A Shonen Jump Legend Returns With The Mech Horror Fusion Fans Have Been Dying To See

2 hours ago 9

Published Apr 15, 2026, 6:00 PM EDT

An experienced Editor representing Canada via Screen Rant's Team Anime, J.R. has been reading manga since the first printing of Shonen Jump in North America. This passion drove him to write about anime, manga, and manhwa since 2022, having recently served as Lead Anime Editor for ComicBook.com.

His favorite moments in media coverage include reviewing the series premieres of Zom 100 and Bleach: TYBW Part 2 back-to-back and briefly meeting Junji Ito at a VIZ gallery event in 2023.

For '90s kids, the early 2000s continue to be held up as a favorite formative experience for the anime fandom. It introduced multiple iconic IPs which, while certainly imperfect, brought enthralling ongoing storylines to the airwaves. In the case of Xebec's Shaman King anime, Hiroyuki Takei's series brought the heat on multiple fronts, airing in North America before localizing its original manga in the pages of VIZ Media's Shonen Jump magazine. But while the series and its dedicated fandom found new homes over the years, Shaman King fans may be craving something totally new from its creator.

Now, after having successfully launched his Juro manga in the CoroChao magazine, Takei joins two other mangaka to launch a trio of horror series in Japan on April 28, 2026. As reported by Oricon, the series will each release their first volumes telling three distinct horror tales: Juro featuring a supernatural/mecha twist on a world 20 years into the future alongside Kill Rate Chaos and the mind-bending, immersive terror of Yukai Shojo.

Shaman King's Creator Unleashing Print Release of New Mech Horror Manga

Juro was teased months ago for CoroChao, with an enticing premise and featuring his impressively matured art style. Moody shading and familiar character designs are complemented by intricate scenery and confident linework to render both ordinary human characters and the massive supernatural threats, Hyakki Yako, feeling both familiar and boldly novel at the same time. While the original Japanese release of monthly new installments, including a double-chapter premiere, is available on its native CoroCoro website, the new Japanese print release sparks hopes for an English print release to follow. Juro's synopsis goes as follows:

Set in the year 2046, the existence of spirits has finally been scientifically proven. Across the world, mysterious large scale supernatural disasters known as Hyakki Yako occur. Humanity has entered an era where spirits can be perceived.

The protagonist Shunsaku rides the ultimate machine JURO, a talisman-powered motorcycle designed to exterminate spirits. Armed with steel machinery and occult power, he confronts the Hyakki Yako. This is a passionate new work by Hiroyuki Takei that embodies pure action and ambition. A new era of cyber occult battle action begins.

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With Shaman King already rooted in the occult, it's unsurprising that Takei continues to work out of his wheelhouse while injecting other genre styles into a thrilling and striking world plagued by tangible evil spirits. Given the recent popularity of other manga hits like Kaiju No. 8 or One-Punch Man for presenting wave-after-wave of massive monsters threatening society, it's hard to imagine this series not being fun in the long haul.

Considering it's common knowledge that Takei was influenced by Osamu Tezuka and mecha anime, it's no wonder that his next creation would lean further into that direction. It forgoes the pretense laid out by Shaman King, namely, supernatural warriors powered by various occult and spiritual tropes and customs worldwide in the Shaman Fight. But upon looking at Yoh's later forms even just with his main guardian ghost, Amidamaru, one can see in forms like Spirit of Sword: Byakkō just how mecha-influenced the work truly is. That's before even getting into the positively tokusatsu/mecha vibes of the Five Grand Elemental Spirits.

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Dragon Ball, created by Akira Toriyama, is one of the most influential manga ever published in Weekly Shonen Jump. The series follows Goku on his journey from a child to the universe’s greatest fighter. What is Goku’s original Saiyan name?

AVegeta BKakarot CBardock DRaditz

✓ Correct! Goku’s birth name is Kakarot, given to him on Planet Vegeta before he was sent to Earth as a baby. His Saiyan rival Vegeta famously refuses to call him “Goku” and always refers to him by his true Saiyan name, Kakarot.

✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Kakarot. Vegeta is the Saiyan prince, Bardock is Goku’s father, and Raditz is Goku’s older brother. Kakarot is the Saiyan name given to Goku at birth before he was sent to Earth.

Naruto Uzumaki dreams of becoming the Hokage — the leader of his village. Throughout the series, Naruto carries a powerful entity sealed inside him since birth. What is sealed within Naruto?

AThe Ten-Tails BThe Curse Mark CKurama, the Nine-Tailed Fox DThe Rinnegan

✓ Correct! Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Fox, was sealed inside Naruto by his father, the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze, on the day of his birth. What began as a source of fear and isolation for Naruto eventually became his greatest ally and friend.

✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Fox. The Ten-Tails is a different, more powerful beast. The Curse Mark is Orochimaru’s seal, and the Rinnegan is a legendary eye technique. Kurama was sealed in Naruto at birth by the Fourth Hokage.

