Canceled Shonen Jump Series Shares First Look at Final Volume

Shonen Jump is going through several changes this year, with several manga series leaving the magazine and just as many being introduced to fill the gaps. Ken Wakui’s Astro Royale gathered a bunch of negative attention even before its debut and ended up being axed in just one year. Wakui is the creator of WSJ’s Tokyo Revengers, which was serialized from 2017 to 2022. The manga even won the 44th Kodansha Manga Award in the Shounen category in 2020, and its popularity only skyrocketed in 2021 after the anime debut. Fans are awaiting the fourth season of the anime, which will be released next year.

Unfortunately, unlike Tokyo Revengers’ successful streak, Astro Royale didn’t receive the same reception, both in terms of sales and reviews. The series released its final Chapter 50 on April 21st, 2025. Every quarter, Shonen Jump releases a new set of manga volumes, and the next lineup is scheduled for July 4th, 2025. Astro Royale will also release its sixth and final volume. @WSJ_manga on X shares the final volume, focusing on the major characters with Hibaru taking the spotlight in the middle. The previous five volumes have included 43 chapters of the manga, so Volume 6 will include Chapters 44 to 50. Wakui released his new manga less than two years after Tokyo Revengers’ controversial ending. As of now, there’s no confirmation about the author’s next project.

What Is the Plot of Astro Royale?

The story centers around Hibaru Yotsurugi, the only son of the Yotsurugi gang’s leader, Kongo Yotsugiri. With the leader’s sudden death, tension arises in the gang concerning the next leader. Among the members, Shio Yotsugiri, one of the adopted sons of the previous leader, is considered to be the best candidate, but some lean towards Hibaru for being the only legitimate son. Unexpectedly, Hibaru reads his father’s will during the funeral service, declaring Terasu Yotsugiri, the 12th adopted son, as the next leader. The sudden announcement causes chaos among the gang, but no one other than Terasu is aware that Hibaru forged the will, and he was the chosen heir instead.

Hibaru didn’t have enough conviction to accept such a role because of his unwavering beliefs. After the commotion, a sudden meteor strike grants special powers to the people in Japan. The powers, called “Astro,” are granted to individuals connected to the celestial realm after a meteor strike. The powers are many and varying, including superhuman strength, telekinesis, elemental manipulation, and enhanced perception.

The sudden incident marks a new era of superhumans, which is the first step towards Hibaru being the strongest Yakuza. However, the sudden change and the unexpected rise in superhumans means people can also use their powers for evil. As the country goes through this major change, Shio plans to use his powerful abilities to take over the gang as the new leader. Thus, Hibaru begins the journey with Terasu, exploring his powers in a new and unstable world to live up to his father’s expectations.

H/T: @WSJ_manga on X

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