Vongola_Boss_XI wrote: The magazine did not start to loose pages in 2009. They reduced the page count in 2011. This hasn't been an ongoing trend. In 2011 alone they reduced page count from an average of about 370 to about 280 or so on average. There were a few issues in 2010 with over 400 pages. They also reduced the number of issues in 2011. There was no gradual decline for the magazine, they reformatted starting in January 2011 with less series, less pages, no color spreads, and only 10 issues per year. Don't make it into something like a long drawn out decline in quality from back in 2009. It has only been the past year that this has occurred.
My bad I meant 2010, I could have swear that it was back from 2009 though LOL.
Jan. 2009. 376
Feb. 2009. 400
March. 2009. 392
April. 2009. 384
May. 2009. 400
Jun. 2009. 376
Jul. 2009. 400
Aug. 2009. 400
Sep. 2009. 360
Oct. 2009. 392
Nov. 2009. 392
Dec. 2009. 392
Jan. 2010. 408 (Luffy on cover Yay!)
Feb. 2010. 384
Mar. 2010. 392.
Apr. 2010. 328.
May. 2010. 368
Jun. 2010. 336
Jul. 2010. 312
Aug. 2010. 250
Sep. 2010. 296
Oct. 2010. 280
Nov. 2010. 280
Dec. 2010. 280
Jan. 2011. 360
Feb. 2011. 320
Mar. 2011. 300
Apr. 2011. 296
Jun-Jul. 2011. 296
You can definetly see that 2010 lost lots of pages and IMO quality too, and it has been losing quality IMO since far back.. Back when it began it was a lot cooler, it had interesting articles and it wasn't just manga.. I know that it has articles right now too but I miss Manga Explorer :(
Also, its interesting that in 2011 of the 5 issues 4 have had YGO! Cards, I just find it funny how back when the magazine started it was something special.. Heck IIRC in the first year of the magazine only Blue Eyes White Dragon was on the magazine, then more and more cards were on the magazines (From like 8% of the issues to around 20% and now 80%..) Hopefully the cards alone can keep up the buyers because it seems like the YGO! Cards are the only good thing of SJ now a days.
–- Update From New Post Merge ---
@City_Lights.
1.- Rave Master being a Kodansha property was first published by Tokyopop, they lost all licenses of Kodansha and they are defunct too, anyway Kodansha USA will finish Rave Master.
2.- Zatch Bell! in Japan was published by Shogakukan which is one of the two owners of VIZ media (The other is Shueisha, owner of the JUMP imprint) anyway the author didn't really end well with Shogakukan thus he parted ways with them and ended Zatch Bell, that was because they (Shogakukan) had lost art that was property of Zatch Bell's mangaka and other thingys.. He is currently working on Kodansha IIRC and has a serialization and Zatch Bell is being reprinted in a Bunkoban version with new covers..
As for Zatch Bell being finished in the States by Viz.. Its a matter of time and licensing, sadly its doubtful since Viz is owned by both Sueisha and Shogakukan and now Makoto Raiku (Zatch Bell mangaka) works in the competition (Kodansha) though its likely Kodansha USA could print the last couple of volumes, maybe.. IIRC it was a good seller, no?