Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
One Pieceis the most popular manga in Shonen Jump. It’s hard to find something to replace it. It’s well-known globally and in the anime community, with various adaptations like games and live-action.
Shonen Jump noticedOne Pieceand other popular manga likeMy Hero AcademiaandJujutsu Kaisennearing their end, started the NEXTWAVE project to find the next big manga.
Also Read:One Piece Gets Overtaken by Another Shonen Series in Becoming the Number 1 Manga
In 2023, a new manga from this project became a hit, surpassingJujutsu Kaisenin readership. However, despite its success, it couldn’t beatOne Piece.
Kagurabachi: The Rise, the Hype, and the Uncertain Future
Shonen Jump’s NEXTWAVE project introduced the manga seriesKagurabachi, which has become more popular thanJujutsu Kaisenamong digital readers.
Until October,Kagurabachiheld the second spot on the Manga Plus app, surpassingJujutsu Kaisenand ranking just behindOne Piece, the top manga. Before that,Kagurabachieven outperformedChainsaw Manto claim the third spot.
The breakout manga hit,Kagurabachi, which went Shonen-viral on Manga Plus in 2023, ultimately fails to beatOne Piece, as it might get canceled this year.
Also Read:Monkey D. Dragon’s Devil Fruit in One Piece May be Strongly Related to the Tattoo on His Face
The Shonen Jump’s NEXTWAVE project also launched two other titles,Mama YuYuandTwo On Ice. DespiteKagurabachi’sapparent success, the latest Shonen Jump issue suggests trouble for all three new manga series. The rankings and placement in the magazine indicate challenges ahead forKagurabachi, Mama YuYu,andTwo On Ice.
Kagurabachi,Two on Ice, andMama YuyuSeem to be Canceled
The Table of Contents in Weekly Shonen Jump helps readers find specific manga in the magazine. Some think a manga’s place in the ToC shows how popular it is, but it’s not always true. Popular series likeUndead UnluckandMy Hero Academiamay be at the bottom because of how they’re positioned.
For new series, a low rank in the ToC during the first year often leads to cancellation. According to a post by X User (@cer_clover), 96 percent of first-year manga with low ToC ranks have been canceled since 1997.
Sharing some interesting data about the TOC (thanks to MH forums for most of the data)
Since One Piece started (1997) til 2023 every series that has ranked last in the TOC within its first year will end up cancelled 96% of the time.
This has happened with 210 out of 218 series.pic.twitter.com/C0Eu8L4lev
— Cer (@Cer_clover)August 02, 2025
This is concerning forKagurabachi, Two on Ice,andMama Yuyu, even thoughKagurabachiis popular on Manga Plus.
Also Read:“Most searched anime” In Google History Isn’t One Piece or Jujutsu Kaisen
Despite international popularity,KagurabachiandTwo on Ice’slow ToC placement suggests they’re not as popular in Japan. Shonen Jump is taking action by giving them a color issue to boost popularity and avoid cancellation.
Fans can be reassured that the magazine is trying to keep these series alive, especially since they are successful overseas. While ToC stats are informative, sales data is a more reliable way to gauge demand, and fans should be cautious about rumors until official sales data is available.
Tanmay Jha
Articles Published :312
Tanmay writes about anime for FandomWire. He’s currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. With a passion for animation and graphics, he has authored over 240 articles on anime, sharing insights and reviews with fellow fans, seamlessly combining his love for animation with journalism.
