Jump Square

Jump Square (Japanese: ジャンプスクエア, Hepburn: Janpu Sukuea, written as Jump SQ but pronounced "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 a large amount of action scenes. Like all monthly shonen manga magazines, Jump Square is aimed at ages 16 to 21.

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 ("a plaza where comic lovers and talented artists and writers come together"), algebraic square (Weekly Shōnen Jump²), and "SQ = Supreme Quality" (referring to its "Supreme Quality Manga Magazine" motto). 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 Dragonaut -The Resonance-.

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.

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" (SUPREME読切シリーズ, Supurīmu Yomikiri Shirīzu), while pieces from up-and-coming writers occasionally appear in the "Explosive Yomikiri Series" (Explosive読切シリーズ, Explosive Yomikiri Shirīzu) section.

Series

There are currently twenty-four manga titles being regularly serialized in Jump Square. Out of twenty-four series, two series are currently in hiatus.

Special Issues

Jump SQ. II (Second)

Jump SQ II (Second) (ジャンプSQ.II, Janpu Sukuea Sekando) short for Jump Square Second (ジャンプスクエアセカンド), 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 a then-one-shot collaboration between the world-famous American comic writer Stan Lee and Shaman King's Hiroyuki Takei, called Karakuridôji Ultimo (using the Marvel Method).

A contest organized by Shonen Jump (a monthly English version of Weekly Shōnen Jump) and Jump SQ., offered a Jump SQ II (Second) 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! (｢スãƒ'イダーマン｣｢X-MENï½£ã‚'作ったç"· スタン·リー the Book!, "Supaidāman", "Ekkusumen" o Tsukutta Otoko - 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 (ジャンプSQ.19, Janpu Esu Kyū Ichi Kyū) 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 of 2012, Jump SQ.19 announced a magazine changed to a bimonthly release. It is now published on the 19th of every even-numbered month until February 19 of 2015, with ends of serialization.

Jump SQ.Lab

Jump SQ.Lab (ジャンプSQ.LaB, Janpu Sukuea Labo) 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.

References

External links

• Official Jump Square website (Japanese)
• ShÅ«eisha S-Manga.Net Jump Square website (Japanese)
• Jump Square at Anime News Network's encyclopedia