I found Men’s Club just slightly too late. Their last print issue is from November 2024, their 70th anniversary. Back issues of it have been added to my shopping list next time I’m in Japan.
For more information about Men’s Club, visit The Bandanda.jp and read their 13th issue for an excellent summary. (https://www.thebandana.jp/p/issue-13 )
Culture magazines get to decide how to lay out their recommendations every month. Men’s Club places them one next to the other in real space and photographs above. Arrangement is purposeful but playful. You believe these things are real. I’ll take a slightly messy table over a slick mockup any day.
I love these ink-wash-style illustrations of influencers like Ichiro Yamaguchi, Yuto Horigome, Daisuke Genma, and Motofumi “Poggy” Kogi. The descriptions are handwritten to match the beautiful, organized chaos. Yet, the pages retain a clear hierarchy. You know what this is, even if you can’t read Japanese.
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