Earlier today, the official Shonen Jump Twitter account updated with a video from Vice President of Viz Media’s Global Shonen Jump division, Hisashi Sasaki. In the video, Sasaki announced that the publication is relaunching as of December 17.
Going forward, Shonen Jump will be a free service, which will offer chapters of manga on the same day as they hit stores in Japan. The most recent three chapters of all ongoing titles will be offered as part of the simulpub format.
“To remain competitive,” Hisashi comments, “Shonen Jump has to evolve. […] We learned that free access gets more people reading manga. The new Shonen Jump will be legitimate, authentic, and safe.”
Viz will also offer a subscription plan, which will be priced at $1.99 USD per month. The subscription will offer access to a back catalog of “nearly everything Shonen Jump has released in English.” The catalog will contain more than 10,000 chapters that have been released under Viz Media’s banner.
A seven-day trial will be available on December 17, with the launch of the new program.
“By becoming a member,” Hisashi states, “you can support mangaka and respect mangaka. [I] hope you will join us.”
Prior to his position at Viz Media, Sasaki worked as editor-in-chief of Weekly Shonen Jump.
Viz Media also published a trailer detailing the changes to their publication, which you can check out below.
Shonen Jump made its debut in North America as a print magazine in 2003. The publication began its transition to digital format in 2012, when the company launched Shonen Jump Alpha. The magzine currently exists as a digital magazine, which is priced at $25.99USD per year, or $0.99USD per issue.
As of press time, Shonen Jump hosts more than thirteen titles, including:
- Black Clover
- Blue Exorcist
- Boruto: Naruto Next Generations
- Dr. Stone
- Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma
- Hunter X Hunter
- My Hero Academia
- One Piece
- One-Punch Man
- Seraph of the End
- The Promised Neverland
- We Never Learn
- World Trigger
- Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V
Source: Twitter (ShonenJump) (Thanks to David J. Majors for the tip!)
Shonen Jump to Relaunch As Free SimulPub Service – Samantha Ferreira
