The batch that never arrives!
The year 2025 is off to a thrilling start, with several series battling for survival, new hits emerging, and the long-awaited batch of new manga just around the corner. Check out the Weekly Shonen Jump TOC #08 of 2025:
Weekly Shonen Jump #08 (01/20/2025):
- Ao no Hako c180 (Cover and Lead Color Pages)
01 – Akane Banashi c142
02 – ONE PIECE c1136
03 – Madan no Ichi c18 - Yozakura-san Chi no Daisakusen c258 (Center Color Page, Final Chapter)
04 – Nige Jouzu no Wakagimi c187
05 – SAKAMOTO DAYS c197
06 – Exorcist no Kiyoshi-kun c28 - JK Yuusha to Inkyou Maou (Center Color Page, 47 pages, One-Shot by Hatsubina Matsuri)
07 – Boku to Roboco c217 - Shinobigoto c17 (Center Color Page)
08 – Syd Craft no Saishuu Suiri c08
09 – Kagurabachi c64
10 – Kill Ao c85
11 – Himaten! c26
12 – Undead Unluck c238
13 – Negai no Astro c37
14 – Nue no Onmyouji c82
15 – WITCH WATCH c186
16 – Choujun! Choujou-senpai c46
17 – HAKUTAKU c16
Absent: HUNTER×HUNTER c411 (Hiatus)
Preview of Weekly Shonen Jump #09 (01/27/2025):
- Cover and Lead Color Pages: Nige Jouzu no Wakagimi c188 (4th Anniversary)
- Center Color Pages: Boku to Roboco c218; Exorcist no Kiyoshi-kun c29; Undead Unluck c239 (Climax)
- Extra: Happyo Shite yo! Hakase-chan! (One-Shot by Yotsuya Keitarou)
Before we start, I’d like to comment on the conclusion of Yozakura-San: after 5 years and 5 months, the series has naturally come to an end, delivering one of the best conclusions in the history of Weekly Shonen Jump. The author timed the closure of each character’s arc perfectly, avoiding unnecessary extensions or rushed conclusions. Yozakura-San may not have been a major hit, but it has entered the magazine’s Hall of Fame and deserves applause.
The series concludes with 29 volumes and 258 chapters. I eagerly await the author’s next project.
Talking about this week’s TOC: First, we had Akane Banashi, which remains the series that has claimed the top spot the most since Saito took over. When it comes to the TOC, Akane Banashi reigns supreme. However, what readers really want isn’t just Akane Banashi at number one, but the announcement of an anime adaptation by a quality studio. All signs suggest this announcement might happen this year, but delays in adaptations are clearly hurting the series.
The big issues with Shonen Jump’s delayed adaptations:
- The series’ volumes stabilize in sales between the second and fifth volumes, staying steady for over two years, which reduces their market relevance.
- As the series accumulates more volumes with stable sales, it becomes harder to achieve a massive boost when the anime is released. The audience has a spending limit, and a series with 18 or more volumes represents a significant expense. This forces many to buy gradually, reducing both the intensity of the boost and word-of-mouth publicity. Few manga have the sales power of Kimetsu no Yaiba, which sold over 20 volumes effortlessly.
- The delay in anime releases doesn’t align with the faster pace of most series, which tend to conclude within four to six years. As a result, anime often premiere when the manga is nearing its end or is already in its final arcs. This diminishes readership transfer to other series in the magazine.
In my view, Shonen Jump should return to adapting anime when a series is around 2.5 to 3 years old, with only rare exceptions surpassing this period. The biggest challenge is finding available studios, but if Shonen Magazine can do it (producing high-quality anime, aside from Blue Lock), there’s no reason for Shonen Jump to lag behind its rival with later anime releases.
This argument would only hold if Shonen Jump consistently released better-quality anime, even if later than its rivals. However, Shangri-La Frontier and Gachiakuta had earlier announcements and secured better studios than Ao no Hako and Sakamoto Days, despite selling less.
Returning to the TOC, in second place, we had ONE PIECE, which consistently ranks second whenever it’s eligible. This isn’t something new under Saito’s leadership; it actually started during Nakano’s tenure, aiming to give, each issue, more prominence to both the first and third-ranked series. Always expect ONE PIECE in second place, except in a few rare situations.
In third place, we had Madan no Ichi, returning to the TOP 5 after spending two weeks in the lower ranks. The first volume of the series also performed well, selling ~27,000 copies in two weeks (but sold out in several stores during the first week, indicating it could have sold even more). Some stores have already announced a new shipment arriving this week, which should revive Madan no Ichi‘s sales until the reprints arrive on January 30.
Thus, it is undeniable that Madan no Ichi had a solid debut and is likely to sell over 60,000 copies of its second volume within a month. It’s still too early to determine the full extent of Madan no Ichi‘s success, but we are witnessing the emergence of a new popular manga. Editors will likely continue promoting Madan no Ichi in upcoming issues, as it fills the need for both adventure and battle shounen manga—two genres that require more representation in the magazine following the conclusion of Boku no Hero Academia, Jujutsu Kaisen, Yozakura-San, and, next week, Undead Unluck.
In fourth place, we had Nige Jouzu no Wakagimi, which will feature on next week’s cover to celebrate its fourth anniversary.
In fifth place, we had Sakamoto Days, which premiered its anime recently. The animation quality is average—nothing outstanding—but the marketing around the series is massive, with the manga prominently displayed in various stores. As a result, despite its shortcomings, Sakamoto Days is receiving a sales boost close to Ao no Hako and is expected to surpass 150,000 copies per volume by the end of this first cour.
