Shonen Sunday 1000, 1985

Sidebar and Cover	Title Spread First Story Page
Shonen Sunday 1000 Published August 25, 1985 [8/25/85] Original Price: 700¥
The first Mermaid story was published in Shonen Sunday 1000 in 1985. This volume was filled with short stories by various authors, but the main feature was "A Mermaid Never Smiles" which was a one-shot Rumik World story by the illustrious Rumiko Takahashi. The story was long, almost 60 pages, and featured Cover Art [above], a Color Sidebar for the story [above], a two-page color title spread [left], and a color first page. Extremely impressive showing for a short story... but of course, it is a short story by Rumiko Takahashi. :) I was lucky to pick a copy of Shonen Sunday 1000 up at Fanime Con '98 in California, for only $0.50. As you can imagine, I was very happy to get it. :) Especially for so cheap! The "Mermaid Story" caught on, and Takahashi went on to create several other short stories in the universe, turning it into one of her pet projects.
Japanese Printings and Adaptations: - This first story has been reprinted in Japanese in the first Mermaid Compilation book, Mermaid Forest . Takahashi added in several other color pages to the stories in this tankubon (volume). Kondansha. ISBN4-09-121854-7, 1,200¥ - A movie was made, Mermaid Forest, which includes some of the information from the first story. USA Printings and Adaptations: - Viz Communications published "A Mermaid Never Smiles" in Animerica's first "Volume" in 1992. There were four issues total: # Vol. 1, No. 1 \| # Vol. 1, No. 2 \| # Vol. 1, No. 3 \| # Vol. 1, No. 4 There are no color pictures. - Viz Communications also published a compliation book entitled Mermaid Forest which the complete first story "A Mermaid Never Smiles". There are no color pictures. - Mermaid Forest was released subtitled by U.S. Manga Corps (Central Park Media). It should cost about $14.95.