Shūkan Taishū

Shūkan Taishū (週刊大衆) is a Japanese weekly magazine published by Futabasha, a general publisher that also issues periodicals such as Weekly Manga Action, comics, and books. First launched in April 1958, the magazine is released every Monday in B5 format. It targets an adult readership and has long been positioned as an entertainment magazine for blue-collar workers and the nightlife industry, built around a mix of eroticism, scandal, and celebrity gossip. Along with titles such as Weekly Asahi Geinō (Tokuma Shoten) and Weekly Jitsuwa (Nihon Journal Publishing), it is often grouped in the 'jitsuwa' (true-story) magazine genre, though its content leans more toward entertainment than the yakuza-focused Jitsuwa Jidai. Its gravure features, including hair nudes, frequently use sealed 'fukuro-toji' pages. Over the decades, Shūkan Taishū has spawned numerous extra issues, special editions, and sister publications. These include the monthly Zōkan Taishū (launched 1998, suspended 2015), the irregular Shūkan Taishū Rinji Zōkan, Shūkan Taishū Venus (suspended 2018), and Shūkan Taishū Tokubetsu Zōkan. Earlier spin-offs included the pachinko information magazine Pachinko Kōryaku Magazine (1987–1989) and the single-issue pro-wrestling magazine Chō Proresu (1992). Bessatsu Shūkan Taishū appeared in the 1960s and 1970s, and a manga magazine, Bessatsu Shūkan Taishū Manga Story, ran from around 1960 to April 1962. The sister magazine EX Taishū launched in August 2005 as a monthly A4 publication; in November 2024 it renewed its logo to EXtaishu and changed its binding and format. The magazine has carried long-running columns and manga, including contributions from figures such as Kiyoshi Nishikawa, Tetsuya Takeda, and Arimasa Osawa, as well as manga like Kariage-kun (selections) and Bar Lemon Heart. It also featured a dedicated column space for AV actresses offering advice and personal essays. In the 2010s, Futabasha launched the news website Daily Taishū (日刊大衆), but it closed at the end of 2022 following a false-report controversy; by 2025 it was renewed as the video site Daily Taishū Midortech. Futabasha also started the news site Pinzuba NEWS in 2023, which effectively became the successor outlet. Related web media include Yūyake Taishū, operated by Adnest, which carries R-18 articles and content from FANZA and sports tabloid adult pages. Shūkan Taishū remains an active weekly title under Futabasha, maintaining its niche in adult entertainment and gossip journalism. It has also inspired related works, such as the 2015 novel and 2018 film Umibe no Shūkan Taishū.

