Shonen Jump is a publication that goes through new series relatively often. Almost everyone who reads this weekly publication has an experience where a newer series they were reading suddenly got the axe and was forcibly ended, usually with an incredibly unsatisfying conclusion to the story.
However, that’s not the case with every new series publicized in Shonen Jump, as a lot of the newer series in the magazine at the moment are actually pretty fantastic. In fact, let’s take a look at some of the best examples of the most enjoyable new series in Shonen Jump and talk about what exactly makes them so worth reading.
7Astro Royale
Written & Illustrated by Ken Wakui
Astro Royaleis the first series on here, and just like a lot of the other series on this list, it has its own unique set of circumstances. For a while there, at least at the time of writing this, it really seemed likeAstro Royalewas quickly spiraling into an early ending (aka the series was thought to be getting the ‘axe’). Thankfully, this turned out to be a bit of a bait and switch and the series continued after the fight that seemed like it was going to be the climax of the story. Now,Astro Royalecomes from the mind of one Ken Wakui, a beloved mangaka known best for his work both writing and illustratingTokyo Revengers.
And while Ken has made it very clear withTokyo Revengersthat he can both write and illustrate a compelling drama series, it’s very different when you start including magical abilities into the mix, which is exactly whatAstro Royaledoes. However, with what’s come out of the series so far, Astro Royale is only becomingmore and more of an enjoyable readas time goes on, so we absolutely think it deserves a spot on here.
6Kagurabachi
Written & Illustrated by Takeru Hokazono
While this series was the butt of a lot of online jokes and meme posts making fun of how ‘overhyped’Kagurabachiwas when chapters first started coming out, the series itselfis actually incredibly good. As far as main characters go, Chihiro is refreshing in an entirely different way from other Shonen protagonists who tend to be unique in how kind or bloodthirsty they are, Chihiro is just so incredibly solemn and serious.
Chihiro doesn’t mess around, he barely ever emotes, and he’s rarely taken off guard, which is honestly refreshing to see in a shonen protagonist since most are typically hot-blooded, airheaded, and incredibly gullible. On top of this, the actual action, compositions, and general storytelling ofKagurabachiare all worthy of praise, even if the actual context of the story isn’t all that unique.
5Ichi The Witch
Written by Osamu Nishi & Illustrated by Shiro Usazaki
It’s probably unfair to includeIchi the Witchon this list as, at the time of writing this, there are only 6 chapters out, so there’s not exactlya ‘ton’ of contentto go off of. But, we’re going to take the risk and say that this series is gonna last a while and is only going to grow in popularity. This manga comes from the minds of Osamu Nishi who is most well-known for her writing in the hit seriesWelcome to Demon School Iruma-kunand Shiro Usazaki who is most well-known for her incredible artwork inAct-Age.
Not only is this a unique series in the sense that it has both a female writer and illustrator, but the world Ichi lives in is also dominated by women, as they’re the only ones capable of using magic (something that is everywhere in this setting). However, due to a unique situation as a result of Ichi’s exceptional hunting abilities, he acquires his own magical powers and becomes the only male witch in the world. Again, it’s very early on in this series, but everything about the worldbuilding, the characters, the art, and the dialogue between characters are enjoyable enough to earn this shonen series an early spot on this list.
4Akane-banashi
Written by Yuuki Suenaga & Illustrated by Takamasa Moue
Akane-banashiis another Shonen series that someone who casually reads Shonen series every now and then would likely never expect to see inShonen Jump. This isn’t some story about a hero in a fantastical world learning how to use their magical abilities and going on adventures, it’s very grounded in reality. To be more specific, this is a series about the Japanese art of Rakugo or solo storytelling, something that’s been seen in other popular anime series such asShouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu.
InAkane-banashi, the lead Akane Osaki goes down the arduousand often philosophical roadof mastering Rakugo, striving to impress the very person who pushed her father out of the Rakugo world and make him acknowledge her father’s Rakugo. All-in-all, this is a series about the nuances of storytelling, which means it’s almost entirely reliant on the author’s compositional abilities as well as their writing abilities, something that the pair of Yuki Suenaga (author) and Takamasa Moue (illustrator) obviously have in spades given how popular the series is thus far.
3Ruri Dragon
Written & Illustrated by Masaoki Shindou
Now let’s talk aboutRuri Dragon, an adorable series from one Masaoki Shindou, who is a very talented but very new mangaka, only having a couple of published works (primarily one-shots) back in 2016 and 2017. However, despite the lack of experience, it’s clear Shindou can absolutely make a compelling series, asRuri Dragonis maybe one of the most refreshing slice-of-life series we’ve read in a long time. There are a lot of reasons we feel thatRuri Dragondeserves a spot on here, but the biggest one (at least for us personally) is that it blends fantasy and reality incredibly well. Ruri is the daughter of a dragon, and she only finds this out when her draconic abilities (such as horns) start to pop up at inconvenient times at her high school.
However, the way Shindou handles this fantastical concept, the way her school reacts to it, the way her mom talks with Ruri about it, and the way Ruri adapts to her newly changing body are all so emotionally mature and fun to read about. All-in-all,Ruri Dragonis a fantastic recommendation for anyone who likes slice-of-life series with a bit of a fantasy twist or for anyone that loves stories where characters talk through most of their issues like actual adults instead of immediately defaulting to a bare-knuckle brawl.
2Blue Box
Written & Illustrated by Kouji Miura
Romance series inShonen Jumparen’t completely unheard of,but they’re relatively rare, especially pure romance series. Most of the time,if a series includes romance, it’s secondary to the action, mystery, thriller, or supernatural aspects of the story. And then, when a romance series does come toShonen Jumponce in a blue moon, it’s often entirely filled with tropes, bad characterization, and sometimes even bad romance overall.
However,Blue Boxis not an example of this, as this series is adorable in every sense of the word, the approach to the slow build romance of this story is incredibly well-handled, and while sports are a big part of the story inBlue Box, the connections between characters are obviously the main focus of this story. In fact, despite only being inShonen Jumpfor a couple of years, it already has an anime adaptation on the front page of Netflix.
1Dandadan
Written & Illustrated by Yukinobu Tatsu
Dandadanhas been in publication for about 3 years now, but as far as the life cycle of a Shonen series, that’s not all that long as the series is only at around 160 chapters. This is all to say that the series still absolutely qualifies for a spot on this list. And, as far as new series go,Dandadanhas to beone of the best in recent memory, being a fresh take on so many different types of stories all wrapped up in an action-packed and visually stunning package.
This series has fantastic art, well-written romance, great characterization, amazing action, and over-the-top comedy. There’s a reasonDandadan’sanime adaptation is one of the most anticipated of the season, and it really just goes to show just how much Yukinobu Tatsu was cooking with this one.
