Summary
Shonen Jump is looking for its next big hit with a contest judged by top manga authors like Kubo and Horikoshi. Winners will be published in Weekly Shonen Jump and receive recommendations, cash prizes, and serialization opportunities. While the magazine is looking for new series, it still has strong titles like Kagurabachi and Astro Royale in the works.
With the end of My Hero Academia and the upcoming conclusion of Jujutsu Kaisen, the curtain is slowly closing on the era of Shonen Jump manga, and the publisher is trying to find the next big hit to usher in a new era. The magazine is famous for its exciting battle shonen series that dominate the industry, but for the first time in a long time, the future doesn't look as bright as it once did.
During the livestream on Shonen Jump's official YouTube channel, exciting news such as the return of Hunter X Hunter and the ending of Jujutsu Kaisen were announced, and the publisher's efforts in finding the next big event were also revealed.
It was announced that a one-time competition to find the next promising fighting manga will be held and judged by Tite Kubo (Bleach), Kohei Horikoshi (My Hero Academia), Gege Akutami (Jujutsu Kaisen), and Yuki Tabata (Black Clover). Apparently, Shonen Jump is in a hurry to find its next big hit.And judging by the names involved, the magazine knew what it was looking for.
The best of the best will choose the next star.
Shonen Jump Puts the Future in the Hands of Its Most Successful Authors
The contest, which brings together authors from some of Shonen Jump's biggest manga series, aims to find a new series that will be published in various Shueisha magazines. The winner will have their series published in Weekly Shonen Jump magazine. and receive a recommendation from one of the judges. The other winning entries will be serialized in Shonen Jump+, the digital publication that has published popular works such as Chainsaw Man, Kaiju No. 8, and Spy X Family. The semi-finalists will be published in one of the specialty magazines such as Jump GIGA, where the first entry for Jujutsu Kaisen was published.
There are also cash prizes, with the winner receiving 1 million yen ($6,800), the runner-up receiving 500,000 yen ($3,400), the third place receiving 300,000 yen ($2,000), and the finalists receiving 50,000 yen ($350). The deadline for submissions is January 20, 2025, and Results will be announced at the end of March.
Shonen Jump Still Has Great Titles
Hidden Gems Lurking in Magazines
Shueisha is going all out to give a lot of series a chance and see which ones will succeed. While it has struggled to find a series to fill the void left by its predecessors, the publisher still has a few series that will lead the next generation. Takeru Hokazono's Kagurabachi is the future of Shonen Jump, the publisher has said, and even Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto has approved of the revenge story. Ken Wakui's Astro Royale is also shaping up to be a hit with its current track record.
It will be interesting to see the outcome of this contest that Shueisha is investing so much into, and who these four creators will choose. It's clear that by choosing such a prestigious jury, Shueisha is counting on the experience and artistic genius of the authors who have dominated the manga world, entrusting them with the task of finding successors, rather than leaving the job to editors, as is customary.
It's an interesting approach and certainly speaks to the urgency Shueisha feels in wanting to revive its flagship brand. Shonen Jump series. Until the results are announced next year, fans should check out the magazine's products and even other publishers like Kodansha and Shogakukan.
Source: Shonen Jump official website.
