Weekly Shōnen Jump

Weekly Shōnen Jump was launched by Shueisha on July 11, 1968,[7][8][lower-alpha 1] to compete with the already-successful Weekly Shōnen Magazine and Weekly Shōnen Sunday.[10] Weekly Shōnen Jump's sister publication was a manga magazine called Shōnen Book, which was originally a male version of the short-lived shōjo manga anthology Shōjo Book.[11] Prior to issue 20, Weekly Shōnen Jump was originally called simply Shōnen Jump as it was originally a bi-weekly magazine. In 1969, Shōnen Book ceased publication[12] at which time Shōnen Jump became a weekly magazine[12] and a new monthly magazine called Bessatsu Shōnen Jump was made to take Shōnen Book's place. This magazine was later rebranded as Monthly Shōnen Jump before eventually being discontinued and replaced by Jump SQ.

Hiroki Goto was appointed chief editor in 1986 and remained in the position until 1993. His tenure saw significant increases in circulation, and the serialization of numerous popular series. When asked about the period, Goto stated: “We only tried to create manga that everybody can enjoy. There were no specific rules. Idol and tabloid magazines dominated in the Media & Entertainment industry at that time and we aimed to stand out from the crowd by using only manga as our weapon.”[13] Famicom Jump: Hero Retsuden, released in 1988 for the Family Computer was produced to commemorate the magazine's 20th anniversary. It was followed by a sequel: Famicom Jump II: Saikyō no Shichinin in 1991, also for the Family Computer. Shōnen Jump's circulation continued to increase year on year until 1995, peaking at 6.53 million copies. By 1998, circulation had dropped to 4.15 million copies, a decline in part ascribed to the conclusion of popular manga series Dragon Ball and Slam Dunk.[14][15] The magazine peaked with a total readership of 18 million people in Japan during the early 1990s.[16]

Circulation for the magazine continued to decline through the early 2000s, before reaching some stability around 2005, well below its earlier peak.[14]

In 2000, two more games were created for the purpose of commemorating the magazine's anniversaries. A crossover fighting game titled Jump Super Stars was released for the Nintendo DS in 2005. It was followed by Jump Ultimate Stars in 2006. Due to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, the shipment of the 15th issue of 2011 was delayed in some areas of Japan. In response, Shueisha published the series included in that issue for free on its website from March 23 to April 27.[17]

On July 11, 2013, the Namco Bandai Group opened an amusement park themed around Weekly Shōnen Jump series. Titled J-World Tokyo, it is located on the third floor of the Sunshine City World Import Mart Building in Ikebukuro and is 1.52 acres.[18][19] In celebration of the magazine's 45th anniversary in 2013, Shueisha began a contest where anyone can submit manga in three different languages, Japanese, English and Chinese. Judged by the magazine's editorial department, four awards will be given, a grand prize and one for each language, each including 500,000 yen (about US$4,900) and guaranteed publication in either Jump, its special editions, North American edition, China's OK! Comic, or Taiwan's Formosa Youth.[20]

Bookshelves at the Minamiuonuma City Library, featuring issues of Weekly Shōnen Jump (2018)

A mobile phone app titled "Jump Live" was launched in August 2013, it features exclusive content from the artists whose series run in Weekly Shōnen Jump.[21] On September 22, 2014, the free Shōnen Jump+ (少年ジャンプ+, Shōnen Janpu Purasu, abbreviated J+) mobile app and website was launched in Japan. It sells digital versions of the Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine, simultaneous with its print release, and tankōbon volumes of individual Jump series past and present. However, it also has large samples of the manga that can be read for free.[22] There are also series that are serialized exclusively on the app, such as Marvel × Shōnen Jump+ Super Collaboration; unlike those in Weekly Shōnen Jump, these series may be aimed at adult men or women.[23] These exclusive series are later published in print tankōbon volumes under the Jump Comics+ imprint. In 2019, the Shōnen Jump+ website and app had about 2.4 million active users.[24] As of January 2020, the app had been downloaded more than 13 million times.[24]

As the magazine shifted towards digital provision, print circulation once again began to decline. By 2017, print circulation was down to under two million, less than a third of its peak during the golden age.[25] This decline follows similar trends seen by other magazines in the sector.[26]

A new crossover game, J-Stars Victory Vs., was released in 2014 for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita to commemorate Jump's 45 anniversary. In June 2018, a limited 50th Anniversary Shōnen Jump Edition of the Famicom Mini (NES Classic Edition) game console was released in Japan. It sold 110,000 units in two days.[27]

On January 28, 2019, Shueisha launched the global English-language version of Shōnen Jump+, titled Manga Plus. It is freely available in every country except China and South Korea, which have their own separate services. A Spanish-language version was launched in February 2019, and has a different library of content.[22] Like the Japanese app, it has large samples of manga that can be read for free including all the current titles of Weekly Shōnen Jump, a sizeable number of titles from Shōnen Jump+ and some titles from Jump Square. However, unlike the Japanese version, the latest chapters of current Weekly Shōnen Jump manga are made available free for a limited-time and it does not sell content.

