After 37
years of being a mainstay in the light novel industry, the iconic Dragon
Magazine, published by Kadokawa , will cease publication. Its final issue will hit
stores in March of that year, Japanese site Oricon reported. This
closure marks the end of an era for the magazine that housed such iconic works
as “Full Metal Panic!”, “Slayers,” “Spy Classroom,” “Date A Live,” and the
classic harem romantic comedy “High School DxD,” among many others.
Dragon Magazine was not only an entertainment medium, but
also served as a launching pad for numerous franchises that later became
popular anime adaptations. Shoji Gatoh, creator of “Full Metal
Panic!”, recalled with nostalgia the importance of the magazine in his career:
“ Dramaga is an entry-level literary magazine that offers short,
easy-to-read serializations, with illustrations on every page. Looking back, it
has done amazing things for over 10 years, and I was able to publish my work
there for a long time .”
For his part, Ryo Mizuno, author of Record of Lodoss War,
expressed his sadness at the announcement: “ Although I had heard
about it before, when it was officially confirmed I felt sad. I wrote
TRPG-related articles since the first issue, and I remember the happiness of
having Yoshitaka Amano illustrate those articles .”
Slayers illustrator Rui Araizumi also shared his regret:
“ It’s a magazine that has been with me all my life, so much so that
even though they announced its closure, it doesn’t feel real. Life goes on
again .” The magazine also marked a turning point for fans, who
lamented the news on social media: “ I feel like an era has ended ,”
commented an anonymous reader.
Dragon Magazine’s editorial team issued a statement
explaining the decision: “ Due to recent changes in the reading
environment, we are increasingly aware that the role Dragon Magazine has played
can no longer be fulfilled through print magazines, and this is our next
challenge .” This change reflects current trends, where digital
consumption has overtaken paper, affecting even such influential publications
as Dragon Magazine.
Although Dragon Magazine will cease publication, Kadokawa
has plans to adapt to this new era. The company will launch a new media
service called Mekurimekuru in spring 2025, focused on light novel fans. In
addition, the Kimirano recommendation service, which has been operational since
2019, will be integrated into this new platform. However, Kadokawa has
not specified whether Dragon Magazine's ongoing works will be transferred to
Mekurimekuru or if they will have a different fate.
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