Popular anime franchises like One Piece and Dragon Ball are still successful, but the Weekly Shonen Jump manga magazine is facing some challenges. Several series, including Gonron Egg, Hero Girl And Demon Lord Call It Quits, The Mage Next Door, and Otr of The Flame, have recently ended. Some finished their stories naturally, while others were cancelled due to low readership. Now, another new series will be ending shortly after it began.
Akira Inui’s new manga, Alien Headbutt, launched in Weekly Shonen Jump this February. It follows Shirokiba the Hell Hound, a pro wrestler who returns home to reconnect with loved ones, only to find his hometown under alien attack. He tries to use his wrestling skills to save the world, but despite a strong start in early 2026, reader interest quickly dropped. Due to low scores in reader polls, the manga was likely canceled by Shueisha and concluded this week with its sixteenth chapter.
One Last Headbutt
Akira Inui, the creator of the manga, expressed his regret about ending the series prematurely. He recently thanked readers for their support and apologized for the cancellation, simply saying, “Thank you to everyone who read this all the way through. I’m sorry.” The story seems to be reaching its conclusion for Shirokiba, the professional wrestler, especially with his family currently held captive in alien cocoons and a confrontation with the series’ main villain. Though Alien Headbutt didn’t become hugely popular, it offered funny action and cleverly incorporated elements of professional wrestling.
Manga is incredibly popular right now, but even getting published in Shonen Jump doesn’t mean a series will last. Popularity votes from readers and how well the manga volumes sell both play a big role in whether a series continues. Sadly, an anime adaptation of Alien Heabutt seems unlikely. The story doesn’t have enough content for even a full-length movie, and without a continuing manga or merchandise, it’s hard to imagine seeing the characters animated anytime soon.
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2026-05-28 21:45