There are currently twenty manga titles being serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump. Out of them, Hunter × Hunter is serialized on an irregular basis and Burn the Witch's continuation is yet to be announced.

Jump Giga (ジャンプGIGA) is a special seasonal offshoot of Weekly Shōnen Jump launched on July 20, 2016.[35] Its original predecessor started in 1969 as a regular special issue of the bi-weekly Shōnen Jump. When Shōnen Jump became a weekly publication and was renamed Weekly Shōnen Jump in October of that same year, the special issue changed to a quarterly release and kept the shorter name.[36] In the mid-1980s, the magazine took on the Weekly Shōnen Jump name with each issue subtitled the Spring, Summer, Autumn, or Winter Special. Beginning in 1996, it was published three times a year for Golden Week, Obon and New Years under the name Akamaru Jump (赤マルジャンプ, Akamaru Janpu) until April 30, 2010, when it was renamed Shōnen Jump Next! (少年ジャンプNEXT!).[36][37] In 2012 it returned to a quarterly schedule.[36] A second exclamation point was added to the title in March 2014, when it switched to a bi-monthly release.[38][39] After relaunching as Jump Giga, the magazine published four issues or "volumes" in 2016 and 2017,[40] six in 2018 and 2019 (three in summer and three in winter), and seems to have returned to a seasonal quarterly release since 2020.

Jump Giga features many amateur manga artists who get their one-shots published in the magazine. It also puts additional one-shot titles by professional manga artists, which promote upcoming series to be published in the main magazine. It has also featured the last chapters of cancelled series from Weekly Shōnen Jump, such as Enigma and Magico. It also features yonkoma of popular series such as Death Note and Naruto, as well as the pilot chapter of Bleach. Jump Next! has had several other past special versions:

• Aomaru Jump (青マルジャンプ, Aomaru Janpu) was a single issue of Akamaru Jump.[41] One-shots that were featured in Aomaru Jump were Dead/Undead, Shōgai Oyaji Michi!, The Dream, Mieruhito, Yūtō ☆ Hōshi, and Fuku wa Jutsu.[42]
• Jump the Revolution! (ジャンプ the REVOLUTION!) was a special edition of Akamaru Jump that was published in two issues in November 2005 and 2006. Jump the Revolution! contained one-shots of upcoming Weekly Shōnen Jump series and soon to be Jump SQ series.

V Jump (Vジャンプ, Bui Janpu) was originally an offshoot of the Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine in a special issue called Weekly Shōnen Jump Tokubetsu Henshū Zōkan V Jump (週刊少年ジャンプ特別編集増刊 V JUMP). The special issues lasted from 1992 through 1993. V Jump became its own independent anthology in 1993 for coverage of games, including video and card games.

Super Jump (スーパージャンプ, Sūpā Janpu) was also originally an offshoot of the Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine in a special issue called Weekly Shōnen Jump Tokubetsu Henshū Zōkan Super Jump (週刊少年ジャンプ特別編集増刊 スーパージャンプ). The magazine was published from 1968 to 1988, when it became a separate anthology for seinen manga.

Jump VS was a special issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump, published on March 22, 2013. The issue focused on "battle manga" and included 12 one-shots.[43][44]

Shonen Jump, published in North America by Viz Media, debuted in November 2002, with a January 2003 cover date. Though based on Weekly Shōnen Jump, the English language Shonen Jump is retooled for English readers and the American audience and is published monthly, instead of weekly.[45][46] It features serialized chapters from seven manga series, and articles on Japanese language and culture, manga, anime, video games, and figurines.[47] In conjunction with the magazine, Viz launched new imprints for releasing media related to the series presented in the magazine, and other shōnen works. This includes two new manga imprints, an anime DVD imprint, a fiction line for releasing light novels, a label for fan and data books, and a label for the release of art books.[48][49][50][51]

Prior to the magazine's launch, Viz launched an extensive marketing campaign to promote the magazine and help it succeed where other manga anthologies in North America have failed.[52] Shueisha purchased an equity interest in Viz to help fund the venture,[53] and Cartoon Network, Suncoast, and Diamond Distributors became promotional partners in the magazine.[52] The first issue required three printings to meet demand, with over 300,000 copies sold.[54] It was awarded the ICv2 "Comic Product of the Year" award in December 2002, and continued to enjoy high sales with a monthly circulation of 215,000 in 2008.[55][56] Shonen Jump was discontinued in April 2012 in favor of its digital successor, Weekly Shonen Jump. With it ending in an incomplete, but yet almost complete picture spine of the Naruto splash page of "Declaration of War" on the side of each said magazine.

