This week’s JUMP-In is a little later than previous outings, but with my recent trip to Hall of Heroes Comic Con now over I can finally talk about this personally divisive edition of Weekly Shonen Jump. There were some incredible chapters this week coming from our top 5, but there were also some very unfortunate lows that came from series that have had strong showings as of late.
To start off with the weakest chapters, they come from two series that have been either mildly entertaining or some of the best Jump has presented on a weekly basis. The first is Doron Dororon, and while its latest chapter did introduce a potential rival character in Touma Toda, the story didn’t do enough to stand out against other battle series like Ayashimon and Jujutsu Kaisen this week.
That is unfortunately a recurring issue with Gen Oosuka’s shonen battle effort, as it really doesn’t have a strong enough identity to set it apart from the other battlers in the magazine. This is further compounded by the fact that this is the latest demon hunting manga to come out in the wake of Demon Slayer’s manga conclusion and it’s anime’s ever growing success. It's as if Shueisha is trying to capture lightning in a bottle a second time, only for aspiring mangaka being struck in the process.
The biggest negatives shockingly came in the latest chapter of MASHLE. Following the fight between Mash and Dominia, Innocent Zero arrives to reveal that there are even more siblings for Mash to battle against. The newest sibling, Doom, is the personification of anime edge with a giant sword and a design that's a mix between Goku Black and Godot from the Ace Attorney games. There is no build-up to this concept outside of this chapter and it ended up being a jarring addition to a series seemingly meeting a natural conclusion.
Hajime Komoto had announced in volume 7 that the series was halfway through its run. That was back in August of 2021, and it wasn’t until recently that this arc was seemingly set up to be the finale, with the latest announcement in Volume 10 that the series would have a longer run. I would normally be excited for this decision, but I felt that with the scale of this fight and the fact that Mash was about to achieve his end goal that this series was reaching a strong final conclusion.
There could be many factors to this decision, from Komoto finding new inspiration, or maybe the runaway success of the series leading Jump’s editors to push him to keep the series going. Even with those announcements aside, this rushed introduction of new rivals leaves me concerned with the direction of one of Jump’s more recent standouts.
That is a lot of negative to dispense on the legendary magazine, but I only do so because I know that they have presented such great manga through the years, and should meet the standard they themselves created.
That said, I felt the top 5 this week did meet that standard and then some, but first I have to highlight the farewell chapter of one of magazines best…
5. FINAL CHAPTER: Dr. STONE Leaves Fans With Curiosity and a Compelling Finale (Dr. STONE Ch. 232)
It’s almost surreal that I will be talking about Dr. Stone for the last time, even if I just started this series, because of how much of an impact it’s had on my weekly reading. Amongst all the shonen battle manga that make up Jump’s legacy, this series managed to take that formula and totally flip it on its head. The story of a young man essentially the stone age to modern era technology in this winding narrative ended up being more compelling than even the most intense action scenes, and each new scientific breakthrough felt like this amazing achievement that would help build to every arc’s climax.
This chapter manages to keep that spirit alive, as even with the wedding of Taiju and Yuzuriha going on, Senku is still pursuing the next big scientific discovery in the form of an actual time machine. This reveal sets up a lot of different potential scenarios presented by the cast, including a reference to the spin-off Dr. STONE reboot: Byakuya that Boichi wrote, that could lead to new avenues of storytelling. While there isn’t any confirmation yet, this could lead to a series of side chapters similar to the ones released for series like Demon Slayer or The Promised Neverland that could act as a series epilogue.
We could even see this as a potential sequel series with a greater emphasis on the science fiction elements Inagaki and Boichi were exploring with their writing and art respectively. If they were to bring the kind of effort they brought in this series, especially the kind of effort Boichi brought in this final chapter with seven full-color pages, then it could bring about another great series for Shonen Jump and Shueisha.
That does present a difficult question though; with all of this potential, how much impact does this chapter have as the series finale?
Don’t get me wrong, I liked the chapter a lot, but the fact that this could be leading to a larger narrative does make this feel like a definitive conclusion to the massive journey Senku went through. You get some great narrative nuggets, like the aforementioned wedding and an allusion to Chrome and Ruri’s romantic arc, but Senku’s journey is left seemingly inconclusive This is part of the reason that I felt that it just barely made the top 5, as I would be lying if I didn’t feel it leaves things a little up in the air with Senku’s scientific journey.
In a way, however, that might actually be what Inagaki was going for in writing this final chapter. The biggest recurring theme of this series is humankind’s insatiable pursuit of knowledge. We always look to push new boundaries in art, science, literature, all in the pursuit for understanding of our world and the universe. This time machine is just another part of that process, and Senku and his friends know it could very well take humanity centuries to crack the code. Even still, they push forward to a new era of discovery with the same level of excitement that Senku had when first started working with stone tools.
