since April 2013)
*''Really!! Majime-kun!'' (Since June 2013)
*
Super Conversion War Mojibakeru G Beat!
' (Since June 2013)
*'' Story of Duel Masters: Outrage'' (Since June 2013)
*''Cosmos Stamp'' (Since August 2013)
*' (Since October 2013)

Manga titles currently serialized in ''CoroCoro Ichiban''

*'' Super Refreshing TV Life: Oha Suta Boy'' (Since November 2005)
*'' Pokémon 4-koma Gag Picture book'' (Since November 2009)
*'' Detective Conan Special'' (Since May 2011)
*'' Super Mario-kun Theater'' (Since April 2013)
*'' Animal Crossing: New Leaf'' (Since July 2013)
*'' Yo-kai Watch Yoncoma Pun Club'' (Since April 2015)
*'' Secret Society Eagle Talon'' (Since January 2016)
*'' Chibi Kasu-kun'' (Since May 2016)
*'' Hoshi no Kirby Everything on Today's Diary'' (Since July 2016)
*'' Pokémon Special Sun•Moon Saga'' (Since January 2017)
*'' Pokémon TCG Sun•Moon Saga'' (Since January 2017)
*'' Star Kirby Puzzle Planet'' (Since January 2017)

Manga

1960s

*''Kaibutsu-kun''
*''Doraemon''

1970s

*''Game Center Arashi''

1980s

*''Bikkuriman''
*''Oyaji-chan''
*'' Dash! Yonkuro''
*''Ganbare, Kickers!''
*'' Honō no Dōkyūji: Dodge Danpei''
*'' Perman''

1990s

*'' Saru Get You''
*'' Crash Bandicoot''
*''Donkey Kong''
*'' Duel Masters''
*'' Honō no Tōkyūji: Dodge Danpei''
*'' Kirby of the Stars: The Story of Dedede Who Lives in Pupupu''
*''Bakusō Kyōdai Let's & Go!!''
*''Ore wa Otoko da! Kunio-kun'' (manga based on the '' Kunio-kun'' series)
*'' Pokémon Blue'' (Japan)
*''Spyro The Dragon''
*''Super B-Daman''
*''Speed Racer''
*''Super Mario-kun''
*''Tamagotchi''
*'' Wataru''
*'' Zoids''

2000s

*'' Duel Masters''
*''Battle B-Daman''
*''Beyblade''
*''Bomberman Jetters''
*'' Crash B-Daman''
*'' Croket!''
*''Dorabase''
*'' Denjyarasu Jiisan''
*' - Adapted into the anime ''Forza! Hidemaru''
*''Inazuma Eleven''
*'' Jak x Daxter ~Itachi de Waruika!!~''
*'' Keshikasu-kun''
*''Kiyohara-kun''
*'' FF7AC''
*'' Rockman EXE''
*'' Solar Boy Django''
*''Pokémon Diamond and Pearl''
*'' Ratchet & Clank – Gagaga! Ginga no Gakeppuchi Densetsu''
*'' Shooting Star Rockman''
*'' Sonic! Dash & Spin''
*''I'm Galileo!''
*'' Kirby of the Stars''
*''Pokémon Platinum''
*'' Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver''
*''Pokémon Colosseum''
*''Sap-kun''
*''Tamagotchi''
*'' Mysterious Joker''

2010s

*''Baku Tech! Bakugan''
*'' Cross Fight B-daman''
*''Danball Senki''
*'' Denjyarasu Jiisan Jya!''
*'' Future Card Buddyfight''
*''Hero Bank''
*'' Inazuma Eleven: Ares no Tenbin''
*''Metal Fight Beyblade Explosion''
*''Metal Fight Beyblade 4D''
*'' Metal Fight Beyblade Zero-G''
*''Pokémon Black and White''
*'' Pokémon Black and White 2''
*''Pokémon X and Y''
*''Kamiwaza Wanda''
*'' Splatoon''
*'' Minions''
*'' Rich Police Cash!''

2020s

*''Doraemon''
*''Schau Lof''
*'' Hagemaru Reboot''
*''Makycu N-Zoch''
*'' Zip Zap''
*''Pokémon''
*''Black Channel''

Circulation

Rivals

Corocoro has had many rival kodomo magazines in the past, with one of them, ''Comic Bom Bom'', closing down due to declining sales. The current competition includes ''V Jump'' and ''Saikyo Jump''.

Past rivals

*' (January 1979–February 1982)
*' (January 1981–January 1983)
*''Comic Bom Bom'' (November 1981–December 2007)
*' (November 1985–January 1989)
*' (January 2004–October 2009)
*'' Kerokero Ace'' (December 2007–September 2013)

Current rivals

*''V Jump'' (since June 1993)
*''Monthly Shōnen Ace'' (since December 1994)
*''Saikyō Jump'' (since January 2012)

Foreign adaptations

*'' CO-CO!'' (Hong Kong)
''CoroCoro Monthly''
(Taiwan)
''Dragon Comic CORO-CORO''
(China)

See also

*''Weekly Shōnen Sunday''

References

External links

Official site

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{{Shogakukan manga magazines

CoroCoro Comic
1977 establishments in Japan
Monthly manga magazines published in Japan
Magazines established in 1977
Shogakukan magazines
Kodomo manga magazines
Magazines published in Tokyo