Weekly Shonen Jump was launched by Shueisha in 1968 under the title Jump, competing with Weekly Shonen Magazine and Weekly Shonen Sunday. Shonen Jump has published numerous series of action and comedy comics known as shonen manga, appealing to a wide audience.
With advancements in technology, Shonen Jump can now be accessed through its mobile app, which was released in 2019. Weekly chapters featuring some of the best and latest manga are regularly updated. Several iconic works from the golden age of Weekly Shonen Jump (spanning the 1980s to the 1990s) are also available on the app.
Below are 5 classic Shonen Jump manga from the 90s that are perfect from start to finish:
5. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 4: Diamond is Unbreakable
Created by the legendary mangaka Hirohiko Araki, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable ran in Weekly Shonen Jump from 1992 to 1995. This story follows Josuke Higashikata, the latest protagonist in the Joestar lineage, who must confront evil forces. Josuke lives in the fictional town of Morioh in 1999 and finds himself battling Stand users who are dangerous and menacing. To protect his hometown, Josuke faces off against the powerful Dio and ultimately Yoshikage Kira, one of the most iconic villains in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure.
The series has made a significant impact on culture and art, particularly in character design and storytelling techniques. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable is praised for its character development, allowing characters to exist beyond the limits of traditional archetypes.
4. Yu-Gi-Oh!
Yu-Gi-Oh! is a Japanese manga series created by legendary author Kazuki Takahashi. The series has become one of the highest-grossing franchises in history. It follows Yugi Mutou, who solves an ancient puzzle known as the Millennium Puzzle, granting him the title of King of Games.
In its early conceptual stages, Takahashi aimed to create a series centered around traditional games. Although it eventually evolved into a story about card games, it retained many elements from traditional gaming. The author noted that the game’s dynamics made the narrative more engaging and distinct from other series in the 1990s.
The manga has sold over 40 million copies worldwide and won the “Best Manga Product of the Year” award from Shonen Jump ICv2 in 2002. Many reviewers have praised the series for its innovative storytelling and character depth.
3. Rurouni Kenshin
Rurouni Kenshin was written by Nobuhiro Watsuki and is based on the life of a wandering swordsman from the Bakumatsu era, Himura Kenshin. He is a former assassin who seeks redemption by protecting the innocent without taking lives. Watsuki created this manga to offer a unique narrative compared to other shonen series, focusing on themes of responsibility and atonement.
Unfortunately, in November 2017, fans of Rurouni Kenshin were disheartened when the author was arrested for possessing child pornography. This scandal caused the second part of the manga to be abruptly halted.
Currently, the series has been divided into various fan groups, with some claiming that the artistic aspects should be separated from the story, as they do not affect Kenshin’s narrative. Meanwhile, others believe that the thematic elements cannot be disentangled from the artistic representation.
2. Yu Yu Hakusho
Yu Yu Hakusho was written by Yoshihiro Togashi and follows the story of Yusuke Urameshi, a “delinquent” who becomes a spirit detective after dying during a reckless act. After several tests, Yusuke is resurrected and works under the title Spirit Detective, investigating cases related to the spirit world and supernatural beings.
Yoshihiro Togashi began developing the series after completing a comedic manga of his own, feeling a need to create a fighting manga that could gain popularity.
Yu Yu Hakusho is one of the best-selling manga series in Shonen Jump. The series earned Togashi the Shogakukan Manga Award for Shonen in 1993 and was ranked 17th in the “Top 100 Manga” in the Manga Sosenkyo 2021 voting by TV Asahi.
1. Slam Dunk
Slam Dunk is the most popular basketball manga globally, created by Takehiko Inoue, who has received the Eisner Award. The story centers on Hanamichi Sakuragi, a high school delinquent who joins a basketball team to impress a girl named Haruko Akagi. Inoue developed a passion for basketball during his own high school years and drew from this experience to create Slam Dunk.
Inoue aimed to capture the achievements and admiration associated with the sport, fostering a love for basketball among Japanese students. The series has won numerous awards, including the Shogakukan Manga Award in the Shonen category in 1994. It has also been recognized as the number one manga of the Heisei era at the 10th Japan Media Arts Festival and ranked among the most beloved works in the 2009 Media Arts 100.
According to CBR
