Since its founding in 1968, Weekly Shonen Jump has established itself as one of Japan’s most influential manga magazines, being the starting point for countless hits that have left their mark on popular culture, its popularity poll system, where readers play a crucial role in the continuity of the series, ensures that only the most impactful and beloved stories survive in Shonen Jump. A recent survey conducted by Japanese site Goo Ranking has revealed which series started in the 2020s have most captured the interest of Weekly Shonen Jump’s audience.
Goo Ranking reveals Top 10 series that define the new era of Shonen Jump
Weekly Shonen Jump, the iconic Japanese manga magazine, is characterized by its fierce survival system, where the series must quickly conquer the readers to stay in publication, this approach has turned the magazine into a real forge of successes, where only the most solid titles manage to consolidate as successes in manga and anime, and many of the series of Shonen Jump magazine manage to have an anime adaptation.
In line with this, the Japanese platform Goo Ranking conducted a survey between March 11 and 25, 2025, with the aim of knowing which are the most entertaining works of Shonen Jump, however this ranking decided only to series that began in the 2020s of Shonen Jump, the survey, which received a total of 181 votes, was designed and executed by the editorial department of the platform, using its own voting system.
The result was a ranking with 25 most popular series born in this new era of Shonen Jump manga, highlighting both consolidated successes and promising titles, however, we will only talk about the top 10 ranking on Shonen Jump series.
1. Mashle: Magic and Muscles
Created by Hajime Komoto, Mashle: Magic and Muscles is a manga that combines comedy and action in a world where magic is everything, the protagonist, Mash Burnedead, lacks magical abilities, but possesses an enormous physical strength, he decides to enter the Easton Magic Academy to become a Divine Visionary and live in peace with his adoptive family.
The manga was published in Weekly Shonen Jump from January 2020 to July 2023, compiling a total of 18 volumes, the series was well received for its humor and parodies to works such as Harry Potter, the anime adaptation was produced by A-1 Pictures and premiered in April 2023, the first season had 12 episodes, and a second season aired in 2024, the anime is available on different platforms.
2. Nige Jouzu no Wakagimi (The Elusive Samurai)
The work of Yusei Matsui, author of Assassination Classroom, The Elusive Samurai is a historical manga set in 14th century Japan, the story follows Hojo Tokiyuki, a young nobleman who, after the betrayal of Ashikaga Takauji and the fall of his clan, becomes a master of escape to survive and seek revenge.
The manga began serialization in January 2021 and has been collected in 19 volumes until February 2025, the series won the 69th Shogakukan Manga Award in 2024, the anime adaptation was produced by CloverWorks and aired from July to September 2024, with a total of 12 episodes, a second season has been announced, the anime is available on different platforms.
3. Sakamoto Days
Created by Yuto Suzuki, Sakamoto Days tells the story of Taro Sakamoto, a legendary assassin who decides to retire to lead a quiet life as a convenience store owner and family man, however, his past catches up with him, and he must face new challenges while protecting his loved ones.
The manga has been published in Weekly Shonen Jump since November 2020 and has been collected in 16 volumes until April 2024, the anime adaptation was produced by TMS Entertainment and premiered on Netflix on January 11, 2025, the first season has 11 episodes, released weekly until March 22.
4. Ao no Hako (Blue Box)
Ao no Hako is a manga written and illustrated by Kouji Miura that combines the genres of romance and sports, the story follows Taiki Inomata, a promising young man in the world of badminton, who strikes up a friendship with his partner Chinatsu Kano, an exceptional player who shares his athletic dreams, as Taiki and Chinatsu train together, their bond grows, and the two must face not only the challenges within the badminton arena, but also the personal conflicts that arise as they mature.
The series debuted in Weekly Shonen Jump in April 2021 and has been well received by fans due to its emotional tone and realistic approach to sports, throughout its volumes, the series has shown a steady progression in terms of story quality and character evolution, an anime TV series adaptation produced by Telecom Animation Film and TMS Entertainment premiered in October 2024.
5. Dr. STONE 4D SCIENCE
Dr. STONE 4D SCIENCE is a direct sequel to the hit Dr. STONE series created by Riichiro Inagaki and illustrated by Boichi, the story follows Senku Ishigami and his friends as they continue their mission to rebuild civilization using advances in science, in this sequel, new scientific challenges and innovative technologies are introduced as the protagonists work to restore human progress after the global collapse left by Petrification.
