For all of this year, we’re taking a look at Shogakukan’s Weekly Big Comic Spirits (週刊ビッグコミックスピリッツ) magazine back in 2001. From these issues exactly 25 years ago from their releases helps give a bit of a insight into the creators and the magazine at the time. If you want to see more of these author comments and other articles about the magazine, check out our archive for Weekly Big Comic Spirits on this page.
The cover date on the issues are not the actual release dates for the magazine. As such, we will be posting the articles based on the calendar date when the magazine was actually available for readers to pick up in Japan. In the year 2001, this would typically be published on every Monday.
Every modern issue, the editorial staff would ask a single question to all of the published authors. While the magazine was released weekly, not every series in the magazine was published in each issue. Below is the listing of the manga series as they appear in the issue along with a rough English translation for the question and each response.
Issue Info
Release Date: 3/19/2001
Cover Date: 4/2/2001
Cover Design: Miku Ishida (石田未来)
- Saikano had the opening color pages.
- Yoiko series concluded with this issue.
Question
Now that signs of Spring are almost here… What is the sign for you?
あれを目にするとそろそろ春だなぁ･･･と感じるものは?
| Series | Author | Answer (English) | Answer (Japanese) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saikano 最終兵器彼女 | Shin Takahashi 高橋しん | Ikeda-kun’s thing. | いけだ君のアレ。 |
| Chocolat ショコラ | Eisaku Kubonouchi 窪之内英策 | “The city’s noise drowns out even the spring colors…” by that guy. | 「都会の喧騒は春色もくすませるわね･･･」byアイツ。 |
| 20th Century Boys 20世紀少年 | Naoki Urasawa 浦沢直樹 | When my dog’s hair starts shedding around the house. | ウチの犬の毛が家中に舞いだした時。 |
| The 3 Young Men THE3名様 | Makochin Ishihara 石原まこちん | When the light-night shows get a primetime slot and you’re now alone. | 深夜の番組がゴールデンにいってさみしくなる時。 |
| Oishinbo 美味しんぼ | Story: Tetsu Kariya Art: Akira Hanasaki 雁屋哲+花咲アキラ | Firefly squid. (Hanasaki) | ホタルイカ。(花咲) |
| Sentiment no Kisetsu センチメントの季節 | Nariko Enomoto 榎本ナリコ | Daphne odora. | 沈丁花。 |
| 365ho no RYUTA 365歩の竜太 | Story: Masao Yajima Art: Chihiro Tamaki 作:矢島正雄 画:環ちひろ | Pollen Mask. (Tamaki) | 花粉用のマスク。(環) |
| Gekka no Kishi 月下の棋士 | Junichi Noujou 能條純一 | Cherry blossoms… I guess. | やはり桜･･･かな。 |
| Gallery Fake ギャラリーフェイク | Fujihiko Hosono 細野不二彦 | Plums. | 梅。 |
| Aozora 青空 | Hidenori Hara 原秀則 | When Agnes Tachyon’s name starts headlining sports newspapers. | スポーツ紙の一面にアグネスタキオンの文字が載りはじめた時。 |
| Otana-Bukuro 大人袋 | Isami Nakagawa 中川いさみ | Lake Angel. | レイクエンジェル。 |
| The Two Oigawas Employment Diary ふたりの大井川 就職日誌 | Inosuke Rodriguez ロドリゲス井之介 | Drift Ice (lies). | 流氷(ウソ)。 |
| Kaijuu Jinsei 怪獣人生 | Nobuyuki Hori ほりのぶゆき | Women are wearing lighter clothes in the winter now too. So it doesn’t feel like spring yet. | 最近冬でもオンナ薄着じゃん。もう春だなぁって感動がねぇよ。 |
| Heaven? ~Gokuraku Restaurant~ Heaven? ~ご苦楽レストラン~ | Noriko Sasaki 佐々木倫子 | (Sound of) Rain. | 雨(の音)。 |
| A Capricious Concept 気まぐれコンセプト | Hoichoi Productions ホイチョイ・プロ | Maybe Yoshiwara or Soapland? Incorrect? Shut up! | 吉原だのソープだのとかサ、何?違う? うるせえ! |
| Jimihen じみへん | Tatsuya Nakazaki 中崎タツヤ | March 20th on the calendar. | カレンダーの3月20日。 |
| Thirty Girls サーティーガールズ | Miya Kitazawa & Takeshi Wakasa 北沢未也+若狭たけし | It’s was pollen or something similar. See you soon. (Wakasa) | 花粉がどーのこーのという話題。ではまたそのうち。(若狭) |
| Yoiko よいこ | Yugo Ishikawa 石川優吾 | When the insects start to awake, that is the real announcement every year. | 啓蟄(けいちつ)の意味を毎年説明しているアナウンサー。 |
| Boku 僕 BOKU | Yasuhito Yamamoto 山本康人 | Excited dogs in the park. | ウキウキしている公園の犬たち。 |
| Naoko 奈緒子 | Story: Nobuhiro Sakata Art: Yuu Nakahara 坂田信弘+中原裕 | Veronica persica………Flowers. (Nakahara) | オオイヌノフグリ･･････････････････花です。(中原) |
| Animal Mania アニマルマニア | Kiriko Kubo 玖保キリコ | Maybe it is the Crocus?? Judging by the gardens. | クロッカスかなー?? ひとんちの庭先をみて。 |
