A New Week and A New Series! (Source Viz Media)
So going into this week's JUMP-IN!, I’ll admit I was a little concerned. With Magu-chan wrapped up and no new chapter of Jujutsu Kaisen this week, I found myself wondering what the series in Jump would bring me to fill the void. Both series were a major focus of comedy and action last week. What I found was some of the strongest work some of these series have brought forward so far.
For starters, we have great outings from both Ayashimon and Doron Dororon this week, as these newer series are breaking out in the world of spirit hunting action. I talked about my love for the former last week, but the latter also had a really impressive showing that was followed up by new wrinkles in its story and incredible artwork.
I found this week incredibly challenging to rank series, primarily because each chapter proved to be so strong, so I had to really nitpick to set the final results. Last week’s high rankers Dr. STONE and MASHLE continued their momentum, albeit in ways that left them out of my top five. For Dr. STONE, it was a flashback of events past from Why-Man’s perspective, which is interesting, but it didn’t progress the main conflict forward aside from choice words from Gen. As for MASHLE, the reveal of Mash’s true power was exciting and his use of it was creative, but the focus on a comedic comeback to Dominia’s seemingly invincible water magic left me wanting for a more impactful solution.
Even this week's weaker entries were still entertaining in their own right, Protect Me, Shugomaru! in particular. That series' latest chapter focused on resolving last week's battle, only to feature a cameo from Magu-chan and his fellow gods from Magu-chan God of Destruction. The chapter ended up being a loving tribute to Kei Kamiki’s recently departed series, which definitely earned it brownie points from me. It almost acted as a double-edged sword, however, as it also highlighted the fact that Shugomaru’s cast and comedy are not strong enough to carry a chapter on their own.
Still, this week was incredibly tough to gauge, especially with a new series releasing this week…
(NEW SERIES!) Akane-banashi Brings Classic Japanese Storytelling to Life (Akane-Banashi Ch.1)
Story by Yuki Suenaga, Art by Takamasa Moue (Source Viz Media)
Coming to us first this week is that new series, Akane-banashi. This opening chapter brings the reader into the world of rakugo, a form of sitdown comedic storytelling with 1200 years of history behind its tradition. The focus of the chapter being Shinta Arakawa, a struggling rakugo artist looking to reach the rank of Shin’uchi, and become a headlining act to provide for his family and keep the respect of his daughter Akane.
If this sounds familiar, the art form was also the focus of Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju, a manga and anime series that received critical acclaim at the time of their respective releases and a personal favorite of mine.
What makes Akane-banashi stand out so far from that series, and any other series in Jump at the moment, is its presentation of rakugo. The art form calls for the storyteller to act as all of the different parts within each story, and in this series Moue tackles that concept by using contrasting art styles to portray that. We of course see Shinta in what is the standard, and well designed, character designs and backgrounds as he sits acting out the stories. What makes it striking though is how Moue also portrays the characters within those story with thick brush-like outlines and surrounding Shinta, which are saved for larger spreads. It makes this sedentary performance come alive in a dynamic way fitting a magazine like Jump.
If I have to be critical of anything, however, it might be the fact the chapter focuses too much on another character’s story. The series is called Akane-banashi (Akane’s Story) after all, and the end of the chapter highlights the fact that this is supposed to be the case. With so much time devoted to Shinta, we only get glimpses into Akane’s perspective and the chapter is almost like a prologue to what will be the true beginning of the story. Those moments are effective, but they are also supposed to act as Akane’s motivation to seemingly get into rakugo, and that perspective is lost on telling it from her father’s perspective.
I don’t outright knock Suenaga wanting to get the major emotional beat done from the outset, as it can get a strong reaction for a new series. The problem stems from the fact that, now that we have already seen this core moment from the start, any weight this moment could have had in the story going forward as a reveal is lost. Akane won’t have as big of an emotional reveal of her reasons to join rakugo, unless Suenaga chooses to take the narrative in a darker direction.
Despite my criticism, I do really like what I am seeing here in this series. We haven’t really had a manga in Jump focus on performance art since the now controversial Act Age, so this could bring a fresh new take on the concept while standing on its own. For now though, since it's only the first chapter, I will be leaving Akane-banashi unranked this week as we move into the top 5 proper.
My Hero Academia Brings Betrayals Aplenty
(My Hero Academia Ch. 343)
Story and Art By Kohei Horikoshi (Source Viz Media)
When I left off last week with MHA I called the chapter the “calm before the storm” with it’s setup. The thing is I wasn’t expecting Horikoshi to come right out the gate with a freaking hurricane. We are set up with the idea that Aoyama's family is still working for All For One, leading to a trap set by the villain on an unexpecting Midoriya. Then we get a great character moment for Aoyama, as it's revealed to be a double-double cross, as the young heroes gear up for the final confrontation with both sides' heaviest hitters coming through portals.
