Gundam Ace

Gundam Ace (ガンダムエース, Gandamu Eesu) is a monthly Japanese shōnen manga magazine published by Kadokawa Shoten. It largely focuses on the Gundam franchise. There was a Chinese version published by Kadokawa Media (Taiwan) Co., Ltd, discontinued in 2008.

Gundam Ace
Chief EditorHideaki Kobayashi
CategoriesShōnen manga[1]
FrequencyQuarterly (2001–2002)
Bimonthly (2003)
Monthly (2004–present)
Circulation120,000 (2017)[2]
First issueJune 25, 2001 (August 2001)
CompanyKadokawa Shoten
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese
WebsiteGundam Ace

Overview

Gundam Ace started as a quarterly publication from 2001 to 2002, moved to a bi-monthly publication in 2003, and in 2004 it became a monthly publication. The producer is Shinichirou Inoue of Kadokawa Shoten who also produces Newtype and Shonen Ace. The chief editor is Hideaki Kobayashi.

The magazine contains a number of common features found in official fan magazines, including news on upcoming Gundam series and merchandise.

Currently serialized titles

Many of the manga titles running in the magazine serve as promotion (adaptations based on recent games, animated series side stories, etc.) or parody the Gundam series/fandom.

Non-manga columns
  • Data Gundam
  • Ages of Gundam
  • Okawara Factory
  • Gundam Goods Navigation
  • Gundam Game Information
  • GUNDAM"ACE"FIX
  • GAME'S MSV

Giveaways

Most issues of Gundam Ace contain at least one 'free gift' item. These may be used to promote a current Gundam work or based on original manga appearing in the magazine. In the three months leading up to the premiere of Mobile Suit Gundam 00, the magazine gave away a 00 pencil board, sticker sheet and poster. A continuing series has been keychains depicting Mobile Suit Gundam characters as chickens, based on a popular manga of the same concept. Other items given away include CM collection CD-ROMs, exclusive alternate manga cover sleeves and cardboard calendar cubes.

Circulation
Time period Monthly circulation Sales Revenue (JPY)[5][6] Revenue (USD)
2004 211,416[7] 2,536,992 ¥1,775,894,400 $153,364,975
2005 209,292[7] 2,511,504 ¥1,758,052,800
2006 195,500[7] 2,346,000 ¥1,642,200,000
2007 184,750[8] 2,217,000 ¥1,551,900,000
April 2008 to June 2008 180,000[9] 540,000 ¥378,000,000
July 2008 to September 2008 175,000[10] 525,000 ¥367,500,000
October 2008 to September 2009 161,417[1] 1,937,004 ¥1,355,902,800
October 2009 to September 2010 135,417[11] 1,625,004 ¥1,355,902,800
October 2010 to September 2011 133,584[12] 1,603,008 ¥1,122,105,600
October 2011 to September 2012 110,667[13] 1,328,004 ¥929,602,800
October 2012 to September 2013 120,000[14] 1,440,000 ¥1,008,000,000 $19,028,781
October 2013 to September 2014 120,000[15] 1,440,000 ¥1,008,000,000
October 2014 to September 2015 120,000[16] 1,440,000 ¥1,008,000,000 $18,530,621
October 2015 to September 2016 120,000[17] 1,440,000 ¥1,008,000,000
October 2016 to September 2017 120,000[2] 1,440,000 ¥1,008,000,000 $9,184,510
Total known sales 22,337,266 ¥17,277,061,200 $199,911,612

Controversy

Removed mention of same-sex marriage in The Witch from Mercury

In the July 26, 2023, issue of Gundam Ace magazine an interview with Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury's voice cast included a quote from Kana Ichinose in which she referenced Suletta and Miorine's marriage. While the wedding itself was not depicted on-screen, the characters are shown wearing wedding rings in the final scene of the series, with Suletta's sister Eri referring to herself as Miorine's sister-in-law. Miorine was also directly referenced as Suletta's wife by the official English-language Gundam Twitter account on the day of the finale.[18] Previously, this account also posted tweets either in support of the main characters' romantic relationship or with an implied condemnation of other fan 'ships' with the heroines.