Dr. STONE debuted in Weekly Shonen Jump in 2017 and quickly became a hit due to its unique approach to applied science in fiction, the sequel, Dr. STONE 4D SCIENCE, expanded on the narrative and concepts introduced in the original series, maintaining fan interest throughout its volumes, the original series was adapted into anime by TMS Entertainment, and the fourth season, titled Dr. STONE 4D SCIENCE, began in 2025.
6. Boku to Roboko (Me & Roboco)
Boku to Roboko is a comic manga created by Shuhei Miyazaki that parodies the clichés of shonen manga, the story follows Bondo, a boy who acquires a domestic robot named Roboco, who is anything but conventional, Roboco is an extremely clumsy machine, but despite his ineptitude, his kindness and enthusiasm generate a series of comic and absurd situations.
The manga began publication in Weekly Shonen Jump in 2020, and has been well received for its light comedy style and its focus on breaking the stereotypes of the shonen genre, the series was adapted to anime by the Gallop studio and premiered between December 2022 and June 2023, the series has 28 episodes, and stays true to its comedy and parody format, which has allowed it to attract both new fans and those who enjoyed the original manga series.
7. Ruri Dragon
Created by Masaoki Shindo, Ruri Dragon is a slice of life and fantasy manga that has attracted attention for its simple but emotional premise, the story revolves around Ruri Aoki, a teenager who one day wakes up with horns on her head, discovering that she is half dragon because her father belongs to that species, from this event, Ruri must adapt to her new powers and differences while continuing to lead a normal school life.
The manga was first published as a one-shot in December 2020, and due to its good reception, it began its regular serialization in Weekly Shonen Jump in June 2022, however, the work went on indefinite hiatus shortly after due to the author’s health problems, resuming publication in January 2024, To date, it has 3 compilation volumes, for the moment, Ruri Dragon does not have an anime adaptation announced, however, due to its growing popularity, especially in social networks, many fans hope that a studio will soon be interested in bringing it to the screen.
8. Undead Unluck
Undead Unluck is an action, comedy and science fiction manga created by Yoshifumi Tozuka, the story follows Fuuko Izumo, a young girl with a curse that brings bad luck to whoever touches her, and Andy, an immortal man who wishes to die, both form a chaotic duo that gets involved in a secret organization called Union, which fights against supernatural beings known as UMAs (Unidentified Mysterious Animals).
The manga began its publication in Weekly Shonen Jump in January 2020 and to date has been collected in more than 20 volumes, it was awarded the Tsugi ni Kuru Manga Taisho 2020 Award in the category of print manga, which boosted its popularity among readers, the anime adaptation was produced by the studio David Production (known for JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure) and premiered in October 2023, the first season has 24 episodes and has been well received for its animation and fidelity to the manga.
9. BURN THE WITCH
Created by Tite Kubo, author of the acclaimed Bleach series, BURN THE WITCH is a manga that combines fantasy, action, and comedy. The story takes place in Reverse London, an alternate version of London where dragons invisible to most people exist. The protagonists, Noel Niihashi and Ninny Spangcole, are witches who work for the Wing Bind organization, tasked with protecting and controlling these dragons.
The manga began as a one-shot in 2018 and was later serialized in 2020. To date, it has one published volume, and Tite Kubo has confirmed that he is working on a second season of the manga. The anime adaptation was produced by Studio Colorido and premiered on October 1, 2020. It consists of three episodes that cover the main story of the first volume of the manga. The anime is available on different platforms.
10. Akane-banashi
Akane-banashi is a manga written by Yuuki Suenaga and illustrated by Takamasa Moue, which focuses on the world of rakugo, a traditional Japanese form of oral storytelling. The story follows Akane Osaki, a young woman who aspires to become a professional rakugo artist to avenge her father, who was unjustly expelled from Arakawa High School during a promotion test. With determination and talent, Akane embarks on a journey to prove her worth in a male-dominated field and preserve her father’s legacy.
The manga began serialization in Weekly Shonen Jump in February 2022. In 2022, it won the Next Manga Award in the Print Manga category. Additionally, there is a voice-acted comic book adaptation available on Jump Comics’ official YouTube channel. Although an anime adaptation has not yet been officially announced, various reports indicate that one may be coming soon. According to insider @FUCEO0, the Akane-banashi anime is in the works, and an official announcement is expected soon.
The Goo Ranking survey reflects the Japanese public’s perception of Shonen Jump’s new offerings this decade. The top ten shows that, despite the passage of time, the magazine continues to innovate and present stories capable of resonating with a new generation of readers. Whether for their creativity, charisma, or intensity, these ten works are marking a new golden age for contemporary manga in Shonen Jump.
