Banzai! (magazine)

{{Short description|Discontinued shōnen manga anthology}}

{{Infobox Magazine

|image_file = Banzai magazine cover - issue 7.jpg

|image_size =

|image_caption = Cover of the 7th issue, with cover date of 5 March 2002

|editor =

|editor_title =

|previous_editor =

|staff_writer =

|frequency = Monthly

|circulation = 130,000 (2003)

|category = manga, shōnen

|company = Carlsen Verlag

|publisher =

|firstdate = November 2001

|finaldate = December 2005

|finalnumber = 50

|country = Germany

|based = Hamburg

|language = German

|website =

|issn =

}}

Banzai!, officially stylized BANZAI!, is a discontinued shōnen manga anthology that was published in Germany by Carlsen Verlag, from November 2001 to December 2005. It debuted in November 2001 as a German language adaptation of the popular Japanese manga anthology Weekly Shōnen Jump, published by Shueisha.{{cite web |url=http://www.icv2.com/articles/home/2442.html |title=Manga Sales Strong In Europe Too |publisher=ICv2|date=2003-03-06 |access-date=2008-07-07 }}{{cite news |last=Nagai |first=Asami |title=Manga influence pervades Europe, North America |work=The Daily Yomiuri |date=1 March 2003 |url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-22567902_ITM}}.{{cite news |title=Die haben uns alle lieb |work=Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung |date=3 April 2003 |page=Feuilleton section, p. 46 |no-pp=y |quote=Die erste Ausgabe von "Daisuki" wurde zum Einführungspreis von drei Euro 37 000 mal gekauft. Von der vierten Ausgabe an im Mai kostet das Heft fünf Euro wie "Banzai!", das inzwischen eine verkaufte Auflage von rund 85 000 hat.}} In addition to various series from Weekly Shōnen Jump, the magazine serialized some original German manga-influenced comics, including Crewman 3. Issues also included educational articles to teach readers Japanese and columns with news updates on anime and manga series.{{cite web|url=http://www.banzai-online.de/denihongo |title=BANZAI! De Nihongo |publisher=Carlsen Verlag |work=BANZAI! De Nihongo |archive-date=2005-07-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050725013149/http://www.banzai-online.de/denihongo |access-date=2008-06-14 |url-status=dead }} Series published in the magazine were also published in tankōbon volumes under the Banzai! präsentiert and the highly popular series under the Best of Banzai! label. The name Banzai! came from the transliteration of 10,000 years, a traditional Japanese exclamation.

Banzai! was the first German manga magazine aimed at boys.{{cite web |url=http://www.rthk.org.hk/mediadigest/20070913_76_121564.html |last=Wong |first=Wendy Suiyi |title=The Presence of Manga in Europe and North America |work=Media Digest/Radio Television Hong Kong |access-date=2008-10-29| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080921023415/http://www.rthk.org.hk/mediadigest/20070913_76_121564.html| archive-date= 21 September 2008 | url-status= live}} Banzai! initially circulated with 130,000 copies per period.{{cite web |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-114326283.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022025721/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-114326283.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-10-22 |last=Chiba |first=Hitoshi |title=Cool Japan: when "Newsweek" sang the praises of "Cool Britannia" in a cover story back in 1996, it did so mainly in recognition of the fashionable London scene. In 2003 the "cool" country label better applies to Japan. Here's why |work=Look Japan |date=2003-05-01 |access-date=2008-10-29}}

The magazine was discontinued in December 2005 due to Shueisha declining to renew Carlsen Verlag's license for the adaptation.{{cite web |url=http://www.carlsen.de/web/manga/serie?id=30422 |title=Banzai! |publisher=Carlsen Comics |language=de |access-date=2008-07-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071024010927/http://www.carlsen.de/web/manga/serie?id=30422 |archive-date=2007-10-24 |url-status=dead }} The German division of Tokyopop was able to acquire the license to publish other tankōbon volumes of the Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine. The already published manga volumes from Banzai! remain under the Banzai! präsentiert line.{{cite web|url=http://www.banzai-online.de/ |title=BANZAI!-Online geht offline |publisher=Carlsen Verlag |work=Banzai! |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070704122749/http://www.banzai-online.de/ |archive-date=2007-07-04 |access-date=2008-07-13 |url-status=dead }}