It’s a powerful message that I think will overshadow the potential continuation of the narrative, and, while lacking a definitive conclusion, it's still a fitting end to the 5 year run of what has become one Jump’s best series, as well as one of my all-time personal favorites.
4. Undead Unluck Shows Andy’s Undying Resolve
(Undead Unluck Ch. 101)
Okay so bad joke aside, this is the best I have seen from Undead Unluck recently, as seen from previous week’s rankings. While I didn't outright hate the setup for Andy and The Union’s missions heading into what seemed like the final battle, I wasn’t expecting a slight detour to save a little girl and hear her backstory. It just felt like a weird diversion in the narrative that the chapters prior were building towards even if this were the start of a new arc.
My fears were washed away immediately with this chapter, however, as Andy faces off with a multitude of UMA’s that govern the very forces of nature. The fight he has with the likes of Magma, Gravity, and Slice is shockingly brutal on Andy’s end, as he utilizes a new undead fighting technique in spectacular fashion. Part of the reason I love this series is how innovative Andy’s moveset is, as he’s used his body parts as projectiles and his blood as slashing blades.
Yoshifumi Tozuka, takes that concept to a whole new level with Andy separating his bones, blood, and skin into essentially separate beings. It leads to an insane brawl, culminating with Andy’s skeleton diving into Magma and destroying its core. This is also accompanied by Juiz’s confrontation with what I can only presume to be either an agent of God, and highlighting everyone’s resolve to make sure this 100th cycle will be the last.
To quote Andy, this chapter was wicked sick from top to bottom. He gets to have this incredible battle and Tozuka shows the reader the kind of determination he really has to save Fuuko. This might seem obvious considering their history, but with Andy recently stating he was going to try falling in love with her after she already fell for him made me kind of concerned about his character. I’m so happy that the concern was unwarranted, as Tozuka has given everyone’s favorite Undead-man a tangible goal and a passion fueled sense of purpose.
With new obstacles being set up in the form of Regulations, I think the fights going forward could be some of the craziest fights that are yet to come.
3. Mission: Yozakura Family Surprises as the Eldest Brother Blossoms (Mission: Yozakura Family Ch. 120)
We go from the beginnings of a stellar series of battles to one of the most shocking twists of this week’s series of chapters. When I was building up the hype for the battle between Kyoichiro and the previous heads of the Yozakura Family, I can tell you now that I was not expecting the sheer evisceration that was on display in the opening panels in this chapter.
With the exception of the more slice-of-life chapters, Gondaira had been building up the idea of a future battle with the heads of the Yozakura family for quite some time. In fact, the first interaction with one of the former heads, Ninomae, seemingly set up a rematch with Futaba down the line. All of that was undead with one of the strongest attacks Kyoichiro ever used, and like his family when they discovered the scene, I was absolutely dumbfounded.
The sheer scale of the swirling black threads surrounding Kyoichiro and cutting into all of his enemies is staggering, and it is easily the best that Kyoichiro’s Steel Spider threads have been drawn in the series so far. I knew Kyoichiro was strong, but this takes things to absolutely a whole new level, especially considering we have yet to actually see his Yozakura Blooming technique. It’s that last dangling plot thread that is leaving me with anticipation, and now that Kyoichiro seemingly vanishes after attacking Taiyo, it leaves me in fear of our protagonist’s safety once again.
While this action didn’t seem malicious, Kyoichiro pushing his family away with a barrier around him, makes me feel that this could be the signs of a major betrayal. From the seemingly horrified expressions of his siblings at the sight of the carnage in the cavern, and then the fear in Taiyo’s face as he’s grazed by Kyoichiro’s wire really sells just how dangerous he can be. The fact that he also fades aways in cherry blossoms, just like their father, with his unfazed expression as he says goodbye to his family leads me to wonder what this could mean for the story going forward.
The potential of Kyoichiro’s betrayal is almost completely different from what I imagined it would be when the series first started. The fact that he was the sis-con brother trope looking to get rid of Taiyo almost felt cliche, but now that Hitsuji Gondaira put in the effort to flesh out Kyoichiro’s motivations and love for his entire family, it's heartbreaking to think he would betray them. This even the case with Taiyo, as their initial antagonism has evolved into a master and apprentice relationship with Kyoichiro being a recurring motivator and challenge in Taiyo’s progress. This could possibly be the final form of that recurring conflict that could lead Taiyo’s final growth, but this is all speculation on my end.
I have so many questions that I can’t wait to get answered, and I have faith that Gondaira will be able to answer them with a strong showing in the chapters that will follow.
