Zasshi Database — Pre-Publication Manga Magazines
A zasshi is the weekly or monthly Japanese manga magazine where new chapters first appear, weeks or months before they're collected into a tankōbon volume. Our database catalogs the specific issues that contain landmark first appearances — Chapter 1 of One Piece in Weekly Shōnen Jump 1997 #34, the debut of Naruto in WSJ 1999 #43, the first Berserk serialization in Young Animal, and more. Each entry shows the magazine, year, issue number, and the notable event inside.
All 13 issues
| Magazine | Year | Issue | Notable First Appearance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly Shōnen Sunday | 2020 | 22-23 | Frieren: Beyond Journey's End · 1st appearance |
| Weekly Shonen Jump | 2019 | 1 | Chainsaw Man · 1st appearance |
| Weekly Shonen Jump | 2018 | 14 | Jujutsu Kaisen · 1st appearance |
| Weekly Shonen Jump | 2016 | 11 | Demon Slayer · 1st appearance |
| Weekly Shonen Jump | 2014 | 32 | My Hero Academia · 1st appearance |
| Bessatsu Shonen Magazine | 2009 | 10 | Attack on Titan · 1st appearance |
| Weekly Shonen Jump | 2003 | 36 | Death Note · 1st appearance |
| Weekly Shonen Jump | 2001 | 36-37 | Bleach · 1st appearance |
| Weekly Shonen Jump | 1999 | 43 | Naruto · 1st appearance |
| Weekly Shonen Jump | 1998 | 14 | Hunter x Hunter · 1st appearance |
| Weekly Shonen Jump | 1997 | 34 | One Piece · 1st appearance |
| Weekly Shonen Jump | 1990 | 42 | Slam Dunk · 1st appearance |
| Weekly Shonen Jump | 1984 | 51 | Dragon Ball · 1st appearance |
Frequently asked questions
What is a zasshi?
A zasshi (雑誌) is a Japanese serialized manga magazine — periodicals like Weekly Shōnen Jump, Weekly Shōnen Magazine, and Weekly Shōnen Sunday. New chapters debut in zasshi weeks or months before they're republished in collected tankōbon volumes. Most zasshi were printed on disposable newsprint and read once, which makes surviving copies of historic issues exceptionally rare.
How do I find the issue containing a specific manga's first appearance?
Use the search box above to filter by series name, character, or magazine. Every entry in this database is tagged with its primary event — for example, One Piece Chapter 1 first appeared in Weekly Shōnen Jump 1997 #34, and Naruto debuted in WSJ 1999 #43.
What's the difference between a zasshi and a tankōbon?
A zasshi is the original magazine that runs serialized chapters as they're written. A tankōbon is the bound paperback volume released months later, collecting roughly 9–11 chapters and often including author commentary or bonus art. Zasshi are the first appearance; tankōbon are the collected first edition. We have a full guide on the differences.
Are zasshi first appearances graded?
Yes. BGS (Beckett), the only grader actively slabbing manga, grades zasshi just like comic books on the standard 1.0-10.0 scale. Because zasshi were never meant to survive past their cover date, even mid-grade slabbed copies of historic issues are scarce and command strong prices. Browse our graded manga collection for current listings.
Looking for collected volumes instead? Browse the Tankōbon Database →