Shōnen Jumpis undeniably the biggest name in manga, and for good reason. For decades now,Shōnen Jumphas consistently published some of the biggest manga around, which, in turn, have often led to some of the best anime to watch, and it all comes together to add an incredible level of prestige to the brand.
Of every era inShōnen Jump’s history, few come close to the 2000s, as it spawned—and continues to spawn—some of the most iconic manga inShōnen Jumphistory that have all done their part in maintaining the magazine’s dominance. It’s been 25 years of that, and as such, there are 25 manga, in particular, that are plenty deserving of praise.
For the sake of clarity and brevity, only manga that debuted specifically inWeekly Shōnen Jumpfrom the year 2000 onward will be accounted for at this time.
25Nura: Rise Of The Yokai Clan
Manga By Hiroshi Shiibashi; Serialized 2008-2012
In Hiroshi Shiibashi’sNura: Rise of the Yokai Clan,Rikuo Nura, the grandson of the legendaryyokaiNurarihyon and heir to the Nura Clan, initially wants to live a normal life as a human, but unfortunately for him, he must embrace hisyokaiheritage to create a world where humans andyokaican live in peace.
Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan’s strong art and character writing made it one of the bestShonen Jumpmanga to read in the 2010s, and while it’s one of manyforgottenShōnen Jumpmanga, it holds up incredibly well and is something everyone should read.
24Mashle: Magic And Muscles
Manga By Hajime Komoto; Serialized 2020-2023
Hajime Komoto’sMashle: Magic and Musclesstars Mash Burnedead, the only person in a world of magic with zero magical power. Mash has gotten around that by devoting his life to extreme physical training, and that bizarre lifestyle might end up being the key to saving the world.
With its great action and incredible parody-laden comedy,Mashle: Magic and Musclesis easily one ofShōnen Jump’s best action comedies in recent years, and withseason 3 of theMashleanime in development, there’s still plenty more for people to enjoy.
23To Love-Ru
Manga By Saki Hasemi And Kentaro Yabuki; Serialized 2006-2009
In Saki Hasemi and Kentaro Yabuki’sTo Love-Ru, Rito Yuuki accidentally draws the attention of the beautiful alien princess Lala Satalin Deviluke and winds up engaged with her, sparking a series of endless escapades where Rito has to constantly deal with human and alien girls falling in love with him, regardless of how much he accidentally gropes them.
As inappropriate asTo Love-Rumay be, the fact that it’s so willing to be so raunchy is a major part of its charm, as is the great art and occasional moments of genuine heart.To Love-Ruis often called the raunchiest harem comedy of all time, and for better or worse, it earns that reputation.
22Ichi The Witch
Manga By Osamu Nishi And Shiro Usazaki; Serialized Since 2024
Osamu Nishi and Shiro Usazaki’sIchi the Witchtakes place in a world where only women can gain magic by taming creatures called Majiks. One day, though, that rule is abruptly broken by a young hunter named Ichi, and he suddenly finds himself at the forefront of magical society.
With its gorgeous artwork, hilarious comedy, and fun character writing,Ichi the Witchis one ofShōnen Jump’s best fantasy manga in years, and it’s only going to get better. The series is barely a year old, but it’s easy to see that it’s on its way to becoming a generational hit.
21Kagurabachi
Manga By Takeru Hokazono; Serialized Since 2023
Takeru Hokazono’sKagurabachistars Chihiro Rokuhira, the son of a legendary blacksmith who created six deadly magical swords called enchanted blades. One day, Chihiro’s father was killed, and the blades were stolen, but with the secret seventh enchanted blade, Chihiro will hunt down the other six and avenge his father’s death.
Despite how much people made fun of it in its early days,Kagurabachihas quickly become a global phenomenonthanks to its great artwork, inventive fight scenes, and all-around thoughtful storytelling. It might not be that old, but just likeIchi the Witch, it’s already on its way to becoming a modern classic.
20Akane-Banashi
Manga By Yuki Suenaga And Takamasa Moue; Serialized Since 2022
In Yuki Suenaga and Takamasa Moue’sAkane-banashi, Akane Osaki was the daughter of an up-and-comingrakugokawho was abruptly expelled for a perceived lack of talent. Ever since then, Akane has vowed to become arakugokaand restore her father’s good name, a goal that’s far more complicated than she might have thought.
Despite its unusual premise,Akane-banashi’s strong writing and expressive artwork have made it one of the bestShonen Jumpmanga to come out of the 2020s, by far. There are few manga better thanAkane-banashiright now, and withAkane-banashifinally getting an anime, it’s only going to get bigger.
19Medaka Box
Manga By Nisio Isin And Akira Akatsuki; Serialized 2009-2013
In Nisio Isin and Akira Akatsuki’sMedaka Box, Medaka Kurokami uses her unbridled charisma to become student council president and devote herself to solving everyone’s problems, but that becomes especially complicated as things escalate into superpowered conflicts that often put the entire world in danger.
WhileMedaka Boxwas never particularly popular, its goofy writing and witty dialogue always made it fun to read to the point that it felt like a love letter toshonenmanga, more than anything. It was the first full-length manga by Nisio Isin ofMonogatarifame, and everything good aboutMonogatariis on full display withMedaka Box.
18Reborn!
Manga By Akira Amano; Serialized 2004-2012
In Akira Amano’sReborn!, resident loser Tsunayoshi “Tsuna” Sawada has his life turned upside down when a talking baby named Reborn arrives to mold him into the next head of the Vongola crime family, a journey that only becomes increasingly dangerous as Tsuna’s challenges take a turn for the supernatural.
With a stylish art style and great action and character writing,Reborn!is one of the biggestShonen Jumpmanga of the 2000s. The series has struggled to maintain relevancy since its conclusion, especially since the anime ended prematurely, but it’s easy to see why it was a mainstay for so many years.
17Blue Box
Manga By Kouji Miura; Serialized Since 2021
In Kouji Miura’sBlue Box, badminton player Taiki Inomata was content admiring basketball star Chinatsu Kano from afar, but everything changes when Chinatsu ends up moving into Taiki’s home, finally kickstarting the romance Taiki had always dreamed of.
Thanks to its unique and effortless combination of sports and romance narratives,Blue Boxis easily one of the best sports and romance storiesShōnen Jumphas ever published. Both types of manga tend to do poorly inShonen Jump, but it’s safe to say thatBlue Boxwill be remembered favorably for years to come.
16Eyeshield 21
Manga By Riichiro Inagaki And Yusuke Murata; Serialized 2002-2009
In Riichiro Inagaki and Yusuke Murata’sEyeshield 21, the introverted Sena Kobayakawa’s natural talent for running gets him drafted onto his school’s football team, the Deimon Devil Bats, and as against the idea as Sena might have been, it isn’t long before it becomes the best thing that could have happened to him.
Riichiro Inagaki is best known for writingDr. Stone, Yusuke Murata is best known for drawingOne-Punch Man, and sure enough, their talents come together to makeEyeshield 21an amazing sports manga with a perfect balance of strong writing and gorgeous artwork. It’s a truly underrated sports series, and it’s one everyone needs to give a try.
