Mag Talk Weekly Shonen Jump [2021] - Discussion and ToC Talk

[Shinuki no Reborn]

This seems more conspiratorial than anything. Sending votes doesn't actually benefit the series at all if they're already getting a decent number of votes.

If this happened just before a volume was released to try and artificially drive up sales, then it might make a fragment of sense, but as it stands you're suggesting the editorial is pretending YF and UU have fewer votes than normal to try and (temporarily) receive more votes than normal.

This doesn't actually accomplish anything but a slight increase in the total number of surveys (with a huge bias towards fans of YF or UU). There isn't any reason to do this at all, so I think your theory is extremely unlikely.

They might be experimenting with TOC order for other reasons, but "to scare fans" is most definitely not one of them.

Of course it benefits, it means the series is getting more or even more readers votes in the surveys, basically the reason why this exists to begin with it, for readers to give their votes and show support to their favorite series, the surveys are based in personal bias since you vote in your personal favorite chapters, not really the overall best, also, if PS proved something is that getting votes and being placed well sometimes can mean more than selling well.

In the end of the day is just a theory in the same way you're theorizing about them experimenting, but the thing is that they know that placing X series that sell well/decently in the bottom 2 or last for some weeks will scare many fans since people know how SJ works, which will lead part of them to be more active towards sending a survey, and this part isn't a theory, you can see this actually happening on twitter, and i'm not stating that they literally do to scare people, but that it can be used to make fans not get so comfortable thinking they don't need to send the surveys because it's doing well anyway.

 

[galaxy-juice]

Of course it benefits, it means the series is getting more or even more readers votes in the surveys, basically the reason why this exists to begin with it, for readers to give their votes and show support to their favorite series, the surveys are based in personal bias since you vote in your personal favorite chapters, not really the overall best, also, if PS proved something is that getting votes and being placed well sometimes can mean more than selling well.

In the end of the day is just a theory in the same way you're theorizing about them experimenting, but the thing is that they know that placing X series that sell well/decently in the bottom 2 or last for some weeks will scare many fans since people know how SJ works, which will lead part of them to be more active towards sending a survey, and this part isn't a theory, you can see this actually happening on twitter, and i'm not stating that they literally do to scare people, but that it can be used to make fans not get so comfortable thinking they don't need to send the surveys because it's doing well anyway.

Yes, but surveys are a "measurement of popularity". More surveys != more popularity. More surveys != more magazine sales. And more surveys != more volume sales.

Assuming that "roughly" the same group of people vote every week, the poll is a measurement of how that group of people ranks the series in WSJ. But by dumping a large number of exclusively MYF fans into that group, you don't get more accurate results, you get less accurate results, since all the votes for MYF were been influenced by external factors.

If MYF votes suddenly doubled after this, and the editorial said "look, MYF is more popular than Mashle now, we should give it XXX instead!" That would be a massively flawed decision since MYF and Mashle weren't measured with the same scale.

I'm not denying that people on Twitter panicked when MYF dipped for one week, in fact, I expect it. But there isn't a reason for the editorial to want that. (This is assuming, of course, that the number of MYF fans on Twitter is large enough to influence anything at all).

The only explanation for your theory that might be reasonable is if the editorial is currently trying to decide whether or not to axe the series versus something like AyaTri or HSF, which were also ranked below Candy Flurry in previous weeks. But that doesn't seem likely, so I simply do not think your theory holds any water on analysis.

 

[Shinuki no Reborn]

Yes, but surveys are a "measurement of popularity". More surveys != more popularity. More surveys != more magazine sales. And more surveys != more volume sales.

Assuming that "roughly" the same group of people vote every week, the poll is a measurement of how that group of people ranks the series in WSJ. But by dumping a large number of exclusively MYF fans into that group, you don't get more accurate results, you get less accurate results, since all the votes for MYF were been influenced by external factors.

