Japanese fashion magazine Popteen ends physical version, switches to web installments instead

Issues won’t be released monthly either, according to official announcement.

From hotel check-in to unmanned convenience stores, more establishments in Japan seem to be switching to a web-based system these days, and that includes magazines. Japanese fashion magazine Popteen ended its physical publishing as of February 1, 2023, with the February 2023 edition (released on December 28, 2022) being its last. The magazine will continue on, though!

▼ The full announcement and explanation are also in YouTube form (Japanese only).

Instead, web-based articles will be released on the first and the 15th of every month, known as “Popteen media”, and full editions of the fashion magazine will be updated a few times annually.

The main reason for switching to the web edition was to make the magazine more accessible to middle and high-school students, who may not receive an allowance or be able to work part-time to afford physical copies of Popteen, the announcement explains.

▼ Switching to web-only also cuts down on the rising paper costs that would have made the magazine even more expensive, they explain.

Popteen was first published in 1980, and it’s been known for its ultra-feminine and often gyaru-style fashion marketed towards teenagers. Many models featured in the magazines were familiar faces to Popteen fans as they’ve started and built their careers with the magazine; thankfully, they will still be involved in Popteen.

Netizens reacted to the news with a mixture of grief, nostalgia, and acceptance.

“A god has officially died.”
“Popteen used to be like smut for girls.”
“My sister learned about sex from Popteen.”
“I’ve started noticing more convenience stores without a magazine rack.”
“They should all switch to web-based publishing.”

Popteen is not the only magazine to switch to web-based publishing in recent years. While people are relieved it doesn’t spell the end for Popteen permanently, it seems like many are sad about the disappearance of magazines in general. Indeed, one of the iconic “characters” at Japanese convenience stores is the tachiyomi, or “standing-and-reading” person.

So if you have a paper edition of Popteen, cherish it like a collector’s item! In any case, look forward to much more web-based content from Popteen media that you can browse on your smartphone or computer.

Sources: Fashion Snap via Otaku.com, YouTube/Popteen TV
Insert images: YouTube/Popteen TV
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