Young Jump Celebrates Its 48th Anniversary with a Manga Award Featuring 48 Judges

Weekly Young Jump is launching a massive contest to celebrate its 48 years. The magazine announced the Young Jump 48 Manga Award, a prize in which 48 people —including authors with ongoing series and members of the editorial team— will evaluate the submitted works.

The contest's slogan makes it clear: "48 judges, leaving no talent overlooked." The idea is for each work to receive feedback from several different judges, something uncommon in this type of competition, where the verdict usually depends on very few people.

The winner will receive 2 million yen and, in addition, will have the opportunity to work directly with a magazine editor. There are also special prizes, such as the one from the author judges, which will allow participants to receive feedback from mangaka who are currently publishing in the magazine.

A direct gateway to the magazine

The most appealing part of the award isn't just the money. Winners will be able to meet with editors to prepare a series, something that in the Japanese industry can mark the start of a professional career. For any aspiring mangaka, having a meeting like that is a huge step.

The submission deadline is February 28, 2027. There is still time for interested authors to prepare their stories and send them in.

Weekly Young Jump is one of Shueisha's most important seinen manga magazines. Titles like Tokyo Ghoul, Kingdom, and Oshi no Ko have come from its pages. The magazine turns 48 in 2027, and this contest is one of its ways of searching for the next generation of authors.

Having 48 judges participate in the evaluation also sends a message: the magazine wants works not to depend on a single person's taste. The more eyes on a manuscript, the more chances that something different will find its place.