Culture Notes: Jump Magazine

The ジャンプ, or the“Jump” Magazine line is published by 株式会社集英社, (Shueisha Inc.), which is a major publishing company in Japan. Shueisha’s first attempt at creating a manga magazine was “おもしろブック,” (which literally means “funny book”) and a magazine for girl’s manga called “Soujo Book”. Following Soujo Book’s success, Shueisha created a “Shounen” version aimed at a boy demographic. “Shounen Book”, while it was still in publication, ran several historically famous mangas (Speed Racer, for example). In the middle of Shounen Book's publication, Shounen Jump was created, making Shounen Book a special issue. Eventually Shounen Jump became a weekly magazine and Shounen Book was discontinued. Jump’s magazine line today includes it’s weekly magazine Weekly Shounen Jump (週刊少年ジャンプ,), It’s monthly magazine Jump Square or Jump SQ (ジャンプスクエア)and V Jump (ブイジャンプ,) which is magazine all about new manga and video games based on popular manga. Jump also publishes a series of Seinen manga aimed at young adults/men. Jump’s magazines are aimed at a male demographic, but are also popular among female fans.