Weekly Shonen Jump has been around for more than 50 years, and dozens of iconic manga franchises have called it home. What’s your favorite Shonen Jump series? Here are our selections.
This is a very hard question! I like so many different series from Jump for so many reasons. For example, Haikyu!! is a series I recommend to literally anybody because it’s just full of charming characters and it has such an engaging plot. But if I had to choose one that’s my favorite, I’d probably pick Gin Tama.
I don’t think it’s an overstatement to say that Gin Tama had a huge influence on my sense of humor, and so many of the jokes from Gin Tama are ones that I still use to this day. There are definitely a few that get lost in translation, but the visual gags are still enough to get the meaning across. It’s the perfect mix of comedy, action, and sentimentality. Gin Tama truly is a show for the whole family… though the not-safe-for-work jokes might be a little awkward to watch with your parents. — Stephanie
Laugh at me if you like! But my fave was, and perhaps still is, Bleach. We didn’t get Weekly Shonen Jump in my country until Viz implemented its worldwide subscription model in 2018. Before then, I got my weekly dose of what at the time seemed like the absolute coolest comic anyone could get by scrolling through shady, ad-choked pirate sites and illegal scanslation hubs. The experience stayed long after I grew up and became able to afford officially licensed volumes.
To this day, Tite Kubo’s style is inimitable. Few things trigger a bout of nostalgia in someone who was still a teen in 2002 like seeing the Captains of the Gotei 13 lined up in assembly. All this makes the news about the Thousand-Year Blood War anime adaptation or the new chapters in recent Jump issues all the more welcome. — Josh
Jujutsu Kaisen is my favorite series by far. I came in fairly late, since I only started reading after the prequel movie came out. On the surface, it may seem like your run-of-the-mill shonen action series. But to me, Jujutsu Kaisen‘s strong suit comes from its commentary on Japanese social issues. It addresses things like misogyny, generational trauma, societal depression, and so much more. The characters are wonderfully complex! And even minor characters are given opportunities to grow and be part of the overarching narrative. It’s no wonder that Akutami cites Bleach and creators like Junji Ito as major influences.
I was also initially worried that watching the anime beforehand would have taken some of the impact away from the manga, but I was dead wrong. If anything, Akutami’s art style is enjoyable on an entirely different level. At times it borders on almost a rough draft-like quality, but I think it adds to the flavor. With the anime’s second season coming in 2023, it’s the perfect time to get into the series. — Andrew
I like reading sports-themed manga titles like Captain Tsubasa during my childhood. But I have especially fond memories about Eyeshield 21. It did well in introducing American football to not only Japan but also worldwide manga fans. It also delivered the story and game rules in a comical and entertaining way.
I also like how Eyeshield 21 converted a character’s strength in other fields to fit their role positions in a football team. For example, Monta was a baseball player who was only good at catching balls before the football team recruited him as a wide receiver. It also had several console games released in Japan in the early 2000s. But a part inside me feels hollow since I haven’t seen another game based on the title ever since. — Kite
I’m going to go with Chainsaw Man. Yes, this is a more recent release. However, it can be incredible. It’s visceral. It’s silly. And it’s versatile. You can go into it with expectations of how the story should go, and then foreshadowing and twists you wouldn’t expect.
What also makes it so exciting is the way its story is developing. It is looking like the second part could feel different from the first, and I can’t wait to see what happens next. — Jenni
What is your favorite Shonen Jump series? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter! And read our other handy roundtables for more thoughts from the Siliconera team.
