Manga Review: Shonen Jump (2019) by various
It’s my blog anniversary again, so time to look at the current state of Shonen Jump!
The official Shonen Jump website has undergone drastic changes this year. No longer does it simulate a magazine with a cover and stories that are printed in a certain order. Instead, each manga series has its own separate “tile” which updates whenever there’s a new chapter.
The three most recent chapters of any given series are free to read, while paying a small monthly fee allows you to access all the stored chapters on the website, including series that were never before part of the U.S. release, such as “Haikyuu!!” and defunct titles.
Pros: It’s great for binging. If you’ve ever wanted to catch up on a series and didn’t want to pay $100+ for back volumes, or deal with virus ridden pirate sites, this is your chance. There’s also quite a few short-run series that never came out in physical volumes in the U.S. It’s good value for money if you live in one of the countries that can access it.
Cons: It feels even less like reading the actual bulky magazine. Plus the new format makes it too easy for me to dump series I’m not currently buzzed about, so I’ve lost track of several plotlines.
The biggest series to end this year was Shokugeki no Souma (Food Wars), which crashed in the ratings after the manga’s plausible cooking advisor retired and a couple of poorly-received villains took over the plot.The most interesting ending was to Double Taisei, a manga about a shogi player with a split personality. He/they actually faced consequences for his/their wacky shenanigans and went to prison!
Haikyuu!! and The Promised Neverland have entered their final plot arcs, though this does not necessarily mean these series will end in 2020.
Let’s look at some of the new stuff!
Agravity Boys is a sci-fi comedy about four space explorers who are as far as they know the last living Earthlings. Problem one: They’re all men, how are they going to propagate the species? The first chapter just came out, so there’s no telling where it’s headed.
Zipman!! is a tokusatsu-flavored tale of twins, one a brain and the other a jock. They both love superhero shows, but when one dies, can the other avenge him with a mysterious new ally?
Samurai 8: The Tale of Hachimaru is from the author of Naruto, and is a science fiction samurai epic. It’s struggling a bit, but the author has gotten a little better at writing female characters.
Mission: Yozakura Family is a comedy about an ordinary high school student getting engaged to the next leader of the Yozakura Family of spies, each of whom has a special power or three. It’s silly, but fun.
Mitama Security: Spirit Busters is another comedy, this one about a girl who’s haunted by multiple spirits and the inept exorcist who’s trying to free her. It’s very much a gag manga.
Chainsaw Man: This series about a man who’s merged with a chainsaw demon is most interesting in the way it twists the genre conventions. But it also has heartwarming moments, like our protagonist learning the importance of enthusiastic consent.
Dr. Stone Reboot: Byakuya is a prequel to the fun manga about science in a post-apocalyptic world. It is centered around Senkuu’s adoptive father, who created many of the mysteries our heroes have had to discover.
Spy X Family: Hilarious and heartwarming series about a spy, an assassin and a telepathic child who form a fake family, each with their own motivations and keeping their true natures secret from each other. Naturally, they’re developing very real feelings… This is top stuff.
Other favorites like One Piece, My Hero Academia and One Punch Man continue to run, but you already know if you like those.
Overall, excellent value for money!
