Be Love is a Japanese monthly (bimonthly May 1982 – 2018) manga magazine targeting women published by Kodansha. It debuted in September 1980.[3] It is one of the leading manga magazines for adult women,[4][5] the second of its kind (the first being Petit Comic published by Shogakukan),[6] and was instrumental in the rising popularity of josei manga in the 1980s, which led to the creation of other magazines targeted at women such as You and Big Comic for Lady.[4] As of 2003, Be Love, like You and Jour, published stories focusing on "the reality of everyday life" experienced by its readers.[7]
As of 1997, the magazine's readers are mostly working women and housewives, but students made up 8% of readership in that year.
The magazine first appeared as Be in Love but was renamed in 1982.[3] From 1995 to 2000 sales were at around 270,000-280,000 per issue.[8] In 2006 and 2007, Be Love had a circulation of about 200,000 copies.[9] In 2008, it had a circulation of 182,667 copies.[10] In 2009, it had a circulation of 173,125 copies;[11] in 2010, 153,792 copies,[12] and in 2015, 106,834 copies.[13]
As of 1997, the magazine's readers are mostly working women and housewives, but students made up 8% of readership in that year.[14]
^Kinko Ito (2003). "The World of Japanese Ladies' Comics: from Romantic Fantasy to Lustful Perversion". The Journal of Popular Culture. 36 (1): 68–85. doi:10.1111/1540-5931.00031.
^"雑誌発行部数から見えるもの". December 27, 2007. Archived from the original on December 27, 2007. Retrieved September 17, 2016.