Kara Dennison
October 25, 2024 
With the My Hero Academia and JUJUTSU KAISEN manga both coming to an end, Weekly Shonen Jump is losing two of its biggest hitters. The concept of a “Big Three” in shonen manga has been around for quite some time. And with two of the current three bowing out, the question remains: what now?
It’s a question on many fans’ minds, but it’s also a question that’s clearly on the mag’s mind. So, while we can’t know for sure what’s next, we can take a look at what the publishers are doing now. Who is in the running to take the next top fighting manga spots? Have those manga even been discovered yet?
Where We Stand
If you’ve read Shonen Jump for any length of time, you know that it can be pretty unforgiving. For every series with a triple-digit chapter count, there are half a dozen that didn’t make it past chapter 20. Series like Undead Unluck and Sakamoto Days, once they’ve cleared that first hurdle, go on to get their own anime. But to be a Naruto or a One Piece or a Bleach, you have to be on a level past even that.
While the magazine does have a variety of titles, ranging from rakugo-inspired Akane-banashi to the paranormal rom-com Witch Watch, the big hitters tend to be the battle manga. A couple are scraping their way to the top, but are they Big Three material?
The Contenders
Among the current Shonen Jump lineup, there are a few that could potentially ascend to Big Three status. Maybe. And this is just in terms of story beats, not quality or popularity.
Despite (or perhaps aided by) its early meme status, Kagurabachi has gone on to become a big hitter in the pages of the magazine. It comes highly recommended by both Kohei Horikoshi and Masashi Kishimoto (the creators of My Hero Academia and Naruto, respectively). And it’s even won a Next Manga Award. Similarly, Nue’s Exorcist has received recognition from manga and light novel creators. Both series have survived for more than a year and have plenty of action. Even so, it would seem that the magazine is hedging its bets elsewhere. Where? We don’t know yet.
The Next Generation
In August, Shonen Jump announced the JUMP Next Generation Battle Manga Award. This competition, which runs until late January, specifically seeks battle manga. It will also be judged by the people behind BLEACH, My Hero Academia, Black Clover, and JUJUTSU KAISEN. The contest is open to pro and amateur creators alike. The only rule? It’s gotta be a battle manga.
Between the theme and the wide net cast, it seems pretty clear that the manga mag knows it needs at least one new big battle manga. The question now is: can you summon your next Big Three? Or does it need to happen organically? We’ll have to wait and see. All we know for sure is, Shonen Jump is well aware of the gap in their list, and they’re eager to introduce a new shonen hero ASAP.
