Recently, stores in Japan implemented a restriction for the latest issue of Shueisha publisher Weekly Shonen Jump magazine: only one copy per buyer.
— うっちー (@uchijump) May 18, 2020
As reported by a Twitter user from Japan, this week's edition of the magazine is in high demand, prompting stores to impose sales restrictions on those trying to grab more than one.
This may be an effect of the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan, which has had a detrimental effect on the manga and anime industry. Last month, publisher Shueisha reported that it had to completely shut down its editorial department after a suspected positive case of the disease arose among its workers. The publisher then adopted the work from home also derived from the declaration of the state of emergency in the country. Then earlier this month, One Piece author Eiichiro Oda informed readers that there could be "even more breaks from now on," as the creative team must prioritize their health. All this, in conclusion, could lead Weekly Shonen Jump magazine to launch a reduced run.
However, another possible cause is that this particular edition includes the final chapter of Koyoharu Gotouge's manga, Kimetsu no Yaiba. Chapter # 205 featured the closing of one of the best-selling series of recent years, with the cumulative sale of its compilation volumes being second only to One Piece, an impressive achievement. With 60 million copies currently in circulation, it seems likely that bookstores in Japan are implementing restrictive measures to ensure a fair distribution of the conclusion of the great success of Koyoharu Gotouge.