2. Sakamoto Days’ Suspenseful Survival Game in the Sky Concludes (Sakamoto Days Ch. 61)
Once again in the top 5, Sakamoto Days finds itself this time at the #2 spot, with a heart pounding finale. As Sakamoto, Shin, and their newfound allies seemingly falling to their death in a chapter that matched the insane stakes with the absurd comedy only that Yuto Suzuki can provide to this kind of situation.
Seeing Sakamoto have a brief clash with Kanaguri to take back the bullets only to seemingly plummet while trying to use an apron as a parachute was a great contrast. It’s what makes the character such a unique protagonist, as the former hitman’s stoic demeanor and calculated attacks are only given more impact when contrasted by his tubby body and more lax outward presence. The comedy also kept rolling with the test administrators improvising the explosion as the final part of the exam, showing just how out of control the situation is, with examinees and other staff members panicking for their lives.
The true star of the chapter ended up being the newcomer Akira, however, as she finally shows the kind of skills she brings to the table. Using her skills at sewing, she was able to create a much larger parachute for the group to safely make their landing in the ocean. We even get insight into her background, as she has seemingly only been seen as a great future housewife instead of an assassin, but she takes those domestic skills and saves the day. She even feels confident in herself to finally accept the bullet Sakamoto gave her while on the plane, leading to some great development for her character.
I feel like everything was on point, from the characters, the comedy, and the brief action we do get makes for a fantastic final conclusion for this test. I can’t wait to see where Suzuki takes our crew next.
1. Blue Box Brings the Romantic Tension to an All-Time High
(Blue Box Ch. 43)
Here we are at the end of our week, and we find that Blue Box has finally captured the top spot. Even with all of the great action going on and the end of one of Jump’s biggest titles, I found this chapter was the strongest because of Koji Miura’s masterful layout of this chapter.
We are given two major focal points in this chapter; Chinatsu national basketball tournament game with the former champs and the continued conversation between Hina and Taiki. Seeing our lovesick hero worryingly check the clock as she is struggling on the court helps the game maintain its anxious momentum. I was waiting with baited breath as the clock was ticking down and the page count with it, wondering how the game was going to go.
That was only half of the story, however, as Hina wasn’t going to be outdone by Chinatsu once again. Throughout the conversation we see her trying to keep Taiki’s attention, from holding off on telling him her gymnastic nationals results and trying to get him to swing on the swings with her, only for him to be worried about accidentally seeing underneath her skirt. Its a classic rom-com trope, but it leads to a great victory for Hina because Taiki is seeing her as a girl instead of as just another friend.
Her reaction of happiness and her eventual frustration when Taiki shifts his focus to Chinatsu make for strong character moments for this romantic rival, but her final act of a shoe-throwing contest is the biggest in the series' brief history. As Chinatsu misses the game winning shot, Hina throws her game with Taiki to reveal to him that she’s in love. While she doesn’t outright reveal who she is in love with, with Miura cutting us off with that revelation, it still makes for an amazing bombshell to go with Chinatsu's tragic loss. It’s setting up for what could be another defeat for the star athlete, as her budding feelings for Taiki are challenged once again by Hina.
Miura has done an amazing job in building this love triangle up, and with the success the manga has experienced in Japan, this will hopefully lead to even more heart-racing romantic shenanigans. This series has always proven to be a great break from the action in the magazine, but it’s chapters like these where it demands my attention and gets me excited for the coming chapter more than any other series.
With that we wrap another week of Shonen Jump goodness. While I did find myself a little more frustrated with the work from a couple of the chapters, I was still able to find some really strong efforts from some of my personal favorites. While I am a little worried by the void that will be left by its absence, Dr. STONE's spectacular five year run still made for a great highlight for the week, and the chapters that outshined its finale prove that the magazine still has plenty to give in terms of excitement. Also, while I’m not sure it will reach them, I want to personally thank Riichiro Inagaki-sensei and Boichi-sensei for sharing such an amazing journey with the world and I can’t wait to see where they go next.
Here are this week's rankings and I will see you guys next time!
| 6. Jujutsu Kaisen (Ch. 177) | 11. Earthchild (Ch. 3) |
2. Sakamoto Days (Ch. 61) | 7. My Hero Academia (Ch. 346) | 12. Witch Watch (Ch. 52) |
3. Mission: Yozakura Family (Ch. 120) | 8. Ayashimon (Ch. 14) | 13. The Elusive Samurai (Ch. 53) |
4. Undead Unluck (Ch. 101) | 9. Akane-banashi (Ch. 4) | 14. MASHLE: Magic and Muscles (Ch. 99) |
5. Dr. STONE (Ch. 232, FINAL) | 10. PPPPPP (Ch. 23) | 15. Doron Dororon (Ch. 13) |
Unranked: Protect Me Shugomaru Ch. 14