This post is a long one, so prepare yourselfs.
GIGA one-shots:
Excalibur Nougyou by Ikuoka Gozu
Ukatensei by Itou Hoch
New Jump Gigas one shots, yes. Thanks Magister Xehanort, you sir are a saint. What about Jump Giga Winter 2024? i saw some interesting stuff on twitter but could not get much of anything only Taro Kaneko's one shot, which was meet with a lot of praise online.
Now for my personal opinions in regards to the art, how the story is told, its panelling, its impact on me as a reader, who does not speak japanese but can somewhat understand the art.
Alright let's do this;
.Sensei wa by Fukamori Shou and DEATH WISH by Fukamori Shou: Since this is author produced two one shots in the same magazine i will talk about both now, starting with the Sensei one; this was a rather interesting story, both the act and character design are unique but i did kind of felt like the panelling could be done better. The same could be said for Death Wish, the panelling is what i felt was the weakness both everything else was engaging as heck.
I think this newcomer is one that has great potential, however i feel like said potential can be done more on Jump Plus than on Weekly Shonen Jump as i feel like it would be better conveyed than with a magazine aimed for teen boys, no offense.
.Momo Kuri San-nen Koi Hachi-nen by Toba Yuuki:
Alright, gonna say it here first folks. This is one to look out for. I overall did not expect it to enjoy the one shot, but boy it delivered a great one that i hope gets traslated soon, because it could be made into a series if the author play his hand right. Not goign to say whats it about just to make you all go and see for yourselfs.
Toba Yuki is an author i can see making a series in Weekly Shounen Jump after seeing the one shot.
.Mad Romanticist by Hoshide Haru:
I honestly do not know what i read, however i do give props for being crazy inventive. But i do think the artwork/paneling is need of some work in my personal opinion.
I think the author should try to make a few more one shots, cause the potential is really there it just needs more experience in my personal opinion. But if am to say anything i would say his former one shot was better in my opinion.
.Excalibur Nougyou by Ikuoka Gozu:
The Flora one shot author returns with a new one shot. This one was suprisingly creative and unique and i can see he managed to improve since the last time, from both his paneling but also his art. While i felt the story was a tad normal i did find it to have a bit of heart on it, which i aprove of.
This is an author i can personally see do well on Weekly Shounen Jump, both his style of art can really intrigue folks to go and read his stuff.
.Nousatsu no Tetsukamen by Taniguchi Yutaka:
A interesting love story from what i have seen.The art is interesting and vibrant and the paneling is simple but straight to the point. Overall i think this author has a very interesting future ahead of them.
.Skull Mark by Shimohara Seiya:
This author artstyle is kinda reminiscing of Tatsuki Fujimoto of Chainsaw Man fame but man, its was very zany in my opinion. Like the paneling is by far the best i have seen in the issue so far but the story was something weird but interesting.
I can definetly see this author finding success, however am somewhat not sure if Weekly Shonen Jump would suit his style of craft in my opinion. But he is one to look out for in the future for sure.
.Ukatensei by Itou Hochi:
Honestly reminding me of Blue Box, but it does have heart and really good art and storytelling elements. I wish to see this author do more sports because i think he does it really well in my opinion.
I can see him be another potential newcomer for the magazine if Blue Box ends in the next few years. But i do hope he tries do make a few more one shots just for experience.
.Mitsuami Skull no Kokoronokori by Marujuuji Chihiro:
This honestly was rather interesting for the fact that the story was genuiely engaging in the sense that when seeing the art you can somewhat understand what is going on in the story and not only that the author is really interesting when it comes to the story he wishes to tell. So i have to commend them for that.
This is another author to look out for, since i am sure we are seeing him again.
.Ashimaru by Hachiya Ikuo:
The return of a mangaka from Weekly Shonen Jump, gotta say he did try to overcome of the issues he had in Ice Head and i kinda have to compliment for him trying to improve. However the story was not really one i was engaged compared to the others, but i hope he continues since he has a really unique artsyle.
.Chigau Ana no Mujina feat.HARAISHI by Kahoune Machi:
This was not my personal favorite out of the bunch alongside another one that i also felt lack something. While the art is memorable i felt like the story was trying too many things and it was all over the place in my opinion. So persdonally, i want the other to continue making one shots and try and learn from this one shot at what he went wrong and how to improve it. I do have faith he will return with a much better story.
