Thanks to the success of several long-running and iconic serializations such as Dragon Ball, One Piece, Naruto, Bleach, etc., Weekly Shonen Jump became the best-selling manga magazine of all time. Launched in 1968, this famous magazine has serialized countless incredible manga over the decades. Shueisha’s most famous magazine thrives even after several decades since it was first launched, especially considering how trends have changed significantly from the past. In recent times, most series barely even reach 300 chapters before concluding their stories, including industry hits such as Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen. Each year, the magazine also includes dozens of new series in its roster, which naturally means that just as many manga will have to be axed to make room. Not every manga released in the magazine gets the attention from readers.
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Normally, the magazine waits around a year for a manga to release around 40–60 chapters and at least a couple of volumes to see if it’s worth continuing. However, there are also times when a few series, regardless of how promising they may be, end up being discontinued even before chapters due to low viewership and reader ratings. Ultimate Exorcist Kiyoshi, written and illustrated by Shoichi Usui, could’ve been one of those series, but was luckily saved before it got axed.
Ultimate Exorcist Kiyoshi Was Slated to Be Cancelled After Chapter 15
According to new information revealed in Volume 8, the manga could have been canceled in only 15 chapters because the sales and viewership ratings were low at the beginning. This also meant that a lot of the characters, concepts, and settings that Usui thought he would never be able to use again are finally being introduced in the story. Since the latest volume hasn’t been released globally yet, @WSJ_manga, a reliable source of information regarding all Shonen Jump series, shared this detail on X.
Usui formerly worked as Eiichiro Oda’s assistant, the creator of One Piece. The first volume of the manga contained a recommendation from Oda, and he even called the demons cute. While the recommendation did play a role in getting readers’ attention, they were eventually drawn to the story’s unique premise and intriguing characters.
While the series isn’t a groundbreaking hit, it’s picking up its momentum, especially after the debut of Asuta Roth, one of the most powerful villains in the series. The manga began serialization in July 2024, and almost two years later, it released the English translation of its Volume 1 on May 5th, 2026.
What Is Ultimate Exorcist Kiyoshi About?
Ultimate Exorcist Kiyoshi is surprisingly a wholesome comedy set in a world where demons invade the human world. The story centers around a 16-year-old prodigy, Kiyoshi Harai, the youngest ever graduate from the Exorcist Academy. As someone believed to be the strongest exorcist in history, Kiyoshi hides a major secret beneath his unparalleled power.
The boy has been terrified of demons since the day his parents died at the hands of a one. Even though he is haunted by the memory of the tragic day, Kiyoshi aspires to protect others by using his powers to exorcise demons. Despite the dangers involved in his line of work and the high stakes, his missions are often accompanied by hilarious moments.
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