Anime fans have seen a lot of classic anime return with new reboots, sequels, or new remakes, and there are a few Shonen Jump classics that could very well use that same bump with a new anime. It’s been a great time to be a nostalgic anime fan as many franchises have found new life through big revival projects. We’ve seen many of the classics from Shonen Jump return even after decades away, and that’s opened the door for even more potential franchises to make their comebacks in the future.
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There are still some major Shonen Jump franchises that fans want to see with a modern day production giving it all a face lift from before, and there are a few that fans want to see given that they have been away for a long time at this point. This list contains a little bit of both, so read for a few Shonen Jump classics that would do well with getting a modern day coat of paint in an official remake or revival.
7). Dragon Ball
Dragon Ball might currently be working on a remake for Dragon Ball Super, but fans would really rather see a full remake of the original TV anime series that started it all. As Akira Toriyama’s manga celebrates its 40th anniversary, the original era of the franchise is all the more important. But outside of upscaling the older episodes to modern day visual fidelity, Goku’s original adventures are still left in that original era.
We’ve seen teases of what a new take on the classic anime would look like in small moments in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero and more that have really excited fans, but a full remake anime would be a very welcome release. While that original anime still very much works, a remake would be perfect for a new generation.
6). Naruto
It’s the same case for Naruto, too. It’s been apparently working on a new anime special for its original anime as part of the 20th anniversary, and we’ve even seen a remake reel of the anime’s biggest moments, and that only excites fans about the prospect of what a full remake would be like. Naruto would probably benefit the most from such an undertaking as a new era of the anime could streamline it to just featuring the canonical events from Masashi Kishimoto’s original manga series, and that would make it a better point of entry for a new generation of fans.
With the Boruto sequel going on now it might be tough for a remake to also exist, but it’s what the franchise needs to get its life back. There just isn’t as much interest in the sequel as the original, but this would be a great way to bring the hype back.
5). Yu-Gi-Oh! Season 0
Yu-Gi-Oh! is sort of in that same boat as its many sequels and spinoffs have paled in comparison to the popularity of Kazuki Takahashi’s original manga story, but what really needs a remake upgrade is the mysterious “Season 0.” This was the very first adaptation of Takahashi’s story that focuses on the original death games that Yami had played with various individuals, and was often hailed as a much darker take on the series before it shifted its focus to children’s card games.
This version of the anime has yet to get an official release outside of Japan, but a full remake of this original slate of stories would help give Yu-Gi-Oh the kind of full circle bump it needs to truly be complete. There’s a whole chunk of the story that many anime fans might not even realized existed, so now is the time to rectify that with a remake.
4). Hikaru no Go
Much like Yu-Gi-Oh!, Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata’s Hikaru no Go is also a series that focused on a single game, but it’s likely not the most popular outside of Japan. The original TV anime series had some issues with its release in North America as it never got to air in its entirety. Releasing several volumes on DVD before being cancelled, and streaming with the failed Toonami Jetstream platform meant that it didn’t really get the buzz it needed to survive in the same way as other classic game based anime.
Its focus on the game Go might also be a reason that this series didn’t take off, but a remake would help it get the attention it deserves. There are a ton of anime around these days that aren’t action focused, but have the vibe of those action favorites like Hikaru no Go. It was really just ahead of its time as the more worldwide friendly audience would be more receptive to its ideas now. A remake would give it that chance.
3). Eyeshield 21
Eyeshield 21 was caught within the same kind of bubble with its own original anime release. Only launching with Toonami Jetstream but never getting a proper debut on Toonami itself, this is another series that was totally forgotten by North American audiences. It’s such a shame too because it was kind of perfectly fit for those audiences in mind with its take on American style football. Tapping into the art of now famous artist Yusuke Murata, this was a hard hitting sports anime.
Unlike other sports hits from Shonen Jump, Eyeshield 21 never really got its chance. But now with volumes of the manga getting reprints in North America after many, many years, it seems like it’s now the perfect time for the anime to return with a remake too. It needs some kind of revival to really get the energy going.
2). Yu Yu Hakusho
Yu Yu Hakusho has been held as one of the best anime of all time by many, but it’s remained within its 1990s shell all this time. Though the cast returned for a brief adventure when it celebrated its 30th anniversary, it was just scratching the surface of what a modern take of Yu Yu Hakusho would actually look like. The anime made some changes to Yoshihiro Togashi’s manga, so it would be curious to see what a fully faithful adaptation would look like.
This one might be tougher to do considering that Togashi was also facing some major burnout towards the end of the original series, but this feels like one of those franchises that should be celebrating these days more so than it actually is. A remake would help in that regard.
1). Katekyo Hitman Reborn!
Akira Amano’s Katekyo Hitman Reborn! is also one of those franchises that feels like it should be a lot bigger. It’s a series with a huge roster of characters that often upgrade their powers and abilities in new arcs across multiple arcs, and the original anime had over 200 episodes. But even with as long as it had run, it doesn’t seem like it’s brought up in the same conversations as other massive Shonen Jump franchises from that same generation like Naruto and more.
If the franchise does get the opportunity to return for a new anime that perhaps streamlines what made the original so special and gives the action a bump, it might be what helps Reborn! to be, well, reborn in the anime world. It just seems destined to knock it out of the park with a revival of some sort.
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