Highlights of 2024 Jump Press Show: Shonen Jump Launches Sports Manga Award

On Monday, Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine revealed the distinguished panel of judges for the Jump Sports Manga Award with great pride. The esteemed panel includes acclaimed figures like Takehiko Inoue, creator of Slam Dunk, Riichirō Inagaki, the mind behind Eyeshield 21, and Tadatoshi Fujimaki, the mastermind behind Kuroko’s Basketball. Their presence adds a touch of prestige to the competition.

This year’s Jump Sports Manga Award has made an unprecedented decision by including a U.S. Major League Baseball player in the competition. This addition brings an intriguing element to the event, with Los Angeles Dodgers standout Shohei Ohtani also joining the distinguished panel of judges for the prestigious award.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQg7mOOc-EY

The company chose Ohtani to serve as a judge due to his status as a top athlete and, as per the company’s statement, he willingly agreed to the role. His expertise as a professional athlete and manga fan will greatly contribute to the evaluation of the submissions.

The panel of judges includes three renowned manga artists and authors: Takehiko Inoue, known for his work on Slam Dunk, Riichiro Inagaki, the creator of Eyeshield 21, and Tadatoshi Fujimaki, the mind behind Kuroko’s Basketball. They will be assessing submissions based on factors such as creativity, narrative, character growth, and visual appeal. The award will be hosted by the editorial team at Shueisha Inc.’s Shukan Shonen Jump weekly magazine.

sports award — Jump Sports Awards | Source: Official Jump Twitter

The contest enthusiastically invites individuals of all levels, including experienced professionals and aspiring amateurs, to showcase their distinct viewpoints through sports manga. The competition is searching for submissions that strive to create impactful experiences for readers, with a designated space of 15-55 pages for imagination to thrive.

The Jump Sports Manga Award has a generous prize structure that reflects the value it places on the efforts of all participants. The top prize winner will receive 1,000,000 yen (equivalent to about US$6,400), while semi-finalists will be awarded 500,000 yen (approximately US$3,200). Those receiving honorable mentions will be granted 300,000 yen (around US$2,000), finalists will receive 50,000 yen (about US$320), and promising entries will be recognized with 10,000 yen (roughly US$64).

Submissions will be accepted starting on May 27 until October 31. The results will be revealed in the latter half of December in Weekly Shonen Jump.