Tough time for Shonen Jump

 Weekly Shonen Jump has spent the better half of the past decade facing gradually decreasing circulation numbers, and that trend continues with the latest update. According to the Japan Magazine Publishers Association (JMPA), the magazine’s print circulation dropped below 1.4 million between July and September 2021.

These are still staggering numbers that Western comic magazines can only dream about, but in the Japanese competitive manga market they are cause for alarm. 

The full circulation total for that period came to 1,371,818 copies. This is in stark contrast to the numbers from the January-March period of 2014, which had the magazine at 2,715,834 copies. It first dipped below two million in 2017 and has continued to decline at a steady pace since.

At its height in 1994, Weekly Shonen Jump had a print circulation count of 6.53 million copies.

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In other news, for those who haven't noticed, my second guidebook, Otaku Japan, is out! Amazon.co.jp: Otaku Japan: The Fascinating World of Japanese Manga, Anime, Gaming, Cosplay, Toys and More! : Gianni Simone, ジャンニ・シモーネ: Japanese Books

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Last but not least, I have launched a brand-new newsletter, Tokyo Calling, which covers books, films, music, and of course all things Japanese. 

Please check it out and if you like it, share it widely and SUBSCRIBE. It's free!

Tokyo Calling | Gianni Simone | Substack

Shonen Jump turns 50!

The Shonen Jump 50th Anniversary Exhibition, hosted in Roppongi, Tokyo, have virtually every volume of the magazine available for reading.

The exhibition is divided in three parts, and part 2 is currently under way. It covers the 1990s and runs until June 17

Meanwhile, a visual for part 3, which runs from July 17 to September 30 and covers manga released in the 2000s up to now, has been revealed. Of course, the two most prominent characters on the poster are Luffy from One Piece and Naruto.

 

The exhibitions and manga library are all found at the Mori Arts Center Gallery in Tokyo. The exhibitions cost ¥2,000 for general admission, while the manga library is free.

A very POOPular attraction

The Japanese have a long love affair with scatological humor, stories and characters, and manga are not an exception. Between 1970 and 1977, for instance, Shonen Jump magazine published Torii Kazuyoshi's Toiretto Hakase (Dr. Toilet) to popular acclaim.


Another more recent POOPular character is the mustachioed Unko Sensei (Professor Poop). The bright yellow professor appears in the highly successful writing workbook series Unko Kanji Doriru (Poop Kanji Drills).

So what's the next logical step? Why, a family-oriented indoor theme park of course!
Tokyo's  Namco Namja Town, located inside the Sunshine City building in Ikebukuro (you can find it on page 99 of my Tokyo Geek's Guide) will be "covered in poop" until August 31 while
offering food and attractions based on the famous sensei. 
 

The theme park sells seven different dishes, including Unko Sensei’s sweet curry (see above) and Unko Sensei cotton candy.
Not satisfied yet? They also sell original goods featuring the Unko Sensei character, including notebooks, towels, folders and badges!!!

171 posters for 171 stations

Rokudenashi Blues poster in Ikebukuro Station (Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line)

If you are in Tokyo NOW you may want to go on a manga poster treasure hunt of sorts.

World-famous Shonen Jump magazine turns 50 this year, and they have decided to celebrate by creating 171 different posters featuring some of their more popular manga stories - one for each of the 171 stations of the huge Tokyo subway system.

Here are some of Tokyo's main stations.

City Hunter poster in Shinjuku Station (Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line

Cat's Eye poster in Ginza Station (Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line)

Captain Tsubasa paster in Tokyo Station (Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line)



Ginga Nagareboshi Gin poster in Shibuya Station (Tokyo Metro Ginza Line)

Dr. Slump poster in Asakusa Station (Tokyo Metro Ginza Line)

Fist of the North Star poster in Roppongi Station (Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line)

Dr. Slump poster in Akihabara Station (Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line)

Dragon Ball poster in Nagatacho Station (Tokyo Metro Nanboku Line)

The posters will be on display until August 31.

But if you are not in Tokyo or you are too lazy to brave the muggy weather, do not despair: You can actually see all the 171 poster here http://www.huffingtonpost.jp/2017/07/20/story_n_17548064.html

Therse are the posters on the Nanboku Line. Click on こちら when you reach the end, and you can jump to different subway lines.  

For more information on manga, anime, and how to get around in Tokyo, don't forget to check out my brand-new otaku guide to Tokyo!

https://www.amazon.com/Tokyo-Geeks-Guide-Cosplay-Ultimate/dp/4805313854/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1493858420&sr=8-1&keywords=tokyo+geeks+guide