The third part of the exhibition celebrating the 50th anniversary of manga magazine Weekly Shonen Jump has begun!
VOL. 1 and VOL. 2 were dedicated to series that were created around the time of the magazine’s beginning and those serialized in the 90s respectively. Now, “Weekly Shonen Jump Exhibition VOL. 3: The 2000s – The ever-evolving ultimate magazine” is bringing 50 works from the 2000s and onwards into the spotlight until Sept. 30! From already nostalgic series like Bleach and Death Note to ongoing hits like One Piece , Gin Tama and My Hero Academia, here are just a few of the highlights of the exhibition.
As expected of the ever-popular pirate manga, One Piece has a lavish display for the Straw Hat Crew and its carefree yet heroic captain!
Two years on from the conclusion of its manga Kubo Tite’s phenomenally popular Bleach definitely hasn’t been forgotten. In addition to Ichigo, Rukia and Renji, the Gotei Thirteen’s captains are out in full force with a breathtaking exhibit that also features the names of their Bankai.
The world’s most iconic ninja is large as life in a colorful Naruto exhibit that showcases the growth of him and his closest friends. Visitors can also find him as Hokage in the section starring Boruto: Naruto Next Generations.
Gin Tama’s goofy protagonist definitely isn’t the kind of guy to miss out on fun, but it looks like he’s run into some difficulties with constructing his side of the exhibit…
Though the manga series ended in 2016, class is temporarily back in session for fans of Assassination Classroom. Did you miss Koro-sensei and his unsettling smile?
The section for My Hero Academia is overflowing with power, expressed through vibrant displays of Deku and his fellow Heroes. Fans will also be glad to see that the legendary All Might is making an appearance too, sporting his trademark grin!
Don’t forget the iconic sports manga that inspired the future athletes of the 2000s! Kuroko’s Basketball and The Prince of Tennis are just two examples of successful titles in the genre.
Wildly popular volleyball title Haikyu!! is also representing more recent sports series in style. Dynamic full-color illustrations and dramatic arrangements of the manga’s panels bring the series’ energy to life.
While radically different in subject, there’s no doubt that Obata Takeshi’s works have reached countless fans through the darkly intriguing Death Note and Go-themed coming-of-age title Hikaru no Go. Obata’s manga are also being honored with their own area.
With so many globally recognized titles it feels like there’s no end to celebrating Jump’s success!
There’s so much more to explore and enjoy, including specially created 50th anniversary illustrations from the creators of 18 titles and the entry gift of a randomly selected sticker that features past front covers of the magazine. Plenty of original merchandise created specially for the exhibition is available for purchase too.
The JUMP 50th Anniversary CAFE is also in business at Roppongi Hills Mori Tower’s Cafe THE SUN, so anyone running low on chakra after the exhibition can boost their condition with manga-themed drinks and dishes.
If you’re in Japan, be sure to head over to Roppongi and check out this once-in-a-lifetime Jump celebration! In the meantime, get another taste of what else the exhibition has to offer with the full photo album below.
Weekly Shonen Jump Exhibition VOL. 3
Until Sept. 30
Location: Mori Arts Center Gallery, Roppongi Hills Mori Tower 52F, 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo 106-6150
Hours:
10:00 am−8:00 pm (last entry 7:30 pm)
*Extended to 9:00 am−9:00 pm between Aug. 11 and 19 (last entry 8:30 pm)
Fees: 2000 yen (adults), 1500 yen (middle school/high school students), 800 yen (4 yrs old−elementary school students)
*Free for visitors under 4 years old
Official website: https://shonenjump-ten.com
This is a Tokyo Otaku Mode original article with photography by Hara T.