Jump Square (Japanese: ジャンプスクエア, Hepburn: Janpu Sukuea), also written as Jump SQ. (ジャンプSQ.), is a Japanese monthly shōnen manga magazine. Published by Shueisha, the magazine premiered on November 2, 2007, as a replacement for Monthly Shōnen Jump, another manga anthology that Shueisha discontinued in June of that year. The magazine is a part of the Jump line of magazines. The manga titles serialized in the magazine are also published in tankōbon volumes under the Jump Comics SQ. imprint. Shueisha reported that readers of Jump Square tend to range from 15 to 34 years of age.[2] The current (2015) editor-in-chief is Kôsuke Yahagi.[3]
 | |
 Jump Square's December 2007 debut issue, released on November 2, 2007 | |
| Editor | Kôsuke Yahagi |
|---|---|
| Categories | Shōnen manga[1] |
| Frequency | Monthly |
| Circulation | 140,000 (January–December 2021)[2] |
| First issue | November 2, 2007 |
| Company | Shueisha |
| Country | Japan |
| Language | Japanese |
| Website | jumpsq |
History
editJump SQ, also called Jump Square, was created as the replacement for Shueisha's canceled Monthly Shōnen Jump manga anthology.[4] The title has three stated meanings: public square ("a plaza where comic lovers and talented artists and writers come together"), algebraic square (Weekly Shōnen Jump²), and "SQ = Supreme Quality" (referring to its "Supreme Quality Manga Magazine" motto).[5] Four manga serials were temporarily moved to Weekly Shōnen Jump, until Jump Square's release. These four series, Tegami Bachi, Rosario + Vampire, Claymore, and Gag Manga Biyori were among the magazine's premiere series, along with debuting series, including Embalming -The Another Tale of Frankenstein-, Kure-nai, and Dragonaut: The Resonance.[6]
Circulation
editWhen Jump Square was launched, the initial printing of 500,000 copies quickly sold out. Over 70% of the copies released across Japan sold within three days. Shueisha printed an additional 100,000 copies to help meet the demand, something normally not necessary with Japanese magazines.[6] The second issue also sold well, requiring a second printing of 60,000 copies.[7] After the first issue excitement died down, circulation leveled off in the vicinity of 370,000 copies and by 2015 had declined to 270,000, mirroring a general drop-off in circulation throughout the industry.[8]
Features
editJump Square's primary content is manga serials. In addition to the manga series, some issues include serialized light novel chapters from works published by the Jump j-Books label. One-shots from established manga writers are featured in a section of the magazine called the "Supreme Yomikiri Series" (SUPREME読切シリーズ, Supurīmu Yomikiri Shirīzu), while pieces from up-and-coming writers occasionally appear in the "Explosive Yomikiri Series" (Explosive読切シリーズ, Explosive Yomikiri Shirīzu) section.
Series
editThere are currently fifteen manga titles being regularly serialized in Jump Square.
| Series title | Author(s) | Premiere issue |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Exorcist (青の祓魔師, Ao no Exorcist) | Kazue Kato | April 2009 |
| The Bugle Call: Song of War (戦奏教室, Sensō Kyōshitsu) | Sora Mozuku, Toumori Higoro | June 2022 |
| Dark Gathering (ダークギャザリング) | Kenichi Kondō | March 2019 |
| Gokurakugai (極楽街) | Yuto Sano | August 2022 |
| Hōkago no Ōjisama (放課後の王子様) | Takeshi Konomi, Kenichi Sakura | November 2008 |
| Kemono Jihen (怪物事変) | Shō Aimoto | December 2016 |
| Kono Oto Tomare! (この音とまれ!) | Amyū | August 2012 |
| Masuda Kōsuke Gekijō Gag Manga Biyori GB (増田こうすけ劇場 ギャグマンガ日和GB) | Kōsuke Masuda | December 2014 |
| Moriarty the Patriot (憂国のモリアーティ, Yūkoku no Moriarty) | Arthur Conan Doyle (Sherlock Holmes series), Ryōsuke Takeuchi, Hikaru Miyoshi | August 2016 |
| The Prince of Tennis II (新テニスの王子様, Shin Tennis no Ōjisama) | Takeshi Konomi | March 2009 |
| Rurouni Kenshin: The Hokkaido Arc (るろうに剣心 -明治剣客浪漫譚・北海道編-, Rurōni Kenshin -Meiji Kenkaku Roman-tan Hokkaido-hen-) | Nobuhiro Watsuki, Kaworu Kurosaki | September 2017 |
| Seraph of the End (終わりのセラフ, Owari no Seraph) | Takaya Kagami, Yamato Yamamoto, Daisuke Furuya | September 2012 |
| Show-ha Shoten! (ショーハショーテン！) | Akinari Asakura, Takeshi Obata | November 2021 |
| Too Cute Crisis (カワイスギクライシス, Kawaisugi Kuraishisu) | Mitsuru Kido | October 2019 |
| World Trigger (ワールドトリガー) | Daisuke Ashihara | January 2019 |
Special issues
editJump SQ.II
editJump SQ.II (ジャンプSQ.II, Janpu Sukuea Sekando) short for Jump Square Second (ジャンプスクエアセカンド), is a spin-off issue of Jump SQ of which three volumes have currently been published, beginning on April 18, 2008.[9]
The first issue featured the collaborative effort between American comic writer Stan Lee and Hiroyuki Takei, called Karakuri Dôji Ultimo (using the Marvel Method). [10][11][12]
A contest organized by Shonen Jump (a monthly English version of Weekly Shōnen Jump) and Jump SQ., offered a Jump SQ II (Second) issue autographed by Lee and Takei to the random winner at the 2008 New York Comic Con.[13] Three regulars: Sekai no Chūshin de Taiyō ni Hoeru, Tsumikabatsu, and Mahō no Ryōri Chaos Kitchen; were put in the SQ II magazine as their own SQ II exclusive one-shot, along with other one-shot like Missing Battery, Cross, or Alone Again.[14]
The success of Ultimo led to the extra mini book named The Man Who Created "Spider-Man" and the "X-Men" - Stan Lee the book! (｢スパイダーマン｣｢X-MEN｣を作った男 スタン·リー the Book!, "Supaidāman", "Ekkusumen" o Tsukutta Otoko - Stan Lee the Book!) which is completely based on Lee's American comics, mostly Amazing Fantasy (first Spider-Man, Iron Man, and The Hulk).
