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Iconic gay magazine has revolving door installed in financial closet
By Ryann Connell (Mainitsi daily news, 20/4/2007)
Japan's gay community is getting used to comebacks, according to Shukan Asahi (4/27).
"Barazoku," a gay icon since it became the first magazine for the homosexual community, is back on bookstore shelves again -- the third time it has been resurrected since going into hiatus in September 2004 following 33 straight years of publication for the non-straight.
Brief returns were made in April 2005 and again in August last year, but the same problem of lack of advertising revenue drove it back into the dark hole once again. This time, its publishers are aiming to keep it running for good.
"People keep calling us and begging us to bring it back," "Barazoku" publisher, 75-year-old (and straight) Bungaku Ito, tells Shukan Asahi. "There are loads of old gays in the country who wouldn't have a clue how to use the Internet. Many of them say 'Barazoku' used to give them hope. Those sorts of people prompted us to put it out again."
"Barazoku" owes its beginnings to the small publishing company Ito originally ran and used to start printing erotica to try and make some extra money.
"I used to hear from lots of people saying they would read the erotica and jerk off while having homosexual fantasies about it," Ito says. "I decided to publish two gay-themed books and loads of people came to buy them. It just grew from there and we started dealing with the worries of the homosexual community and printing stories of their hardships."
"Barazoku" has had its moments of controversy through the years, with one incident in particular standing out in Ito's mind.
"There was a schoolboy in Miyazaki Prefecture in 1983 who was caught shoplifting a copy of 'Barazoku.' His parents found out and were preparing to lecture him when he asked to be excused to use the bathroom. He then went off and committed suicide. After we ran a story about it, we got all sorts of letters from readers who had also been too embarrassed to buy our magazine and stole it, and others who had worn disguises when they went to pick it up and stuff," Ito says.
Ito says the latest incarnation of the gay men's magazine's main sale point will be a previously unpublished manga by renowned artist Junichi Yamakawa, and that it will continue with its production team of two and team of unpaid writers. He plans to keep the magazine afloat through donations collected at the talk shows he gives and aims to see 500 copies per issue.
"Gays are coming out all through the political world, running for local assemblies and Diet seats," Ito tells Shukan Asahi. "Our next goal is to legalize homosexual marriage."
By Ryann Connell (Mainitsi daily news, 20/4/2007)
Japan's gay community is getting used to comebacks, according to Shukan Asahi (4/27).
"Barazoku," a gay icon since it became the first magazine for the homosexual community, is back on bookstore shelves again -- the third time it has been resurrected since going into hiatus in September 2004 following 33 straight years of publication for the non-straight.
Brief returns were made in April 2005 and again in August last year, but the same problem of lack of advertising revenue drove it back into the dark hole once again. This time, its publishers are aiming to keep it running for good.
"People keep calling us and begging us to bring it back," "Barazoku" publisher, 75-year-old (and straight) Bungaku Ito, tells Shukan Asahi. "There are loads of old gays in the country who wouldn't have a clue how to use the Internet. Many of them say 'Barazoku' used to give them hope. Those sorts of people prompted us to put it out again."
"Barazoku" owes its beginnings to the small publishing company Ito originally ran and used to start printing erotica to try and make some extra money.
"I used to hear from lots of people saying they would read the erotica and jerk off while having homosexual fantasies about it," Ito says. "I decided to publish two gay-themed books and loads of people came to buy them. It just grew from there and we started dealing with the worries of the homosexual community and printing stories of their hardships."
"Barazoku" has had its moments of controversy through the years, with one incident in particular standing out in Ito's mind.
"There was a schoolboy in Miyazaki Prefecture in 1983 who was caught shoplifting a copy of 'Barazoku.' His parents found out and were preparing to lecture him when he asked to be excused to use the bathroom. He then went off and committed suicide. After we ran a story about it, we got all sorts of letters from readers who had also been too embarrassed to buy our magazine and stole it, and others who had worn disguises when they went to pick it up and stuff," Ito says.
Ito says the latest incarnation of the gay men's magazine's main sale point will be a previously unpublished manga by renowned artist Junichi Yamakawa, and that it will continue with its production team of two and team of unpaid writers. He plans to keep the magazine afloat through donations collected at the talk shows he gives and aims to see 500 copies per issue.
"Gays are coming out all through the political world, running for local assemblies and Diet seats," Ito tells Shukan Asahi. "Our next goal is to legalize homosexual marriage."
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