Granted, I already had a feeling that Aoyama wasn’t going to betray the heroes a second time given all of the material leading up to this moment. I just found myself lost in the moments of hype this chapter brought with the spectacular artwork. Horikoshi is a master at creating emotional and impactful full and double page spreads that take the story to this whole other level. Even smaller panels of Aoyama’s tired and defeated looking eyes or Midoriya’s terror at the sight of the new and improved All For One are incredible for bringing emotion.
Then there were the more negative parts of Horikoshi’s work that made it weaker as a whole. In this case, it was his layouts of certain pages being filled with an overabundance of text, and in one page an insane amount of smaller panels. It makes reading the chapter feel overly cluttered, and given the fact it was all for a speech by Aoyama that proved to be a fakeout makes it a little frustrating in retrospect.
There are still some strong creative choices, but I think the chapter would have been stronger if it focused more on building towards next week's matchups. I still left hyped up for next week though, and I can’t wait for the sparks to fly.
PPPPPP Presents Lucky a Revolution and Newfound Resolution (PPPPPP Ch. 20)
Story and Art by Mapollo 3 (Source: Viz Media)
Now this might seem like a bit of a shocker considering the fact that PPPPPP was near the bottom of the list last time. While I found last week’s setup for the competition to only be standard, this chapter was anything but that, showing off the strongest aspects of Mapollo 3’s piano centric tale. As Lucky’s friend Aku Furusu prepares for the preliminary performances, she is confronted by Mimin Otogami about the songs she has decided to play.
Up until this point Furusu has been presented as outright hating all of the Otogami, with the exception being Lucky, and now has a chance to defeat one of her hated enemies. This chance of revenge falls flat as Mimin steals one of Furusu’s songs and creates a hauntingly beautiful and distorted image of the music to the audience.
The twisted trees surrounding a palace, defeated soldiers, and a spiteful queen is one of the most vivid images that Mapollo 3 has created for the series to date. They already have an incredibly unique artstyle compared to the other series in Jump, but this might be one of their most realized works yet. It’s the kind of artwork that really carries the story of the chapter and helps accentuate Furusu’s despair and Mimin’s dangerous talent in a beautifully tragic way.
That helps especially considering the fact that since we are still so early on in the series, that Furusu’s character hasn’t been fleshed out that much. The focus has been primarily on Lucky’s struggle to become a pianist with opposition from his siblings and father, which it should be, but the supporting cast has kind of suffered because of it. We did get some insight on Furusu’s hatred for the Otogami and how it ties into her mother, as well as hints of her lack of passion for the piano, but those were only smaller details.
The emotion definitely carried through for me, but I feel like the reason it worked so much was primarily because of Lucky’s resolve to stop Mimin hurting others with her aggressive and destructive style of performance. As for next week, I can’t wait to see what Mapollo 3 brings to the art department and what Lucky will bring as he heads to an eventual battle with his sister.
Sakamoto Days’ Assassin’s Exam Sets the Stage For Spectacular Action (Sakamoto Days Ch. 58)
Story and Art by Yuto Suzuki (Source Viz Media)
We go from emotional artwork to visceral action in this week's Sakamoto Days. I briefly talked about how this series has already become an action staple in the magazine last week and I can say with certainty this week did not disappoint. The story of retired assassin Tarou Sakamoto trying to live a normal life while confronted by the world’s most violent killers has been a treat to the senses since chapter one. Now we find him and partner Shin taking the JCC Assassins exam to infiltrate the organization for files on their enemy Uzuki, with the first test already started.
I already loved the concept of the test of fighting for bullets off of exam administrators, but then Yuto Suzuki throws in the curveball of an airplane filled with weapons and a temporary license to kill. It was already a really cool setup, and Sakamoto’s seamless action at the chapter’s start makes for a strong introduction. The highlight of the chapter, however, is Shin’s fight with Mafuyu Seba, a neatfreak who has hidden katanas in his sneakers. If that doesn’t already get you excited, along with some awesome moments with Shin’s psychic powers, I don’t know what will. I can honestly say that this chapter is about as strong as any in the series to date.
The real question some might be asking then is why Sakamoto Days is in the middle of the pack?
I feel that this comes down to a couple of key details. While I like the setting of the first exam, it also has the issue of keeping the scale of the action a little limited. The arc prior had some absolutely insane set pieces, including buildings getting cut in half and the warping of Tokyo Tower, so that is hard to compete with.
The other real reason comes down to the fact that the other two series at the top just had more emotionally impactful chapters for me. I love Sakamoto for its action, but in the end a chapter that can make me feel more than just hype tends to win out most of the time. If it weren’t for that, this chapter might have taken my top spot this week, and if the action keeps up like I think it will then it probably will the next.
