When It comes to manga, it’s hard to argue there is a more iconic magazine than Weekly Shonen Jump. Since 1968, it has been the avenue for some of the most iconic manga in the medium, some becoming the biggest media franchises both in Japan and even across the globe. From the likes of Dragon Ball and Naruto, to modern juggernauts like My Hero Academia and Jujutsu Kaisen, Jump has brought about series that have brought a level of excitement and emotion to readers. It has become a weekly ritual for manga readers, myself included.
So I figured, why not try to share these weekly helpings of manga goodness with others, or at least my thoughts about them. So starting this Sunday, I will do just that, as I highlight the 5 best chapters that the magazine has to offer week to week.
Some might wonder why I would only highlight certain series instead of trying to review every individual chapter. The answer simply comes down to scale, as there are honestly too many series to cover in Shonen Jump to do so. In fact, out of the 21 series currently published in the magazine, I only actively read 15. The reason for that being that not every series I have read has grabbed my attention or the time I would need to invest in catching up to the longer series I haven’t read.
While only 5 will get more in depth reviews, that is not to say I will ignore the other outings that these creators are putting out. First, If a new series is to appear in the magazine, I will highlight its release in addition to the five other chapters I will cover. The same will be the case when a series releases it’s final chapter, as I feel that any mangaka that can get their series in Jump deserves to be spotlighted once it has finished its run. Second, I will only be covering series released under the Weekly Shonen Jump magazine imprint by Shueisha. So series like Spy x Family and Kaiju No. 8 won't be featured because they're not actually released in that magazine.
Lastly, in the spirit of the famous (or infamous) readers surveys in the magazine, I will be ranking all 15 series I cover from week to week. This isn’t meant to be a definitive list, but just to share my favorites. Besides, who doesn’t love a good ranking?
With that in mind, here are the series I am currently going to be covering week to week:
Ayashimon | Jujutsu Kaisen | PPPPPP |
Blue Box | Magu-chan: God of Destruction | Protect Me, Shugomaru! |
Doron Dororon | Mashle: Magic and Muscles | Sakamoto Days |
Dr. STONE | Mission: Yozakura Family | Undead Unluck |
The Elusive Samurai | My Hero Academia | Witch Watch |
So amongst these series, there might be some notable exemptions to the list. Obviously these are One Piece and Black Clover, two of Jump's longest running series. These are the series I was referring to earlier when it came to length. While I consider myself a fan of One Piece, I have yet to catch up with the manga, as I'm currently reading through the Fish-Man Island arc. As for Black Clover, I have actually never read the series, so I feel like I can't give the series a proper space in the selection.
There are also some titles I never picked up, despite the fact that they are still relatively early in their runs. For example, I never picked up High School Family: Kokosei Kazoku and Me & Roboco, primarily because they were among the many gag manga series that Shueisha was pumping at the time and I chose the ones that grabbed my attention. Then there are series I fell off of reading, such as Ayakashi Triangle, because I lost interest in the direction their stories were going. Finally, there are the series that do not actively release on a weekly basis, like Burn the Witch or Hunter x Hunter. When Burn the Witch does come back, I may add it to the rankings on a temporary basis, but Hunter x Hunter might not get the same treatment due to it's hiatuses.
My goal for this series is really just share my love for the multiple series that have become weekly ritual for me. As I go on this task, I may find the next big Jump title that becomes a multimedia marvel. Maybe I'll gain insight on how the magazine continues to change, and see what new titles get added to bolster Weekly Shonen Jump's relevancy. At any rate, I can't wait to share any experiences I have with it here. So next Sunday, we will begin this journey in earnest, and I can't wait to see you guys there!
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