Launched in 2014, it didn’t take long for Shueisha’s Shonen Jump+ magazine to establish itself as one of the biggest in the industry. Series such as Fire Punch, Chainsaw Man, Hell’s Paradise, Spy × Family, Kaiju No. 8, and Dandadan played crucial roles in elevating the magazine’s popularity. However, not all series get the attention they deserve, and some even get cancelled for not meeting the standards over time. Wild Strawberry by Ire Yonemoto will reach its final battle’s climax with Chapter 50 later this month, and Jin no Me by Matsuto will conclude its story entirely in August 2025. Wild Strawberry gained considerable recognition during its initial phase, but performed poorly in sales. Many believed that the manga was being cancelled after releasing 50 chapters, but there has been no official statement regarding this.
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The series itself has reached a natural conclusion, which is enough to dispel the rumors. On the other hand, Jin no Me by Matsuto, despite being serialized, is not available locally, with barely much of a footprint left for readers on this side of the world. It also appears to be the author’s only work and will reach its end with Chapter 122 this month. The updates about both series were shared by Shonen Jump+’s releases of each series’ new chapters respectively. We’re not even midway through this month, but Shonen Jump+ has ended, or will end, at least six manga. Global fans only get to read a small fraction of what’s been released in Japan.
What Is Wild Strawberry About?
Set in a near future, the story follows two siblings, Kingo and Kayano, who grew up together in the same orphanage and were adopted by a loving couple. However, they turned out to be Jinka, monstrous plant-like creatures that consume humans and even mimic their appearances. The siblings were attacked by those monsters, and Kingo almost lost his life. However, in the nick of time, Kayano blooms into a Jinka and saves his life. The two have lived in hiding since then, but her cover has been blown.
Since Jinka are considered a high-level threat, there’s a special Flower Funeral Force whose sole purpose is to eradicate any such creatures on sight. The siblings again struggle to survive, and this time, Kayano sacrifices herself to save Kingo by infusing herself within him. Although there is a way to save Kayano’s life, Kingo can only do so by uncovering the truth behind the mysterious phenomenon that led to the creation of Jinkas.
Shonen Jump Series are Getting Shorter By the Day
The era of decades-long runs such as One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach is slowly fading, and a new trend is to have shorter and more fast-paced series. With the digitalization of manga series all across the globe, the competition is intense, and if it doesn’t get traction early, it’s cut within 30-50 chapters. This means that the stories don’t get a lot of time in the initial phases to build up the premise since the primary target is to catch the reader’s eye as soon as possible.
The story structure has also changed, with the creators planning for the endings in the initial phases. Many popular series, such as Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen, didn’t even get to hit the 300 chapter milestone, and it’s not necessarily a bad thing, with hundreds of millions of copies sold together. Creating weekly or even monthly manga is incredibly taxing, even to the point where mangakas suffer from chronic health issues. The new trend of having short-lived series allows the creators to focus on one series at a time, take plenty of rest in between before planning out a new series, and repeat the cycle.
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