Shūkan Taishū was first published in April 1958 by Futabasha, a general publisher that also issues periodicals such as Weekly Manga Action, comics, and books. From its early years, the magazine carved out a niche as an adult-oriented weekly, blending eroticism, scandal, and celebrity gossip. It became established as an entertainment magazine for blue-collar workers and the nightlife trade, and is often classified within the 'jitsuwa' (true-story) magazine genre alongside Weekly Asahi Geinō and Weekly Jitsuwa, though its content is more entertainment-focused than the yakuza-specialist Jitsuwa Jidai. In the 1960s and 1970s, the magazine expanded its brand through supplementary publications. Bessatsu Shūkan Taishū was issued between the 1960s and 1970, with a monthly run from June 1969 to January 1974 (56 issues). A manga magazine, Bessatsu Shūkan Taishū Manga Story, was published from around 1960 to April 1962. Later, in 1987, a pachinko information magazine, Pachinko Kōryaku Magazine, was spun off from the main title, running for eight issues from December 24, 1987, to March 24, 1989, before becoming an independent magazine in May 1989. In 1992, a single-issue pro-wrestling magazine, Chō Proresu, was published on April 17. The 1990s saw further brand extensions. The monthly Zōkan Taishū was launched in 1998 (suspended in 2015), released on the third Friday of each month in B5 format. Other special issues included the irregular Shūkan Taishū Rinji Zōkan (A4 format), Shūkan Taishū Venus (suspended in 2018, B5), and Shūkan Taishū Tokubetsu Zōkan (B5), the latter published as an extra issue of the manga magazine Men's Young. In August 2005, the sister magazine EX Taishū was launched as a monthly A4 publication, released on the 15th of each month. In November 2024, EX Taishū renewed its logo to EXtaishu, changed from A4 henkei to A4 format, switched from saddle-stitching to perfect binding, and adopted a format resembling idol photo books with multiple models; columns continued. In the 2010s, Futabasha launched the news website Daily Taishū (日刊大衆). However, the site was closed at the end of 2022 following a false-report controversy. By 2025, it was renewed as the video site Daily Taishū Midortech. In 2023, Futabasha started the news site Pinzuba NEWS, which effectively became the successor outlet. Related web media include Yūyake Taishū, which until March 2020 operated as 'Kaikatsu 60 WEB' (the website for Shūkan Taishū Zōkan Kaikatsu 60) and was renewed in April 2020; it is operated by Adnest and carries R-18 articles not published in Daily Taishū, content provided by FANZA, and selected columns from Sankei Sports' adult page 'Ohayou Sanspo' and Sports Nippon's adult page 'Sukitto Sponichi'. The magazine has featured numerous serialized columns and manga. Current and past contributors include Kiyoshi Nishikawa, Tetsuya Takeda, Arimasa Osawa, and others. Manga serials have included Kariage-kun (selections) by Masashi Ueda, Haru no Sabori Gohan, Yabaman, Kanjiru Hitozuma (selections), Kyō mo Pachi Biyori, and Uma Nari de SHOW. The magazine also ran a dedicated column space for AV actresses offering sex advice and personal essays, with contributors such as Ayano Murasaki, Hoka, Yuma Asami, Minako Komukai, Minami Kojima, Mana Sakura, and Yua Mikami. Shūkan Taishū has also inspired related works, such as the 2015 novel Umibe no Shūkan Taishū by Sekishiro, which was adapted into a 2018 film starring Naoki Matayoshi of Peace. Shūkan Taishū remains an active weekly title under Futabasha, maintaining its niche in adult entertainment and gossip journalism.

• 2025

  Daily Taishū renewed as video site Daily Taishū Midortech.

• 2024

  EX Taishū renews logo to EXtaishu in November, changes format and binding.

• 2023

  Futabasha launches news site Pinzuba NEWS.

• 2022

  Daily Taishū news website closed at the end of the year.

• 2020

  Yūyake Taishū renewed in April (formerly Kaikatsu 60 WEB).

• 2018

  Shūkan Taishū Venus suspended.

• 2005

  Sister magazine EX Taishū launched in August.

• 1998

  Monthly Zōkan Taishū launched (suspended 2015).

• 1992

  Single-issue pro-wrestling magazine Chō Proresu published on April 17.

• 1987

  Pachinko Kōryaku Magazine spun off from Shūkan Taishū (until March 1989).

• 1969

  Monthly Bessatsu Shūkan Taishū begins (until January 1974, 56 issues).

• 1960

  Bessatsu Shūkan Taishū Manga Story begins publication (until April 1962).

• 1958

  First issue of Shūkan Taishū published in April.

Adult-oriented entertainment weekly focusing on eroticism, scandal, and celebrity gossip, targeting blue-collar and nightlife readers.

• Shūkan Taishū (weekly magazine)

• Zōkan Taishū (monthly extra issue, 1998–2015)

• Shūkan Taishū Rinji Zōkan (irregular extra issue)

• Shūkan Taishū Venus (suspended 2018)

• Shūkan Taishū Tokubetsu Zōkan (special extra issue)

• EX Taishū (monthly sister magazine, launched 2005)

• Pachinko Kōryaku Magazine (1987–1989)

• Chō Proresu (single issue, 1992)

• Bessatsu Shūkan Taishū (1960s–1970s)

• Bessatsu Shūkan Taishū Manga Story (c.1960–1962)

1. 1双葉社futabasha.co.jp
2. 2Shūkan Taishū - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3週刊大衆 - Wikipedia (Japanese)ja.wikipedia.org