Weekly Shonen Jump, Viz Media's successor to the monthly print anthology Shonen Jump, was a North American digital shōnen manga anthology published simultaneously with the Japanese editions of Weekly Shōnen Jump, in part to combat the copyright violation of manga through bootleg scanlation services. It began serialization on January 30, 2012, as Weekly Shonen Jump Alpha with a lineup of six titles and new issues published online two weeks after Japanese release, but within a year had expanded to twelve ongoing series, and on January 21, 2013, it underwent a rebranding and transitioned to simultaneous publication with Japan.[57][58]

Banzai! is a German-language version of Weekly Shōnen Jump published by Carlsen Verlag that was published from 2001 through December 2005 before being canceled.[59] In addition to the Weekly Shōnen Jump manga series, the magazine also included original German language manga-influenced comics. The magazine competed as a sister publication to a shōjo anthology called Daisuki. It had a circulation of 140,000 copies.[60]

Cover of volume 187 of Remen Shaonian Top

Rèmén Shàonián Top (熱門少年TOP) is the former weekly Chinese-language version of Weekly Shōnen Jump, published in Taiwan by Da Ran Publishing. In the 1990s Da Ran went bankrupt and the magazine had to cease publication. Rèmén Shàonián Top serialized series such as Yu-Gi-Oh!, Tottemo! Luckyman, Hikaru no Go, and One Piece as well as several other domestic manhua.

Formosa Youth (寶島少年 Báodǎo Shàonián) is the current weekly Chinese version of Weekly Shōnen Jump. Formosa Youth features various series from Weekly Shōnen Jump. The Formosa Youth magazine translates Weekly Shōnen Jump manga up to date. A sister publication of Formosa Youth is Dragon Youth Comic (龍少年 Lóng Shàonián), which specializes in domestic manhua. In 1977, the Tong Li company was created and founded by Fang Wan-Nan which created bootlegs, this ended in 1992.[61] A law in Taiwan restricted the act of bootlegging all manga.[61] During 1992, Tong Li created many manga and manhua magazines, New Youth Bulletin, Youth Comic, Margaret Girl, Dragon Youth Comic, and Formosa Youth.[62] Some series like One Piece and Hikaru no Go were first published in the manga/manhua magazine Rèmén Shàonián Top (熱門少年TOP) by Da Ran Publishing, but when Daran Publishing went bankrupt the series were transferred to Formosa Youth.

EX-am is the Hong Kong version of Weekly Shōnen Jump published by Culturecom Holdings's comic division Culturecom Comics, the largest comic distributors in all of Asia.[63] The magazine published Hunter × Hunter, Captain Tsubasa and Dragon Ball—which holds the highest circulation of manga in Hong Kong, alongside the highest of domestic manhua which would be Chinese Hero: Tales of the Blood Sword.[63]

C-Kids (ซีคิดส์ See Kít) is the Thai language Weekly Shōnen Jump published by Siam Inter Comics.[64] C-Kids publishes many Weekly Shōnen Jump series such as One Piece, Gintama[65] along with many original manga-influenced comics from the division Cartoon Thai Studio like EXEcutional.[66]

Boom (บูม) is another Thai language Weekly Shōnen Jump published by Nation Edutainment. Boom publishes many Weekly Shōnen Jump series such as Naruto, Death Note along with many original manga-influenced comics from Factory Studio like Meed Thii Sib-Sam and Apaimanee Saga.

In November 2004, Manga Media began publication of a Swedish language version of Weekly Shōnen Jump in Sweden, called Shonen Jump as a sister publication to their existing magazines Manga Mania and Shojo Stars. The magazine included chapters from various popular Weekly Shōnen Jump titles including Bleach, Naruto, Shaman King, and Yu-Gi-Oh!. In November 2007, after 37 issues published, Manga Media ceased publication of the magazine.[67][68] It had a circulation of 30,000 copies.[60]

A Norwegian language edition of Weekly Shōnen Jump began publication in Norway in March 2005. Published by Schibsted Forlagene, the Norwegian edition was a direct translation of Bonnier's Swedish version of the magazine, containing the same series and titles. When Bonnier lost the license for Weekly Shōnen Jump, the Norwegian version also ceased publication, with the last issue released on February 26, 2007. They also created two short lived book imprints: "En Bok Fra Shonen Jump" (a book from Shonen Jump) for profile books and "Dragon Ball Ekstra" (Dragon Ball Extra) a line specifically for manga written by Akira Toriyama.[69] Also a film comic based on the Dragon Ball Z anime was released under the "TV Anime Comic" imprint.[70]

The following table lists the manga series that have had the highest circulation in Shōnen Jump magazine. It lists the number of issues where they're serialized, and estimated circulation figures and sales revenue of those Shōnen Jump issues (based on the magazine circulation figures above). Of the series listed below, only Bleach and Gintama began their serialization after the conclusion of the golden age in the late 1990s.