Jump Square


Jump Square is a Japanese monthly shōnen manga magazine. Published by Shueisha, the magazine premiered on November 2, 2007 as a replacement for Monthly Shōnen Jump, another manga anthology that Shueisha discontinued in June of that year. The magazine is a part of the Jump line of magazines. The manga titles serialized in the magazine are also published in tankōbon volumes under the Jump Comics label. The manga series within the magazine target young male readers and tend to be set in a fantasy setting with many action scenes. Like most monthly shonen manga magazines, Jump Square is aimed at ages 16 to 21. The current editor-in-chief is Kôsuke Yahagi.

History

Jump SQ, also called Jump Square, was created as the replacement for Shueisha's canceled Monthly Shōnen Jump manga anthology. The title has three stated meanings: public square, algebraic square, and "SQ = Supreme Quality". Four manga serials were temporarily moved to Weekly Shōnen Jump, until Jump Square's release. These four series, Tegami Bachi, Rosario + Vampire, Claymore, and Gag Manga Biyori were among the magazine's premiere series, along with debuting series, including Embalming -The Another Tale of Frankenstein-, Kure-nai, and .

Circulation

When Jump Square was launched, the initial printing of 500,000 copies quickly sold out. Over 70% of the copies released across Japan sold within three days. Shueisha printed an additional 100,000 copies to help meet the demand, something normally not necessary with Japanese magazines. The second issue also sold well, requiring a second printing of 60,000 copies. After the first issue excitement died down, circulation leveled off in the vicinity of 370,000 copies and by 2015 had declined to 270,000, mirroring a general drop-off in circulation throughout the industry.

Features

Jump Square's primary content is manga serials. In addition to the manga series, some issues include serialized light novel chapters from works published by the Jump j-Books label. One-shots from established manga writers are featured in a section of the magazine called the "Supreme Yomikiri Series", while pieces from up-and-coming writers occasionally appear in the "Explosive Yomikiri Series" section.

Series

There are currently twenty manga titles being regularly serialized in Jump Square. Out of twenty series, one series is currently in hiatus.
Series TitleAuthorPremiered
Blue Exorcist
Boku to Kimi no Nihu TanteiPetenshi, Tsuda Honami
Dark Gathering
Dear Call
Desert 9
Dokyū Hentai HxEros
Kawaisugi Crisis
Kemono Jihen
Kono Oto Tomare!Amyū
Gag Manga Biyori
Seraph of the End, Yamato Yamamoto, Daisuke Furuya
Platinum End, Takeshi Obata
Moriarty the Patriot, Ryōsuke Takeuchi, Hikaru Miyoshi

Special issues

''Jump SQ.II''

Jump SQ.II short for Jump Square Second, is a spin-off issue of Jump SQ of which three volumes have currently been published, beginning on April 18, 2008.
The first issue featured the collaborative effort between American comic writer Stan Lee and Hiroyuki Takei, called Karakuri Dôji Ultimo.
A contest organized by Shonen Jump and Jump SQ., offered a Jump SQ II issue autographed by Lee and Takei to the random winner at the 2008 New York Comic Con. Three regulars: Sekai no Chūshin de Taiyō ni Hoeru, Tsumikabatsu, and Mahō no Ryōri Chaos Kitchen; were put in the SQ II magazine as their own SQ II exclusive one-shot, along with other one-shots like Missing Battery, Cross, or Alone Again.
The success of Ultimo led to the extra mini book named The Man Who Created "Spider-Man" and the "X-Men" - Stan Lee the book! which is completely based on Lee's American comics, mostly Amazing Fantasy (first Spider-Man, Iron Man, and The Hulk.

''Jump SQ.19''

Jump SQ.19 is a spin-off issue of Jump SQ, first published on May 19, 2010. It includes one shots and Jump SQ series' side stories, and a series that only serializes in Jump SQ.19. Initially, it was scheduled to release quarterly on the 19th of every February, May, August, and November.
On February 18, 2012, Jump SQ.19 announced a magazine changed to a bimonthly release. It was then published on the 19th of every even-numbered month until its publication ceased on February 19, 2015.

''Jump SQ.Crown''

Jump SQ.Crown is a spin-off issue of Jump SQ which started publishing on July 17, 2015. It follows a structure similar to Jump SQ.19, like: the series which only serialize in Jump SQ.Crown; the one-shots by newbies and experienced authors; and the side stories from Jump SQ. series. It ceased publication on January 19, 2018.

''Jump SQ.Lab''

Jump SQ.Lab is a spin-off issue of Jump SQ, first published on July 15, 2011. Jump SQ.Lab follows same format as Jump Next; it includes the one shots by both the experienced and the newcomer manga creators, and the side stories for both Jump SQ and Jump SQ.19 series.

''Jump SQ.Rise''

Jump SQ.Rise is a spin-off issue of Jump SQ which started publishing on April 13, 2018. It follows a structure similar to Jump SQ.19 and Jump SQ Crown.

Series

There are currently four manga titles being regularly serialized in Jump SQ.Rise.
Series TitleAuthorPremiered
Beet the Vandel BusterRiku Sanjō, Kōji Inada, Katsuyoshi Nakatsuru
D.Gray-manKatsura Hoshino
Blood Blockade BattlefrontYasuhiro Nightow
Mr. CliceOsamu Akimoto