.Uchuu Yurei/SPACE GHOST by MariSawa Ibuka:
This was highly unique and i appreciate the art and its paneling, but i do feel like there were stronger works compared to them, however i do think they have quite the creative mind and that can take folks to places high.
This is an author to look out for when they lauch their next one shot.
.Piece of Witch by Arisaka Asahi:
By far the best of the best, everything was really professional. Like folks would think the fellow was already well know as a mangaka. That's how interesting the one shot was. The story, paneling and art all came together and it delivered in spades.
Arisaka Asahi is definetly one author to look out for and i would also say this style can work not only in Weekly Shonen Jump but also Jump Square.
.Shirataki Sunao wa Deshi Sugiru by Chicch:
Now this one i admit i enjoyed a bit too much. I liked the artstyle and i like that the story was rather straight to the point. I think this author would to very well on Weekly Shonen Jump and i hope to be proven correct in this.
.Brother Beat by Iwai Tsugumi:
The art is impressive by itself, but i felt that the story was the weakess element of it all. I do hope he returns andf makes a better story cause i think he has what it takes to deliver.
.Yumihime no Ibis by Minamino Tomiya:
Well i knew i recognized the fellow somewhere, he made a viking one shot back on Jump Giga 2023 Winter that was rather weak in my opinion. However i do think he improved by he still need experience, but i can see that he is learning ut i would reccomend he not make any series until he perfected his craft greatly. He is getting there and am hopeful for his future.
. Susume! Napoleon-sensei by Kawamoto Daishin:
For a gag manga, i just did not really vibe with it whatsover. i felt it was trying to be all over the place in general and it did nothing to click on me. However i do think if the author keeps trying he can managed to create a very funny series, but i think he needs more experience before he tries to do a series.
. Shisho no Oshigoto by Itou:
I think this author has an unique artstyle, however i do think he need to try something different to stand out a bit from other exorcist series as i felt the story was a bit repetitive. But i can see this author making numbers in the future and i can hardly wait to see what he makes.
.Himenokage by Yoshida Gakaku:
This was a peculiar one shot, it was rather engaging despite the art not being the best one. But the story elements was truly impressive. I think he has the making of an excellent writer, but i do think he needs improvement on his artstyle just a bit more. However i can see him making a series in the next few years.
This is another author to look out for in my opinion.
.HEART SHAKE!! by Iwai Tsugumi:
Gotta say it was rather interesting overall, however i do think the author has to give a few more one shots before making a full blown series. But i think the fellow has potential.
.LOOK!! by Ryuu:
I was impressed, it managed to keep me engaged in the story while also conveying the emotions of the characters with great detail and that is not something any mangaka can really do on the first go and do find out he made this less than i year ago is way too impressive. This fellow is most definetly one folks should and need to look out for in the future.
.Kinsei~ by Nunokabe Youji:
Alright, the one shot that Yusuke Tabata was talking about recently, gotta say. This author has an unique art and style of storytelling, it was a very interesting look and i can see why Tabata was interested. I can see this dude make a very unique series later down the line.
. Mahou wo Tsukawanai Majo/Mahou to Balance/Mahou no Tsue:
Mahou wo Tsukawanai Majo by Yokoya Machika;
I kinda like this authors sense of artstyle and narrative elements, iwish to see more of this author in future one shots before coming with my own conclusions.
Mahou to Balance by Yoshimura Yoshi;
Interesting short story, however ifeel like the author needs a tad more experience in my opinion.
Mahou no Tsue by Kushogawara Takirou;
Interesting artstyle but i do feel like the story was a bit flat, so i hope he makes a story that is engaging next time.
Overall, i felt like this issue was a bit stronger than last year Spring Issue but just by a little bit.
The authors i think i would want to see in Weekly Shonen Jump are as follow:
- Arisaka Asahi
- Toba Yuuki
- Ikuoka Gozu
- Shimohara Seiya( I know what i said about him, but i do wish to see him in the magazine just to see how folks approach his artsyle and way of storytelling)
- Itou Hochi
- Chicch
- Marujuuji Chihiro
What do you guys think about it overall? Which authors do you think we should look out for in the future of the magazine in this particular issue?