Jump SQ.19
editJump SQ.19 (ジャンプSQ.19, Janpu Esu Kyū Ichi Kyū) is a spin-off issue of Jump SQ, first published on May 19, 2010. It includes one shots and Jump SQ series' side stories, and a series that only serializes in Jump SQ.19. Initially, it was scheduled to release quarterly on the 19th of every February, May, August, and November.
On February 18, 2012, Jump SQ.19 announced a magazine change to a bimonthly release. It was then published on the 19th of every even-numbered month[15] until its publication ceased on February 19, 2015.[16]
Jump SQ.Crown
editJump SQ.Crown (ジャンプSQ.CROWN, Janpu Esu Kyū Kuraun) was a spin-off issue of Jump SQ which started publishing on July 17, 2015. It followed a structure similar to Jump SQ.19: the series which only serialized in Jump SQ.Crown; the one-shots by newbies and experienced authors; and the side stories from Jump SQ. series. It ceased publication on January 19, 2018.
Jump SQ.Lab
editJump SQ.Lab (ジャンプSQ.LaB, Janpu Sukuea Labo) is a spin-off issue of Jump SQ, first published on July 15, 2011. Jump SQ.Lab follows same format as Jump Next; it includes the one shots by both the experienced and the newcomer manga creators, and the side stories for both Jump SQ and Jump SQ.19 series.
Jump SQ.Rise
editJump SQ.Rise (ジャンプＳＱ.ＲＩＳＥ) is a spin-off issue of Jump SQ which started publishing on April 13, 2018. It follows a structure similar to Jump SQ.19 and Jump SQ Crown.[17]
Series
editThere are currently four manga titles being regularly serialized in Jump SQ.Rise.
| Series Title | Author | Premiered |
|---|---|---|
| Bōken Ō Beet (冒険王ビィト) | Riku Sanjō, Kōji Inada, Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru | April 2018 |
| Blood Blockade Battlefront: Beat 3 Peat (血界戦線 Beat 3 Peat) | Yasuhiro Nightow | October 2022 |
| D.Gray-man (ディー・グレイマン) | Katsura Hoshino | April 2018 |
| Mr. Clice (ミスタークリス) | Osamu Akimoto | April 2018 |
References
edit- ^ "Boy's Manga" (in Japanese). Japanese Magazine Publishers Association. September 2016. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
- ^ a b "Shueisha Media Guide 2022" (PDF). May 7, 2022. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
- ^ "Interview Archived 2015-04-14 at archive.today with Masashi Kishimoto", The One Piece Podcast, April 13, 2015. Retrieved October 28, 2015.
- ^ "Jump Square to Replace Monthly Shōnen Jump in November". Anime News Network. July 5, 2007. Retrieved June 11, 2008.
- ^ "What's Jump SQ.?". Shueisha. Archived from the original on March 19, 2008. Retrieved February 15, 2010.
- ^ a b "500,000-Copy Jump Square Debut Gets 2nd Run of 100,000". Anime News Network. November 8, 2007. Retrieved June 11, 2008.
- ^ "News of Jump Square Reprint". Jump Square website (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on May 3, 2008. Retrieved June 11, 2008.
- ^ Japan Magazine Publishers Association Magazine Data (April-June 2015). "Boys Manga" (in Japanese). Retrieved Oct. 29, 2015.
- ^ Jump SQ II (Second)
- ^ Marvel's Stan Lee, Shaman King's Takei to Join Forces (Updated) - Anime News Network
- ^ Stan Lee and Shaman King Teams Up in Jump Square II | ComiPress
- ^ VIZ Media . news . press room
- ^ VIZ Media . news . press room
- ^ セブンアンドワイ - 雑誌 - JUMP SQUARE増刊 2008年6月号
- ^ "ジャンプSQ.［ジャンプSQ.19今号の内容］". jumpsq.shueisha.co.jp. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012.
- ^ "Jump SQ. 19 to End, but New Magazine to Launch in July".
- ^ "ジャンプＳＱ ＲＩＳＥ２０１８ ＳＰＲＩＮＧ 2018年5月号". Archived from the original on August 5, 2018. Retrieved March 31, 2018.
External links
edit- Official website (in Japanese)
- Jump Square at Anime News Network's encyclopedia