Super Doctor K

Japanese manga series

Super Doctor K
First tankōbon volume cover
GenreMedical drama[1]
Manga
Written byKazuo Mafune [ja]
Published byKodansha
ImprintShōnen Magazine Comics
MagazineWeekly Shōnen Magazine
DemographicShōnen
Original runApril 6, 1988 – October 21, 1998
Volumes54
Series titles
  1. Super Doctor K (1988–1996; 44 volumes)
  2. Doctor K (1996–1998; 10 volumes)
Manga
K2
Written byKazuo Mafune
Published byKodansha
ImprintEvening KC
Magazine(2004–2023)
  • Comic Days [ja] (2023–present)
    • DemographicSeinen
    Original runMay 11, 2004 – present
    Volumes46

    Super Doctor K (Japanese: スーパードクターK, Hepburn: Sūpā Dokutā K) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kazuo Mafune [ja]. It was serialized in Kodansha's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Magazine from April 1988 to October 1996, with its chapters collected in 44 tankōbon volumes. A second series, Doctor K, was serialized in the same magazine from October 1996 to October 1998, with its chapters collected in ten tankōbon volumes. A third series, K2, was serialized in Kodansha's seinen manga magazine Evening from May 2004 until February 2023, when the magazine ceased its publication, and moved to the Comic Days [ja] online platform in March of that same year. Its chapters have been collected in 46 tankōbon volumes as of December 2023.

    By September 2021, the overall manga franchise had over 15 million copies in circulation.

    Publication

    Written and illustrated by Kazuo Mafune [ja], with medical supervision from Tohoru Nakahara,[2] Super Doctor K was serialized in Kodansha's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Magazine from April 6, 1988,[3] to October 2, 1996.[4] Kodansha collected its chapters in 44 tankōbon volumes, released from August 17, 1988,[5] to December 13, 1996.[6]

    A sequel, titled Doctor K (rendered in Latin-script), was serialized in the same magazine from October 9, 1996,[7] to October 21, 1998.[8] Its chapters were collected in ten tankōbon volumes, released from April 17, 1997,[9] to November 17, 1998.[10]

    Another manga series, titled K2 [ja], started in Kodansha's seinen manga magazine Evening on May 11, 2004.[a] Evening ceased publication on February 28, 2023,[14] and the series moved to Kodansha's Comic Days [ja] online platform on March 26 of the same year.[15] Kodansha released the first tankōbon volume on November 22, 2004.[16] As of December 21, 2023, 46 volumes have been released;[17] with the release of the 46th volume of K2, the overall series reached 100 volumes.[18]

    Reception

    By September 2021, the overall manga franchise had over 15 million copies in circulation.[19]

    Notes

    1. ^ The series started in the 11th issue of 2004 (cover date May 25);[11][12] the bi-weekly magazine was published two weeks before the cover date (e.g. the 10th issue of that year, with cover date May 11, was released on April 27).[13]

    References

    1. ^ "Kazuo Mafune". Lambiek. Archived from the original on November 26, 2022. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
    2. ^ スーパードクターK. Mangapedia [ja] (in Japanese). Voyage Group. Archived from the original on March 28, 2023. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
    3. ^ 週刊少年マガジン 1988年17号. Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Archived from the original on September 18, 2023. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
    4. ^ 週刊少年マガジン 1996年42号. Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Archived from the original on September 18, 2023. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
    5. ^ スーパードクターＫ（１） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on August 17, 2004. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
    6. ^ スーパードクターＫ（４４） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on November 10, 2003. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
    7. ^ 週刊少年マガジン 1996年43号. Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Archived from the original on September 18, 2023. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
    8. ^ 週刊少年マガジン 1998年45号. Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Archived from the original on September 18, 2023. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
    9. ^ "Ｄｏｃｔｏｒ　Ｋ（１）" (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on November 19, 2003. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
    10. ^ "Ｄｏｃｔｏｒ　Ｋ（１０）" (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on November 19, 2003. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
    11. ^ Ｋ２（１） (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on June 4, 2022. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
    12. ^ イブニング 2004年11号. Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Archived from the original on September 18, 2023. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
    13. ^ イブニング - 進行表 2003年12月9日号～2004年5月11日号. AD Station (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on February 2, 2004. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
    14. ^ イブニングが23年間の歴史に幕、最終号に「アザゼルさん。」「ギャングキング」読み切り. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. February 28, 2023. Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
    15. ^ 【445話無料】漫画『K2』コミックDAYSの移籍新連載が本日（3/26）スタート。新たな“K”の物語を描く『スーパードクターK』シリーズの続編. Famitsu (in Japanese). March 26, 2023. Archived from the original on April 1, 2023. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
    16. ^ "Ｋ２（１）" (in Japanese). Kodansha. Archived from the original on December 25, 2004. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
    17. ^ 【12月21日付】本日発売の単行本リスト. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. July 21, 2023. Archived from the original on December 26, 2023. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
    18. ^ 「K2」最新刊でシリーズ通算100巻に到達、真船一雄のサイン会＆トークショーが2月に. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. December 21, 2023. Archived from the original on December 27, 2023. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
    19. ^ Evening [@eveningmagazine] (September 13, 2021). シリーズ累計1500万部突破！ 医療漫画の金字塔「スーパードクターＫ」から「Ｋ２」へ――。 (Tweet). Archived from the original on September 18, 2023. Retrieved September 18, 2023 – via Twitter.

    Further reading

    • 9月28日は「世界狂犬病デー」 『スーパードクターK』を読もう！ 【きょうのマンガ】. Kono Manga ga Sugoi! Web (in Japanese). Takarajimasha. September 28, 2017.
    • 『きりひと賛歌』『スーパードクターK』『動物のお医者さん』……医療マンガ50年の歴史を考察. Real Sound [ja] (in Japanese). Blueprint Co., Ltd. June 3, 2021.

    External links

    • K2 official website at Comic Days (in Japanese)
    • Super Doctor K (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
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