Video Boy

670 Yen, approx. 180 pages, sold 27th of 2nd previous month
First issued in 1984, this is probably the most popular AV mag in Japan. The photography is first class,and features 8 to 10 of the cutest of the AV idols, many of whom appeared first as nude models in the sister publication, Bejean. Unfortunately, it also shares with Bejean the annoying practice of blurring a big chunk of the nether regions, instead of using discretely applied black ink, to hide the crinkly bits and conform with the archaic Japanese censor's requirements. Each issue also has an idol in lingerie, a pullout calendar for that month, and quite a few pages of brief video reviews.

Bejean

600 Yen, approx. 150 pages, sold 14th of previous month
Bejean debuted in late 1994 and had previously been around for years as "Beppin". The name change occurred not long after the relaxation of Japanese censorship laws (or at least the enforcement of them) which finally allowed the showing of pubic hair in magazines, so I suspect the idea was to herald a new image. Judging by its popularity (nearly every convenience store in Japan sells it) it is probably the best selling men's magazine. Features between 8 and 10 nude spreads (most 18-20 yrs old, usually half of those being debut appearances), 1 or 2 bikini spreads, and a close to life size pull-out poster. Many if not most of the models end up in the AV game, it's always fun guessing which will and which won't. Unlike Urecco (it's main competitor, I guess) most photography is outdoor. A few pages are devoted to new AV release reviews, with small screenshots and such useful statistics as how many times ejaculation occurred and where it landed. Like Video Boy though the censorship is vigilant(pink is never shown, pixellated or otherwise), leading me to believe the publishers (Eichi) are connected with the mainstream AV companies.
Avoid the Hong Kong version if possible, as it has some of the pictorials in B&W, and colors that don't seem as good as the Japanese version.

Urecco

670 Yen, approx. 150 pages, sold 6th of previous month
Features between 8 and 10 nude  spreads (usually half of those being "Fresh Nudes", ie debuts), most being AV stars, and a few bikini spreads. A few pages are devoted to new AV release reviews, with tiny screenshots. Most photography is indoor, and all is of high quality. In my opinion it tries to be a bit more "arty" than other magazines of the genre, although some photos have that annoying overexposed "washed out" look. The mangled English comments at the start of each spread are pretty entertaining, though. 

Apple Tsushin

720 yen, approx. 150 pages, sold 8th of previous month
Apple has been around since the 1980's, and features 4 or 5 spreads of the more popular AV idols each issue. These spreads are notable for occasionally showing a little more detail than they're allowed to. As well as a dozen or so one and two page reviews of new videos, it has 4 or 5 "Making the Hard Core Live Reports" , notable for clean location action and "behind the scenes" photos (as opposed to those terrible grainy screen shots). Each issue also has a 4 or 5 page special report on one of the more popular idols, and a 10 page spread of a usually unknown model in "Women's Anatomy Laboratory", which usually pushes the limit of censorship restrictions. A few pages are devoted to reviews of the latest Urabon books, which occasionally feature an ex-AV idol.  Changed to a larger size in 2000 making it good value for money.

The Video World

700 yen, approx. 150 pages
Concentrates mainly on reviews of "underground" uncensored
videos of mainly unknown actresses (the screen shots are very low-res, and censored of course), this mag is only notable for 3 spreads each issue of popular AV idols which show as much as they can legally get away with, occasionally more - in fact in one issue they completely forgot to ink out the delicates of Miyu Natsuki!

 

Sakuranbo
 

800 yen, approx. 150 pages
Very similar in content to Orange Tsushin reviewed below, with the addition of 2 or 3 spreads featuring messy content. I haven't seen this on sale for a while, it may have been discontinued.

Vide-Oh

750 yen, approx. 160 pages, sold 1st of previous month
Features 3 or 4 nude spreads of popular AV idols, and like Apple and Orange Tsushin magazines, five "Live Documents" which have on-location action and behind-the-scenes photos. Also has a pullout poster, while pretty much the rest of the mag is taken up with 1 page video reviews, which each contain a dozen or more of those thumbnail screen shots with the terrible cheesy color and detail.

 

Orange Tsushin

 

720 yen, approx. 150 pages, sold 1st of previous month
Like Apple Tsushin, has 5 or so "Live Reports", with clean location and behind the scenes photos. Only a few spreads by idols, which rarely show more detail than allowed. A quarter to one third of this mag is adverts and black and white articles and reviews. Good coverage of the latest "Indies" (independent) videos, "Ura" (underground) books and videos, and  the increasingly popular "see-thru mosaic" style of video.



 

Gals Tsushin

680 yen, approx. 100 pages, sold 1st of previous month
Half of this mag features 2 or 3 nude spreads of popular AV idols,  and 8 or so full page photos of idols with small screen shots from their video. The other half is taken up with "clean" location photos (i.e. not the small grainy screen shot type) from the lesser known "Indies" AV companies' videos. These "Indies" (independent) companies often use publicity shy  or "NG" actresses, who for one reason or another, stipulate that they are not to be identified in magazines or video covers. (usually achieved by blanking the eyes in the photo)

Best Video

 

650 yen, approx. 180 pages, sold 1st of previous month
Features 4 or so nude spreads by popular AV idols, but basically a video review mag. Heaps of reviews that each have one nice posed photo of the actress, together with a dozen or so smaller snaps from the video. Some are decent location photos, but most are those small pictures that look like someone took a photo of the TV screen. Plenty of content, but let down by mediocre color printing quality.

 

Video Information
 

780 yen, approx. 170 pages.
Almost identical layout to Best Video reviewed above, although the page size is about 20% bigger. Includes pull-out poster of the month's featured actress .