
An e-mail today from a concerned subscriber to Viz Media’s Shojo Beat magazine alerted me that there may be a looming cancellation in the future for Viz’s shojo compilation magazine. (Thanks again for the heads up, Mary.)
Currently Viz is no longer taking subscriptions for Shojo Beat through their website and their telephone subscription service is letting consumers know that this is in fact true, and that readers should keep their eye on the website for updates in the near future.
Over on the AnimeNewsNetwork forum, word has already hit some worried readers, prompting the post of this periodical website, Alini Magazine Services, which states that “Shojo Beat is ceasing publication with the July 2009 issue–subscribers will receive Shonen Jump.”
As in fairly common in magazine shutdowns, it looks like Viz is opting to offer Shojo Beat subscribers copies of Shonen Jump in its place. As nothing has been officially announced yet, it remains to be seen if this will a definite solution or an option between that and refunds should Shojo Beat be infact coming to its final days. With such a varying difference in subject matter between the two magazines, I find the idea of giving Shojo Beat readers Shonen Jump to be a bit of a stretch.
Looking into it a little further, I also saw that several online retail sites list Shojo Beat’s August release as the last one while Shonen Jump continues on for several more issues in pre-order status.
No official word from Viz Media on this yet, but now with word spreading and company representatives no longer accepting new or renewed subscriptions, expect to hear something concrete in the near future.