One Piece Creator’s Recommended Manga Bounced Back From The Brink of Cancellation

by

Thanks to hugely popular, long-running manga like Dragon Ball, One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach, Weekly Shonen Jump has become the best-selling manga magazine ever. First published in 1968, the magazine has featured countless amazing stories over the years and remains successful despite changing trends. Nowadays, many series end after around 300 chapters, even popular ones like Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen. Every year, Weekly Shonen Jump introduces dozens of new manga, which also means many series are cancelled to make space. Not every manga published in the magazine finds a large audience.

Typically, a magazine will wait until a manga has around 40 to 60 chapters and a few published volumes before deciding whether to continue it. However, even promising series can be canceled early if they don’t attract enough readers or receive low ratings. Ultimate Exorcist Kiyoshi, by Shoichi Usui, was close to being canceled, but fortunately, it was given a chance to continue.

Ultimate Exorcist Kiyoshi Was Slated to Be Cancelled After Chapter 15

Recent revelations from Volume 8 of the manga suggest it almost ended after just 15 chapters due to poor initial sales and viewership. This also explains why the author, Usui, is now able to incorporate ideas and elements he previously thought he’d never use. The information was shared on X (formerly Twitter) by @WSJ_manga, a trusted source for Shonen Jump news, as the latest volume hasn’t been released worldwide yet.

Usui previously assisted Eiichiro Oda, the author of One Piece. Oda wrote a positive review for the first volume of the manga, even playfully calling the demons adorable. While this helped attract initial readers, they ultimately connected with the story because of its original concept and compelling characters.

The series is gaining popularity, particularly since the introduction of Asuta Roth, a major villain. The manga originally launched in July 2024, and the English version of the first volume became available on May 5th, 2026, nearly two years later.

What Is Ultimate Exorcist Kiyoshi About?

Despite its spooky premise, Ultimate Exorcist Kiyoshi is actually a lighthearted comedy about a world plagued by demons. The story follows Kiyoshi Harai, a 16-year-old genius who quickly became the youngest graduate of the Exorcist Academy. While everyone believes Kiyoshi is the most powerful exorcist ever, he’s secretly hiding something.

Ever since witnessing his parents’ death at the hands of a demon, the boy has lived in fear. Now, Kiyoshi wants to use his abilities to exorcise demons and protect others, even though it brings back painful memories. His dangerous work is surprisingly often filled with funny and lighthearted moments, despite the serious risks.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/anime/news/major-shonen-jump-series-heads-towards-finale-after-only-2-years/embed/#

Read More

2026-05-05 16:40