Weekly Shounen Sunday #22/23 (Preview)

Hey all! Good Friday, and Good Sunday too! The preview is back this week although like last week there's not much info to be had for the upcoming issue. However, since I will be on Sunday sabbatical for two weeks beginning on Tuesday, I figured being able to talk about something is better than nothing, and there is some cool stuff to be had, so let's go!

First off the cover! To celebrate Gosho Aoyama's series reaching a combine 200 million sales milestone, he's getting the same treatment Takahashi did a few issues ago with all of his series on the cover of the mag! It's interesting to see Yaiba in his current art style, isn't it? Also eagle eyed Sunday fans might notice that the issue number is 22/23. The less astute might have noticed it in the blog entry title.  Why might that be? Well this is a quirk of Japanese magazines. See, next week is Golden week in Japan --which is kind of akin to Spring break in the US, but not really. Since it's a holiday, the magazine takes a break for the week. However, to keep the count --52 issues a year, this issue is numbered for this week and next week. So technically while there would be an issue next week, there wouldn't be one the week after. (It's all very confusing, I know, but don't worry I'm keeping track.)

And like Takahashi before, the artists got together and drew the characters from Aoyama's series! Top is Ohtaka (Magi), Arai (Quadrable) Oda (not that one/Komi) Arakawa (Silver Spoon) and Adachi (Touch/Mix)

On this page is Koyama (Makanai-san) Kuriyama (Evans) Kusaba (Daiku no hatou) Sakurai (Yuugami) KOTOYAMA (Dagashikashi) and Kumanomata (Maoujou)

Here we have Tanaka (Be blues) Sorayomi (Keijo!!!) Satou (Youkai Giga which starts this issue!!) Tanabe (Kekkaishi/Birdmen) Takahashi (You know her.) Shiina (Zettai Karen Children.)

This page has Hirakawa (Tenshi to Akuto) Nekoguchi (Megumi) Nikaido (Aozakura) Fukuda (Mushibugyo) Hata (Hayate) and Nishimori (Hiiragi-sama)

And rounding things out is Yokoyama (Sunday Unscientific lab) Matsuena (Tokiwa/Kenichi) Fukuchi (Saike) Wakaki (The world only god knows) Mitsuda (Major 2nd) Fujiki (DameTerasu) Minenami (Hatsukoi Zombie) and Fujita (Souboutei). Which are your favorites? Let me know in the comments!

As for other news, Keijo is ending this issue, apparently...! There was no indication last issue at all so it's not like I missed it or anything! Judging from the page number it's pretty low in the mag as usual, but this sudden end is...well, it was actually pretty well telegraphed, tbh. I guess I was expecting an issue or two of hijinks first at least. Though now that's Denpa, Hayate, and Keijo that have all ended one after another. Hopefully the new series find a foothold or the magazine could be in trouble.

EDIT: Got the TOC!

Youkai Giga by Satsuki Satou (New series/color pages)

Magic Kaito by Gosho Aoyama 

Maojou de Oyasumi by Kagiji Kumanomata

Daiku No hatou by Michteru Kusaba (24 pages)

Tenshou no Quadrable by Takahiro Arai

Hoankan Evans no Uso ~Dead or Love~ by Mitsuki Kuriyama (Color page.)

Amano Megumi wa Suki Darake! By Nekoguchi

Magi by Shinobu Ohtaka (Color page)

Komi-san wa Komyushou Desu by Tomohito Oda

Major 2nd by Takuya Mitsuda

Maiko-san chi no Makanai-san by Aiko Koyama

Be Blues! By Motoyuki Tanaka

Kyoukai no RINNE by Rumiko Takahashi

Dagashikashi by KOTOYAMA

Souboutei Kowasubeshi by Kazuhiro Fujita

Hatsukoi Zombie by Ryou Minenami

Tenshi to Akuto by Aya Hirakawa

Aozakura -Bouei Daigakkou Monogatari by Hikaru Nikaidou

Joujuu Senjin!! Mushibugyo by Hiroshi Fukuda

Saike Matashitemo by Tsubasa Fukuchi

Birdmen By Yellow Tanabe (Monthly)

Hiiragi-sama wa Jibu o Sagashite iru by Hiroyuki Nishimori

Tokiwa Kitareri!! By Shun Matsuena

DameTerasu by Shun Fujiki

Keijo!!! by Daichi Sorayomi (Ending)

Sunday Higaku kenkyujo by Yuuji Yokoyama

Not in this issue:

Detective Conan

RYOKO

Zettai Karen children.

So nothing particularly interesting, but it confirms Keijo is ending, and DameTerasu may very well be next. Saike rose a little but I guess that's by virtue of other things dropping which is...common sense. I'm suprised by Maojou's position though, that's super high! Also Tokiwa might also be facing the chopping block soon...

In other, other, news, RYOKO's 2nd volume has been listed for June, which indicates that it might be returning sooner than later --though this could be and probably is a provisional date, and could be pushed back again if Mitsuhashi isn't up to drawing quite yet. Let's cross our fingers and hope he is, because the action satisfaction in the magazine is low and getting lower. 

Another edit! The preview for the next issue!

Next issue will feature the newest series by Tamaki Wakaki called K.O.I which will come with 61 pages, Be Blues, Hatsukoi Zombie and Tenshou no Quadrable will get color pages, and Yokai Giga/Magic Kaito will continue with their second chapters. The issue will be out May 10th (again there's a week off coming up), oh almost forgot, Yuugami stops in for a monthly visit too!

And that's it for now! If I see anything else I'll update ASAP. If nothing else pops up, then I won't be seeing you guys again until Tuesday May 9th. I'll probably do a super short digest of 22/23 and then go back to full entries for 24. Thanks as always for reading, and have a good second Sunday.