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. Given this situation, the publisher
Shueisha has launched an ambitious contest titled “JUMP Next Generation
Battle Manga Award” , with the aim of discovering the next big star
who can fill the void that these successful franchises will leave.
The contest has a very specific focus: finding the
magazine's next heroes, both professional and amateur authors. To this
end, Shueisha has assembled a panel of renowned judges, composed 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 manga giants
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 Weekly Shonen Jump.
The contest's grand prize 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 publication of their works in the
digital edition of Shonen Jump. First and second place winners will also have
their manga published in the GIGA special edition, and the first place winner
will get a spot in the print magazine. All those who receive honorable
mentions or higher will receive editorial assistance from one of the four
featured judges, which could be the impetus needed 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 advertising sleeve (obi) of their compiled 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 from the
get-go.
The deadline for submissions is January
20, 2025, and winners will be announced in March 2025. This
tight schedule suggests that Shueisha is eager to find its next big thing as
soon as possible, especially at a time when that the future of Weekly Shonen
Jump is at a crossroads.
The pressure of finding 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 magazine's current pillars, 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 for finding the next big manga
star is palpable. Weekly Shonen Jump has been the cradle 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 attention. of the public. The launch of this
contest appears to be a direct response to this need, proactively seeking out
talent who can keep Shonen Jump at the top.
Source: ComicNatalie
