7 Years Later, Cancelled Shonen Jump Creator Returns With a New Release

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2025 proved to be a difficult year for Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump, seeing several manga titles cancelled – some even before their first collected volume could be released. Since its debut in 1968, Weekly Shonen Jump has published many legendary series like Dragon Ball, One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach. It ultimately became the best-selling manga magazine ever, and continues to lead the industry with popular titles such as Jujutsu Kaisen and My Hero Academia that are shaping modern shonen. Although only a few series achieve lasting fame, many others are discontinued due to poor performance. Despite the overall growth of the manga world, Weekly Shonen Jump frequently struggles, with far more cancellations than successful titles.

Nono Daiki’s sports manga, Ekiden Bros, debuted last June but was unfortunately cancelled in October after just 17 chapters. While it started well, the series struggled to maintain reader interest. It currently has a low score of 5.13 on MyAnimeList with limited engagement—over 400 votes. However, good news for fans: the creator is planning a comeback this spring!

Ne0;lation’s Creator Is Returning With a New Manga

A trusted source, @WSJ_manga, has confirmed the manga creator will return in the Spring 2026 issue of Jump GIGA. This news appeared in the Winter 2026 issue, released on January 5th, 2026. Although new chapters of series like Black Clover were added to platforms like Manga Plus, the preview of the creator’s return was only found in the Japanese magazine. Details about the new work are still scarce, but it’s likely to be a one-shot manga, which is a common way for creators to try out new ideas.

We could see a manga quite different from Ekiden Bros, which centers on Nobunaga, a student inspired by his mother – who managed a dormitory for marathon runners – and the famous Tokyo–Hakone Round-Trip College Ekiden Race. The story follows Nobunaga as he rekindles his passion for running after a disagreement with a childhood friend, leading him to sign up for a 10-kilometer race.

Shonen Jump frequently publishes short, standalone manga stories, which is a win-win for everyone involved. These ‘one-shots’ allow creators to showcase their talent, develop their skills, and get noticed by editors. If a one-shot proves popular, it might even be developed into a full-length series, though that doesn’t happen often. The fact that this creator is returning next year is great news, suggesting we’ll likely see more of their work in the future. You can currently read their manga, Ekiden Bros, on the official Manga Plus app.

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2026-06-13 04:40