Manga artist Takashi Okazaki started drawing African-American characters on Kleenex boxes when he was younger, inspired by his fondness of hip hop music and culture.

[1] The magazine debuted in November 1998 with a preparatory "issue 0", featuring Afro Samurai on the cover.

Dai Okazaki (now going by the name "Smelly") was asked to be on the Japanese show Takashi no Dare Demo Picasso (たけしの誰でもピカソ), which made him famous in the later years.

[5] By issue four, in October 1999, puppet animator Kaori Kuniyasu joined the magazine and for the first time began making a manga.

[9] The magazine ran many manga series as well an additional "Nou Hau Talk" section, featuring interviews with other Japanese artists.