Chikyū Bōeiya Kaori-chan served as an official fanzine associated with the hobby shop formerly known as the Earth Defense Shop. Although readily accessible documentation concerning the shop’s history remains limited, available contextual evidence suggests that the imprint was operated by, or involved the participation of, mangaka Kentaro Yano from 1981–1982, which is the period in which this issue was first published.

The shop appears to have maintained connections with Hideo Azuma’s camp and fan community, making the publication a valuable point of reference for examining the intersections of commercial hobby culture, amateur publishing, and character-centered fan production in early 1980s Japan. Hideo Azuma’s work and the fan cultures surrounding it are important to this history, especially as the boundaries between professional manga production, amateur illustration, and emerging character-focused subcultures became increasingly porous.

The issue also uniquely documents a range of interests characteristic of the period’s expanding bishoujo and lolicon subcultures, including illustrations, hobby-shop advertisements, reader correspondence, and other forms of community exchange. These materials are particularly significant when considered against the broader lolicon and bishoujo boom of the late 1970s and early 1980s This publication offers material evidence of how these interests were circulated and sustained through localized networks of readers, artists, retailers, and independent publishers.

Of particular historical interest are advertisements for Gundam-related yaoi and boys’ love (BL) works featuring Garma Zabi. Their inclusion suggests that creators associated with BL-oriented circles were engaging with, or seeking audiences among, members of the broader Gundam and Azuma-related fan communities. Such evidence complicates any interpretation of early 1980s fan culture as a collection of isolated genre-specific enclaves. Instead, it points toward overlapping networks.

This copy is also one form one half of a two-part publication and shares a back cover with GUNBAT MAGAZIN, an imprint focusing on firearms and firearms in manga. Preserving this distinction is important for future research into the imprint’s publishing history, distribution practices, and relationships with neighboring fan communities.

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Original auction page:

https://auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/t1223792708

Additional information:

https://buyee.jp/mercari/item/m79166812880?conversionType=crosssearch
https://jp.mercari.com/item/m79166812880?_gl=1

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Questions? Comments? Inquiries?

You can reach me @retroanimechris on X/Twitter/Bluesky and adoggoart@gmail.com or chrisdelabigne@gmail.com

Any copies you may see for sale in the future on any paysite are not associated with Mad Angler Press in any capacity. We will always upload works for free, no matter how obscure or rare, as our mission is to share information worldwide to the masses. Do not pay to view these scans anywhere as they are not associated with our organization nor do we receive any funding from these erroneous sales.

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Scanning services are available! Simply send your inquiry to any of the contacts above and I will get back to you in 24 hours at best. Discord is @Adoggoart

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