One of Shonen Jump’s Top Editors Has Left Shueisha

One of Shonen Jump's Top Editors Has Left Shueisha

As a seasoned gamer and avid manga reader, I can’t help but feel a tinge of nostalgia as Shonen Jump, the beacon of manga excellence, enters a new chapter. The departure of an esteemed editor like Shihei Lin, who has been instrumental in shaping some of my favorite series, is indeed a significant loss. However, his freelance work on titles like Chainsaw Man and Spy x Family still gives me hope.


When you hear Shonen Jump, it conjures up the best. For many years now, the team at Shueisha has strived to make the magazine line a familiar name in every household. The magazine is renowned for bringing iconic manga series like Dragon Ball, Naruto, and My Hero Academia to life. However, as Shonen Jump enters a new phase, an unexpected reshuffle among its staff has occurred.

On Twitter, Shihei Lin announced that he had parted ways with Shueisha as an employee in 2022. This veteran editor, known for his work on popular modern titles, is now a freelance editor. He’s been working independently on projects such as Chainsaw Man since leaving Shueisha.

On August 2nd, 2022, the following unusual event occurred… (In this sentence, I’ve used “On” to indicate the date and “following unusual event” instead of “incident” to make it more natural and easy to read.)

— ???(?????) (@SHIHEILIN) September 28, 2024

Who Is Shihei Lin?

Lin shared that he had some personal news: “I parted ways with Shueisha towards the end of August 2022. Now, I’m self-employed, working as a freelance manga editor within the Jump+ editorial team.

Afterward, the editor elaborated that he continues to serve as the primary editor for both “Chainsaw Man” and “Spy x Family”. Furthermore, he supervises additional titles such as “Dandadan”, “Kindergarten Wars”, “Centuria”, “Machi and Oboro”, “Kunigei”, and “Beat & Motion”. The editor further revealed that Lin chose to depart from Shueisha in order to establish a company that encompasses a broader spectrum of the anime and manga sectors.

After venturing into freelance work, I established my own business. In this venture, I collaborate with skilled assistant editors and production assistants in the development of innovative anime and live-action films, as well as creating numerous characters and narratives. Additionally, our goal is to foster and educate manga artists by conducting lessons and lectures at vocational schools.

Over the years, I’ve been deeply involved in the creation of some incredible series for Shueisha, but sadly, my tenure there ended in 2022. Since then, I’ve continued to work on the stories we brought to life together, but haven’t contributed to any new titles yet. However, with a rich background that includes projects like “Chainsaw Man” and “Dandadan,” my abilities speak for themselves. Now, with my own production company in the works, I’m eagerly looking forward to broadening my horizons into film and television production.

What Does the Future of Shonen Jump Look Like?

Although Lin might not be involved anymore at Shonen Jump, there are still exceptional editors working at Shueisha. Last year, one of them collaborated with artist Takeru Hokazono to create “Kagurabachi”, a sword-fighting series that is currently leading the next generation of manga. In the past year alone, other popular titles such as “Astro Royale” and “Ichi the Witch” have been released, receiving excellent feedback. As always, Shueisha continues to seek out promising new manga series.

Indeed, it seems that this hunt for fresh stories has become more pressing than ever before. In recent years, several popular series from Shonen Jump have come to an end, such as Twin Star Exorcists and My Hero Academia wrapping up earlier this year. This weekend marked the conclusion of Jujutsu Kaisen, and it appears that Black Clover is not far behind. As Shueisha enters a new era and continues its quest for captivating tales, Lin’s freelance work will undoubtedly play a crucial role in maintaining their success.

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2024-09-29 18:09