A Shonen Jump Classic Is Reportedly Eyeing a Comeback

By Megan Peters

When you think of anime's biggest titles, names like Dragon Ball and Sailor Moon must come to mind. Over the decades, the shonen demographic has become a mascot for anime abroad, and that is why Shueisha's manga is known the world over. From Naruto to One Piece, Shonen Jump brought the industry's biggest hits to life, and a new report suggests one of its classics is eyeing a comeback.

The rumor comes from noted fan pages like Sugoi LITE amongst others on social media. If the word is right, one of Shonen Jump's best series from the 1970s is about to return. Kinnikuman, also known as Muscle Man, seems to be eyeing an anime adaptation. And if that is true, the fandom is in for a treat.

After all, Kinnikuman was Dragon Ball before Goku came around. We can thank this series for paving the way for One-Punch Man, My Hero Academia, and so many more titles. After all, the creator duo Yudetamago founded the manga in 1979, and the first series carried on for eight years. A sequel to Kinnikuman followed in the last 1990s and a version of this manga continues to this day titled Muscles Returns.

If you have not heard of Kunnikuman, well – you should not beat yourself up about it. The series is one of the best-selling manga in Japan, and it helped solidify Shonen Jump's hold on the industry decades ago. However, translation issues and licensing disputes made it hard for Kinnikuman to break into the North American market. While official versions of the Yudetamago manga are available stateside these days, Kinnikuman's delay kept it from reaching the heights of contemporaries such as Dragon Ball. But if the series is eyeing a comeback, now might be Kinnikuman's time to shine.

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For those unfamiliar with the series as a whole, Kinnikuman is a superhero parody, and it helped establish shonen's love of all-out battles. The series follows a young hero named Suguru Kinniku, a clumsy and comical man who learns he's a long-lost prince. His birthright is one tied to the universe's top superheroes, and Suguru must prove himself worthy of ruling his home planet before assuming the throne. To do this, the lost prince enters a wrestling tournament to prove his strength, but Kinniku learns quickly there are many villains in the universe vying for his throne.

What do you make of this latest anime rumor...? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.

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