Are you the next innovator for Shonen Jump?
As part of the magazine’s 50th-anniversary celebration, Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump launched the Shonen Jump App Development Contest on April 25. Weekly Shounen Jump has opened the competition for new application and web service proposals from individuals and development/planning departments. The contest ends on June 4 at 11:59 pm (JST). Applicants can apply on the official website.
Aspects such as innovation, viability, and charm are the judging criteria for proposals from individuals. Weekly Shonen Jump will award first place winners ten million yen. A number of honorable mention winners will receive ten thousand yen each. Additionally, there is no age restriction for individuals.
Development/planning department applicants must either qualify as a corporation or private organization or have past experience in system development. The judges will evaluate the plans from development/planning departments on their charm and innovation. Weekly Shonen Jump will also judge the plan on its business potential and the department’s past performance. The first place development/planning departments will win five million yen and honorable mentions one million yen. Should the proposal actually be developed, the winning department will receive the prize along with 50 million yen of funding from Shueisha.
Fighting for the future of shonen manga
This competition is an effort by one of the longest-running manga magazines in Japan to adjust to changing media landscapes. Weekly Shonen Jump circulation number fell to 1,915,000 during the first quarter according to Japanese Magazine Publishers Association (JMPA). Circulation had previously reached 2,005,933 between October to December 2016. Kodansha’s Weekly Shōnen Magazine‘s and Shogakukan’s Weekly Shonen Sunday‘s circulation numbers have also fallen as well in the first quarter. These numbers reflect a larger trend of shonen manga magazines losing circulations since 2006. With the decline in circulation numbers among leading manga magazines, demand for new web application and services has increased in recent years.
Currently, Weekly Shonen Jump supports eight web services and applications. These apps range from the online Jump Book Store to the My Jump app which allows users receive personalized issues of Weekly Shonen Jump. The contest recommends applicants to use these services as a reference for their own proposals.
Source: Official Shonen Jump App Development Contest
