Last Friday, Hisashi Sasaki, former Editor-in-Chief of Weekly Shonen Jump in Japan (the same guy who is in Bakuman), and ongoing staff with the American branch of Shonen Jump, made a huge announcement for the future of the company.
On December 17th, 2018, they are opening a new subscription service. For $1.99 a month, you will have access to simultaneous English translations along with all present Japanese releases, as well as access to the archive of nearly everything Shonen Jump has ever published. SJ has been around since 1968, and has approximately 7.5 billion sales under their belt. Needless to say, this library is vast, and includes many popular series familiar to fans and non-fans alike.
Most importantly it is accessible. In Sasaki’s own words, this service will be “legitimate, authentic, and safe.” Meaning subscribers can rest easier knowing they aren’t exposing their technology to viruses, or wondering whether the original authors are being paid or not. The service will be accessible through both the Shonen Jump website, as well as their phone app.
See above video for Sasaki’s full message.
Thank you.