Shonen Jump
World Trigger By Daisuke Ashihara
Toriko By Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro
Dragon Ball By Akira Toriyama
One Piece By Eiichiro Oda
Naruto By Masashi Kishimoto
Cross Manage By KAITO
Nisekoi By Naoshi Komi
One Punch Man By Yusuke Murata
Viz Manga
Release Date: February 11, 2013
Cover Price: 99¢

Okay, I have to be honest. When I was assigned to start reviewing Shonen Jump, I had much catching up to do. One Piece is on chapter 698 and Naruto is deep into its 600s as well, not to mention, there is a ton of manga in here that I am wildly unfamiliar with. That being said, I have taken up the arduous task of catching up on these manga, full-time job and personal hygiene be damned.

I am still working on getting my knowledge of current storylines completely up-to-date. So, bear with me if I forget to mention that someone is the brother of the widow who was once a demon but is now a soccer player, or something like that.

Now, without further ado, let’s dive into the recent Shonen Jump (confetti falls from the ceiling, somewhere in the distance a dragon roars).

World Trigger

The manga from Daisuke Ashihara was recently launched, and its maiden chapter is stunning. Inter-dimensional monsters have broken into our world and it is up to a mysterious organization called “Border” to protect us. World Trigger has all of your classic Shonen tropes. It’s got giant creatures, bullies, outcasts, and monster punching. They call that the Shonen tetrad where I come from (they don’t actually do that, I just wish they did). Check this series out. This Shonen Jump is worth it just for this first chapter alone.

One Punch Man

Yusuke Murata takes the reins on One Punch Man (now on its fourth chapter) and ramps up his special blend of madness to 10,000. This manga follows Saitama as he searches for a foe that can withstand a single punch from him. It’s a tough life if you are a superhero who isn’t being challenged. This chapter sees Saitama taking on some subterranean ne’er-do-wells with shocking results. This is a really solid comic. Consider One Punch Man worth your time.

Toriko

I must admit I have a soft spot for Toriko. I mean, how many stories are there in the world that focus on a constant battle among freakishly muscled men fighting each other for gourmet food. This manga is bananas, but the good kind, not like the fitness kind, more like the kind found next to ice cream. In this chapter, the dastardly gourmet corp. has attacked the “Super Cook” festival. Of course, the titular Toriko isn’t taking that lying down and, as you can imagine, a fierce battle ensues. Fun stuff.

All The Rest

I wish I had time to go into each manga in this installment of Shonen Jump, but alas, I do not. So, here is a quick recap, plus why Shonen Jump is was awesome. One Piece rolled along with the introduction of the lady-killing Doflamingo. Naruto took a more contemplative tone while Cross Manage took the other route and focused on action. Phew, that was a lot. I’m sure I am forgetting something (Dragon Ball Z, Nisekoi), but that is just more reason for you to go out and grab the installment of Shonen Jump. Do it or be forever haunted by your mistakes.