One of Shonen Jump's Top Editors Has Left Shueisha

Shihei Lin, one of Shonen Jump's top editors, has left Shueisha.

By Megan Peters

When you think of Shonen Jump, you think of the best. For decades now, the team at Shueisha has worked to turn the magazine line into a household name. The publication has brought some of the greatest manga series in history to life from Dragon Ball to Naruto and My Hero Academia. But as Shonen Jump begins its move into a new era, the publication has been hit by a surprising staff shake up.

Taking to X (Twitter), Shihei Lin revealed to the world that they were no longer a Shueisha employee. The editor, who has overseen a number of modern hits, says he left Shueisha back in 2022. He walked away from full-time work at the publisher, and since then, Lin been a freelance editor on series he helped develop like Chainsaw Man.

Who Is Shihei Lin?

"This is a personal issue, but I have something I want to share with you. I... left Shueisha at the end of August 2022. Currently, I am working as a freelance manga editor at the Jump+ editorial department," Lin explained.

Continuing, the editor went on to explain he is still the lead editor on Chainsaw Man and Spy x Family. He also oversees titles like Dandadan, Kindergarten Wars, Centuria, Machi and Oboro, Kunigei, and Beat & Motion. As for why Lin left his gig at Shueisha, the editor says he wanted to start his own company that deals with more elements of the anime and manga industries.

"Once I began freelancing, I started my own company. Here, I am working with excellent assistant editors and production assists on creating new projects including anime and live-action films. We are also working on creating many new characters and stories... Plus, we want to focus on nurturing and educating manga artists by holding lessons and lectures at vocational schools."

Clearly, Lin has been an integral part of series production on Shueisha, but his job there closed in 2022. In the years since, the editor has worked on the stories he helped create, but he has not taken part in any new titles. With titles like Chainsaw Man and Dandadan on his resume, there is no denying the talent Lin has at hand. And with his own company under thumb, Lin is hoping to expand his career into film and television production.

What Does the Future of Shonen Jump Look Like?

Lin may be out of the picture at Shonen Jump, but there are other top-tier editors working at Shueisha. A year ago, one of them helped artist Takeru Hokazono bring Kagurabachi to life, and the sword-fighting series is leading manga's next gen. Other series like Astro Royale and Ichi the Witch have gone live in the past year to rave reviews. So as always, Shueisha is on the hunt for manga's next big thing.

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Of course, that hunt is more timely than ever. A number of Shonen Jump series have met their end in the past years. Twin Star Exorcists and My Hero Academia closed earlier this year. This weekend, Jujutsu Kaisen wrapped with its final chapter, and other stories like Black Clover are nearing their end. The dawn of a new era is upon Shueisha, and as it continues searching for new stories, Lin's freelance gig will keep the publisher afloat.

What do you make of this Shueisha revelation? Where do you see the publisher going in the future? Give me a shout at @meganwpeters with your take! You can also let us know what you think over on X (Twitter) and Instagram.

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