Following the release of the magazine interview, the hashtag スレミオ結婚 (SuleMio Marriage) trended in Japan.

However, days later the digital version of the Gundam Ace interview was edited to remove the direct reference to marriage, causing an immediate backlash from fans who claimed the characters' status as a married couple was being deliberately censored.[19]

On July 30 a statement was released by Kadokawa, publishers of Gundam Ace, in which they claimed the discrepancy was a "proofreading mistake" and that the marriage reference was based on "editorial speculation".[20] An accompanying statement was released on the official Witch from Mercury website in which these claims were repeated, in addition to implying the events of the series are open to interpretation by viewers,[21] leading to angry or confused responses from fans and general viewers who pointed out Suletta and Miorine’s marriage was objectively confirmed both in the anime's final scene and by the characters' voice actors in an audio commentary for the final episode, and as such no room for 'interpretation' exists.

References
  1. "2009 Japanese Manga Magazine Circulation Numbers". Anime News Network. January 18, 2010. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  2. "JMPAマガジンデータ : 男性 コミック". Japan Magazine Publishing Association. Archived from the original on December 23, 2019. Retrieved June 21, 2018.
  3. "Gundam Ace Magazine Unveils 3 New Gundam Manga". 28 August 2023.
  4. "Nobuo Tobita Reprises His Role as Kamille Bidan for OL Haman-Sama Manga". 23 July 2022.
  5. "The "Gundam Ace April 2017 Issue" on sale now!". GUNDAM.INFO: The official Gundam news and video portal. February 25, 2017. Price: 700 yen
  6. "The "Monthly Gundam Ace July 2018 Issue" Now on Sale!". GUNDAM.INFO: The official Gundam news and video portal. May 26, 2018. Special price: 700 yen
  7. "Manga Anthology Circulations 2004-2006". ComiPress.
  8. "社団法人 日本雑誌協会". Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. February 12, 2008. Archived from the original on February 12, 2008.
  9. "Men's Manga". Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. June 2008. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  10. "Men's Manga". Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. September 2008. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  11. "2010 Japanese Manga Magazine Circulation Numbers". Anime News Network. January 17, 2011.
  12. "JMPAマガジンデータ : 男性 コミック". Japan Magazine Publishing Association. Archived from the original on October 14, 2012. Retrieved October 14, 2012.
  13. "JMPAマガジンデータ : 男性 コミック". Japan Magazine Publishing Association. Archived from the original on October 22, 2013. Retrieved October 22, 2013.
  14. "JMPAマガジンデータ : 男性 コミック". Japan Magazine Publishing Association. Archived from the original on November 17, 2014. Retrieved November 17, 2014.
  15. "JMPAマガジンデータ : 男性 コミック". Japan Magazine Publishing Association. Archived from the original on November 16, 2015. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
  16. "JMPAマガジンデータ : 男性 コミック". Japan Magazine Publishing Association. Archived from the original on October 3, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  17. "JMPAマガジンデータ : 男性 コミック". Japan Magazine Publishing Association. Archived from the original on November 9, 2017. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  18. "Gundam.Info NA Official". July 2, 2023. Retrieved July 30, 2023. Image Description: Suletta Mercury, sitting on the left side of the image, is holding her wife's hand, Miorine Rembran, who is sitting next to her.
  19. Bowers, Tom (29 July 2023). "Representation, Homophobia and Censorship: Gundam Ace Magazine's Mishandling of The Witch from Mercury Finale". Medium. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  20. "月刊ガンダムエース2023年9月号掲載『機動戦士ガンダム 水星の魔女』インタビュー記事についてのお詫び". Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  21. "月刊ガンダムエース2023年9月号掲載のインタビュー記事についてのお詫び". g-witch.net. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
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