In the manga Bleach by Tite Kubo, the main character Ichigo Kurosaki gains the powers of a Soul Reaper. Soul Reapers wield unique weapons that have names and special abilities. What are these signature weapons called?

ASacred Gears BZanpakuto CNen Weapons DBankai Blades

✓ Correct! Zanpakuto are the signature weapons of Soul Reapers in Bleach. Each Zanpakuto has its own spirit and name, and a Soul Reaper must learn that name to unlock its Shikai (initial release) and eventually its Bankai (final release) forms.

✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Zanpakuto. Sacred Gears are from High School DxD, Nen is the power system from Hunter x Hunter, and Bankai is actually a Zanpakuto’s final release form — not the weapon’s name itself. Zanpakuto literally means “soul-cutting sword.”

In Dragon Ball Z, Frieza is one of the most iconic villains in anime history. He is a tyrannical galactic emperor responsible for destroying the Saiyan homeworld. What is the name of the planet Frieza destroyed?

APlanet Namek BPlanet Vegeta CPlanet Sadala DEarth

✓ Correct! Planet Vegeta, named after King Vegeta, was the homeworld of the Saiyan race. Frieza destroyed it with a single energy blast because he feared the growing power of the Saiyans and the legend of the Super Saiyan. Only a handful of Saiyans survived, including Goku and Vegeta.

✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Planet Vegeta. Planet Namek is the home of the Namekians and the Dragon Balls, Planet Sadala is the Saiyan homeworld in Universe 6, and Earth is where Goku was raised. Frieza destroyed Planet Vegeta out of fear of the Saiyan race’s potential.

My Hero Academia (Boku no Hero Academia) by Kohei Horikoshi is set in a world where most people have superpowers. What is the term used for these superpowers in My Hero Academia?

AStands BJutsu CQuirks DCursed Techniques

✓ Correct! In My Hero Academia, about 80% of the world’s population possesses a Quirk — a unique superpower that manifests in childhood. The protagonist Izuku Midoriya was born Quirkless but inherited the powerful Quirk “One For All” from the greatest hero, All Might.

✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Quirks. Stands are from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Jutsu are techniques from Naruto, and Cursed Techniques belong to Jujutsu Kaisen. In My Hero Academia, superpowers are called Quirks, and they vary wildly from person to person.

Jujutsu Kaisen by Gege Akutami features a power system based on negative human emotions that manifest as dangerous supernatural beings. What are these beings called?

AHollows BDemons CCursed Spirits DTitans

✓ Correct! Cursed Spirits in Jujutsu Kaisen are born from the accumulation of negative emotions like fear, hatred, and sadness leaked by humans. Jujutsu sorcerers like protagonist Yuji Itadori use cursed energy to exorcise these dangerous beings and protect humanity.

✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Cursed Spirits. Hollows are from Bleach, Demons are from Demon Slayer, and Titans are from Attack on Titan. In Jujutsu Kaisen, negative human emotions give rise to Cursed Spirits that jujutsu sorcerers must exorcise.

In Demon Slayer (Kimetsu no Yaiba) by Koyoharu Gotouge, protagonist Tanjiro Kamado uses specialized sword techniques called Breathing Styles. What is the first Breathing Style that Tanjiro learns?

ASun Breathing BWater Breathing CFire Breathing DThunder Breathing

✓ Correct! Tanjiro learns Water Breathing from the former Water Hashira, Sakonji Urokodaki. Water Breathing is known for its fluid, adaptable movements. While Tanjiro later discovers his connection to the legendary Sun Breathing (Hinokami Kagura), Water Breathing was his first and foundational combat style.

✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Water Breathing. Sun Breathing is the original style that Tanjiro discovers later through his family’s Hinokami Kagura dance. Fire Breathing and Thunder Breathing are used by other Demon Slayers. Tanjiro trained under Sakonji Urokodaki to master Water Breathing first.

Weekly Shonen Jump has been the home of many of the biggest manga series in history. Which of these series has sold the most copies worldwide as of 2024?

ANaruto BDragon Ball COne Piece DDemon Slayer

✓ Correct! One Piece by Eiichiro Oda holds the record as the best-selling manga series of all time, with over 500 million copies sold worldwide. Running since 1997, the series follows Monkey D. Luffy and his crew on their quest to find the legendary treasure, the One Piece.

✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is One Piece. While Naruto (~250 million), Dragon Ball (~260 million), and Demon Slayer (~150 million) are all massive sellers, One Piece stands alone with over 500 million copies sold — making it the best-selling manga in history by a wide margin.

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Seeing Shunsaku riding the eponymous machine from the Juro thus makes greater sense, where the machine's capabilities are empowered by supernatural forces, exterminating spiritual threats. It feels like a natural fit given what Takei's readers are already used to in his worlds. With chapter #6 on the way for an April 17, 2026 release in Japan, it'll be interesting to see where the Shaman King creator takes this series, and his career, next.