Shueisha is desperate for a new fighting shonen
The iconic Weekly Shonen Jump magazine, home to some of the most influential titles in recent manga, such as "My Hero Academia" and "Jujutsu Kaisen," faces a critical challenge in its near future: the departure of these two series from its pages. Faced with this situation, the publisher Shueisha has launched an ambitious contest entitled "JUMP Next Generation Battle Manga Award", with the aim of discovering the next big star who can fill the void left by these successful franchises.
The contest has a very specific focus: to find the next heroes of the magazine, among both professional and amateur authors. To do this, Shueisha has assembled a panel of renowned judges, consisting of Tite Kubo (creator of BLEACH), Kohei Horikoshi (creator of My Hero Academia), Yuki Tabata (creator of Black Clover), and Gege Akutami (creator of JUJUTSU KAISEN). These four giants of manga will be in charge of selecting the winners, who will receive not only cash prizes, but also the necessary support to turn their works into the next hits of the Weekly Shonen Jump.
The grand prize of the contest consists of one million yen, along with other cash prizes ranging from 10,000 yen to 500,000 yen. In addition, first, second and third place winners will be guaranteed the publication of their works in the digital edition of Shonen Jump. The first and second place winners will also have their mangas published in the special GIGA edition, and the first place winner will get a slot in the print magazine. All those who receive honorable mentions or more will receive editorial assistance from one of the four outstanding judges, which could be the necessary impetus for future serialization.
One of the most exciting aspects of this contest is that the winners whose works are serialized in the print magazine will receive a recommendation on the obi of their compilation volume, written by one of the judges. This type of endorsement is extremely valuable in the manga industry, as it can attract a sizable audience right out of the box.
The deadline for submission of works is January 20, 2025, and the winners will be announced in March 2025. This tight schedule suggests that Shueisha is eager to find her next big hit as soon as possible, especially at a time when the future of Weekly Shonen Jump is at a crossroads.
The pressure to find new success
The situation is especially critical for Weekly Shonen Jump because several of its most popular series are coming to an end or have already ended. "Jujutsu Kaisen" and "My Hero Academia", two of the current pillars of the magazine, are practically finished. Although the resumption of "HUNTER x HUNTER" has been announced for October, fans and the publisher itself are aware that the continuity of the work is uncertain, due to the health problems of its author, Yoshihiro Togashi.
Shueisha's concern about finding the next big manga star is palpable. The Weekly Shonen Jump has been the birthplace of countless hits over the decades, but with the release of such influential series, the magazine risks losing its dominant position in the industry if it fails to find new works that capture the public's attention. The launch of this contest seems to be a direct response to this need, proactively seeking out talents that can keep Shonen Jump on top.
Source: Comic Natalie
