Other than being an iconic ninja story, Naruto is among the Big 3 of Shonen Jump. It lives up to the status in most aspects, be it storyline and characters. The series may have ended but it branched out into sequels and spinoffs. That doesn’t, however, mask the problems it faced with the publishers.
To be specific, it has to do with the physical copies being inaccessible to most fans. The reasons behind it tie in well with Jump sparking a controversy with its latest move. It further sheds light on Masashi Kishimoto’s series amidst the age of digitization.
Shonen Jump’s physical manga debate sparks controversy
Shonen Jump, or Jump as we call it, is one of the most popular manga magazine publishing works in the genre. At this rate, its popularity is a mere understatement considering its sales and recognition. Apart from the Big 3, they published some of the finest works covering different genres.
Most Shonen works featured in Jump are published under the parent company Shueisha. From Dragon Ball to My Hero Academia, the publishers are broadening their horizon with the genre. This is true for their recent manga that is making waves among readers.
But others still struggle for many reasons, and this has to do with sales. As popular as it may be, Jump isn’t isolated from controversy and this time it managed to anger and disappoint fans. Its recent move sparked a debate within fans.
On r/anime Redditors responded to Monochrome Days mangaka urging fans to buy physical copies.
Mangaka Urges Fans to Buy Physical Copies After Shonen Jump Plus Editor Said “If the Paperback Doesn’t Sell, We’ll Cancel It”:
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Honestly, translation is an ongoing issue, especially with manga that have yet to be translated and Hajime no Ippo is a perfect example of that. It is also surprising that Masashi Kishimoto’s series was mentioned in the comments. Though it may have seamlessly blended itself within the age of digitization.
Naruto in the era of digitization
We all know how sales are a factor that deeply affects mangaka and their careers on so many levels. Naruto in this case, successfully survived those brutal serialization years and it is ongoing. The series may have ended, but its sequel is going strong and steady, especially with its readership.
Boruto as a series was a major letdown for fans. Be it animation or stakes, the series reduced Kishimoto’s opus to a mere mockery. The failure was attributed to Ikemoto’s bland art style and the same face syndrome. But the time-skip manga proved everyone wrong with its growing popularity.
Currently, Boruto Two Blue Vortex holds a rating of 8/10 on My Anime List and is on the third position on Shueisha’s Manga Plus app. The series’ return is a grand comeback in every sense. It also adapted well to the digitization culture in the manga industry, but it also comes with its fair share of cons.
While manga is going all digital and accessible, translations and piracy remain a growing concern among readers and viewers. But only time will tell how things will fare out in the end.
Naruto is available for streaming on Crunchyroll. The manga is available for reading on Shueisha’s Manga Plus app.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