Mission: Yozakura Family Stealthily Sets-Up For A Major Clash
(Mission: Yozakura Family Ch. 117)
Story and Art by Hitsuji Gondaira (Source: Viz Media)
Every time I read a new chapter of Mission: Yozakura Family, I always find myself enjoying what I read. Hitsuji Gondaira’s story of the titular spy family has found incredible success in the pages of Weekly Shonen Jump, which has been amazing to see considering how it started out. From beginning as a mediocre comedy to evolving into a compelling shonen battle series about finding love and family has been one of the most enjoyable experiences I’ve had reading manga on a weekly basis.
The best aspects of the series are all highlighted in this week's chapter, as eldest brother Kyoichiro seemingly runs away from home, a typical quirk that the other core family members aside from Taiyo are used to. This chapter actually starts out a lot like the most recent ones to release, as the various sibling’s personalities are put on display for some lighthearted gags as they finally unwind without the hassle that is Kyoichiro.
The comedy has only continued to improve as Gondaira has been able to build on the relationship amongst the family as well as the relationship between Taiyo and Mutsumi. The characters are so well realized that I find myself enjoying this relaxed vibe even more than the more action pack moments. Just as it seems like things are maintaining the current status quo, however, the chapter does ramp up with the reveal that Kyoichiro has seemingly left to confront the children’s father, Momo Yozakura, in what should be a spectacular fight.
This is what I particularly love the most about Yozakura Family. The series finds a way to surprise in a multitude of different ways, all while having some great characters, spectacular fights and strong artwork that makes it such a fun read. From the great expression work in comedic and dramatic moments, to awesome action and attack layouts during said fights, I always find myself impressed with how much joy each chapter brings. It is easily one of the most consistent manga in Jump right now, which is reflected by its success in sales in Japan and its longevity as the fifth longest running manga in the magazine.
With that fateful battle between father and son close at hand, I can only wait with insane anticipation for next week’s chapter to pop up in my feed.
Undead Unluck Moves Into Its Next, and Possibly Final, Stage (Undead Unluck Ch. 98)
Story and Art by Yoshifumi Tozuka (Source Viz Media)
Here we are again at the top of the list, and we find ourselves with surprisingly another somber chapter. I promise this isn’t meant to be a pattern for future JUMP-IN’s, but I would be lying if I said this chapter hit me harder than any other chapter this week. Like Sakamoto Day’s before it, Yoshifumi Tozuka’s Undead Unluck has been a series that I have loved since day one. The story of Undead Andy’s and the unlucky Fuuko’s journey to literally kill God alongside their allies in The Union to save the world has been a blast to read from week to week.
Sadly, that chapter of the lives of our heroes seemingly ends as Andy leaves their friends behind to clash with the new enemy UnRuin, a being with the same immortality as him. From playful teasing of Isshin and Chikara to confess to their crushes, to a genuine sign of appreciation to Shen for recommending he and Fuuko to The Union, we see a side of Andy we haven’t really seen in the manga so far.
It makes it all the more concerning as we see imagery and themes from throughout the series show up here, as we may very well be reaching the finale of the series soon. I hope I am wrong, but considering the setup of the chapter and thel ending lines are reminiscent of previous penultimate chapters I’ve read in Jump, I would be lying if I didn’t think this is the end.
I want to save my comments on the series as a whole until we actually get that ending, but know that if you haven’t read the series so far, know that I recommend it wholeheartedly. I want to see Fuuko and Andy’s wild ride end with a spectacular finish as they both dream to share together. Until then, and like this week and every week before then, I will wait with excitement to see what the duo of Undead and Unluck have waiting in store for me.
That can be said for every series I’ve read today as well. With such strong outings from all the manga I’ve read, it only reassures me that reading and sharing my thoughts on Jump are the highlights of my week.
I appreciate anyone who has read this considering the delay compared to the inaugural first post. I will be dealing with a similar conflict of schedule with my other job, but I will still be here reviewing the best that Jump has to offer. Until next time friends, here are my rankings for this week!
| 6. MASHLE: Magic and Muscles (Ch. 96) | 11. The Elusive Samurai (Ch. 50) |
2. Mission: Yozakura Family (Ch. 117) | 7. Doron Dororon (Ch. 10) | 12. Witch Watch (Ch. 49) |
3. Sakomoto Days (Ch. 58) | 8. Ayashimon (Ch. 12) | 13. Protect Me, Shugomaru! (Ch. 11) |
4. PPPPPP (Ch. 20) | 9. Blue Box (Ch. 40) | Unranked: Akane-banashi (Ch. 1) |
5. My Hero Academia (Ch. 343) | 10. Dr. STONE (Ch. 229) | Unranked: Jujutsu Kaisen (No Chapter) |