“Only above 150,000 copies?” Yes, its positions in the Shoseki Rankings are similar to Ao no Hako and lower than Dandadan. In fact, The Medalist, another spectacular manga, is currently garnering equal or, at times, even greater attention than Sakamoto Days, potentially becoming the biggest hit of the season. There’s a chance that Sakamoto Days‘ boost will be decent but not on the level of Sousou no Frieren, which was hindered by an overwhelming number of volumes and the anime’s average quality.
It’s well known that some series, like Blue Lock, manage to stand out even with questionable anime adaptations and an extensive volume count. However, launching an anime with fewer than 15 volumes and dynamic animation that highlights the manga’s strengths greatly facilitates a series’ popularization. These elements intensify the sales boost a series can achieve. So, is Sakamoto Days disappointing? Not yet, but if it fails to exceed 250,000 copies by the conclusion of its second cour in September, I would consider it a letdown.
In sixth place, we had Exorcist no Kiyoshi-Kun, which is putting all its efforts into the release of its second volume. If it manages a significant increase (from 11,000 copies per month to over 15,000), I believe it will be safe for the next round of evaluations. However, if it doesn’t, it could be at risk of cancellation in the April-May round. The list of potential cancellations is quite extensive, so no series is entirely safe for that period.
In seventh place, we had Boku to Roboco, which will feature a color page in the next issue.
In eighth place, we had Syd Craft no Saishuu Suiri, which had a mediocre debut, but the real concern is the lack of a color page—priority was given to Boku to Roboco instead. We’ll see if a color page is awarded to the series by chapter 11, but the absence of one is undoubtedly a warning sign regarding its reception. On Japanese forums, early comments about the series were quite negative, complaining that it didn’t fully embrace its ecchi elements. However, recent comments have been mixed, with some liking it and others hating it.
In a situation of mixed reception, it’s hard to gauge the voting results. Are the readers who like the series actually voting for it? The editors already have the data in hand by this point, so we’ll soon get clarity based on its upcoming TOC positions.
In ninth place, we had Kagurabachi, which, like Akane Banashi, is only waiting for its anime announcement this year. The question is: will it be announced during a random issue, during its anniversary in September, or at Jump Festa in December? There are multiple possibilities. Until then, we can only wait. Even with an announcement in 2025, it’s unlikely we’ll see the anime premiere this year, making 2026 a more probable debut.
In tenth place, we had Kill Ao, which I reaffirm is entirely safe for the February round. Kill Ao survives another round of cancellations and continues to defy those who root against it. With its volume release in January, the series is expected to return to the 20,000 club, placing it ahead of manga like Kiyoshi-Kun, Himaten, Boku to Roboco, Choujun! Chojo-Senpai, and Shinobigoto.
In eleventh place, we have Himaten, which is unlikely to show significant growth with this volume (if it grows at all). It sold 12,000 copies in 9 days, compared to 11,000 copies for Shinobigoto. Therefore, the forecast is that it will maintain sales between 14,000 and 16,000 copies in a month. Certainly, this result is disappointing and places the series at risk for 2025. The manga urgently needs to surpass the 25,000-copy mark to gain an edge over its direct competitors: Choujun, Kiyoshi-Kun, Shinobigoto, Negai no Astro, and Kill Ao.
As long as it fails to exceed 20,000 copies, the axe of cancellation will always loom over Himaten’s neck. This does not mean Himaten is guaranteed to be canceled. I repeat: we cannot yet know which manga will face cancellation in April-May. However, given the current sales, the series is at risk for 2025, heavily dependent on new manga succeeding and its rivals not improving.
In twelfth place, we have Undead Unluck, which once again announces a “Super Climax” with a color page and extra pages in the next issue, according to the Shonen Jump News page. So, does this mean the series is really ending? All indications point to yes, but we cannot be 100% sure until the chapter is released. I plan to write a piece on the incredible journey of Undead Unluck when it concludes.
In thirteenth place, we have Negai no Astro, which is not performing well but will not be canceled in this February round. The same goes for Nue no Onmyouji, which, however, is showing better sales performance than Negai no Astro. Like it or not, with Yozakura-San ending in this issue, Nue no Onmyouji is now among the magazine’s Top 10 best-selling manga.
In fifteenth place, we have Witch Watch, which, despite its low ranking, is not at risk of cancellation. Its anime is set to premiere in April.
In sixteenth place, we have Choujun! Chojo-Senpai, which, after a crossover with KochiKame, has returned to the second-to-last spot. Well, there are real chances that Choujun! will be canceled in April-May, but like all other struggling series, it is currently only at risk, not a certainty. The comedy is having great difficulty winning over the audience after an explosive start, and it may follow a similar trajectory to the author’s previous series, Samon-Kun wa Summoner.
In last place, we have Hakutaku, which is expected to be canceled in issue #10 or #11, when the new round begins. This round could introduce three or four new series. Three are a certainty, as they will take the spots of Yozakura-San, Undead Unluck, and Hakutaku. The question is whether the 21st slot in the magazine will be left vacant or filled. This is considered an “extra” slot, as it is not always used, often reserved for the return of Hunter x Hunter or cases where an additional manga needs to be launched without necessarily canceling another series. However, the magazine’s ideal is to maintain only 20 series + 50 pages for recurring one-shots.
You might be wondering: “But when is this round coming, anyway?” It’s coming. Due to planning issues, it could not begin immediately after Yozakura-San‘s conclusion, but it will certainly debut in issue #10 or #11. In any case, for the love of God, Weekly Shonen Jump, announce this damned round next week!