If MYF votes suddenly doubled after this, and the editorial said "look, MYF is more popular than Mashle now, we should give it XXX instead!" That would be a massively flawed decision since MYF and Mashle weren't measured with the same scale.

I'm not denying that people on Twitter panicked when MYF dipped for one week, in fact, I expect it. But there isn't a reason for the editorial to want that. (This is assuming, of course, that the number of MYF fans on Twitter is large enough to influence anything at all).

The only explanation for your theory that might be reasonable is if the editorial is currently trying to decide whether or not to axe the series versus something like AyaTri or HSF, which were also ranked below Candy Flurry in previous weeks. But that doesn't seem likely, so I simply do not think your theory holds any water on analysis.

You're trying to be a bit too analytical with this, It's already stated by them that the surveys are "one part" of what is take into account when deciding these placements and everything, they will not simply go and think "Ohh this chapter of Yozakura got more votes than this Mashle chapter, so it means is now more popular", it will only mean that Yozakura is getting more fan support than before, which means the series is able to pull a dedicated fanbase instead of just casual votes, something important to a franchise, i also don't think they care about a series having a boost of votes because of "external factors", this can mean anything, from fans having a fear of cancelation and gathering together to vote or some popular author, artist or social media person openly supporting the series, they care if the series is getting support.

My theory is simply that some of these weird big drops for UU and Yozakura and next getting a "arc suddenly getting super popular" color page could be some kind of test to see if it make some "sleepy" fans send surveys and support their favorite series, which can work.

 

[galaxy-juice]

You're trying to be a bit too analytical with this, It's already stated by them that the surveys are "one part" of what is take into account when deciding these placements and everything, they will not simply go and think "Ohh this chapter of Yozakura got more votes than this Mashle chapter, so it means is now more popular", it will only mean that Yozakura is getting more fan support than before, which means the series is able to pull a dedicated fanbase instead of just casual votes, something important to a franchise, i also don't think they care about a series having a boost of votes because of "external factors", this can mean anything, from fans having a fear of cancelation and gathering together to vote or some popular author, artist or social media person openly supporting the series, they care if the series is getting support.

My theory is simply that some of these weird big drops for UU and Yozakura and next getting a "arc suddenly getting super popular" color page could be some kind of test to see if it make some "sleepy" fans send surveys and support their favorite series, which can work.

If all you think is that the editorial let Yozakura drop to see if "sleepy fans" exist, then sure. I guess now they know. But I disagree with the premise that there is no difference between "an influential person recommended our work, look how much new support there is" and "we threatened existing fans into voting, look how much new support there is".

The difference is that while the former may result in a permanent increase in support (in the form of new fans), "sleepy fans" just go back to sleep when YF is safe, so their brief activity only gives off the illusion of more support.

It just seems like a lot of circumstantial evidence. But you're generally better informed on these things than me. And YF rose up to #7 this week so maybe those extra votes did something after all.

 

[Shinuki no Reborn]

If all you think is that the editorial let Yozakura drop to see if "sleepy fans" exist, then sure. I guess now they know. But I disagree with the premise that there is no difference between "an influential person recommended our work, look how much new support there is" and "we threatened existing fans into voting, look how much new support there is".

The difference is that while the former may result in a permanent increase in support (in the form of new fans), "sleepy fans" just go back to sleep when YF is safe, so their brief activity only gives off the illusion of more support.

It just seems like a lot of circumstantial evidence. But you're generally better informed on these things than me. And YF rose up to #7 this week so maybe those extra votes did something after all.

I didn't say that there's no difference between the existing fans voting returning and new fans appearing due famous people, i said that "external factors" can mean anything and in the end will still be viewed as "fan support" by SJ, more survey votes means people don't want the series to be axed, simple.

And yes, some sleepy fans can go back to not send the votes when it gets better rankings, but that's normal, many on twitter state they don't regularly send the surveys despite buying the magazine, only when they see some necessity or some of their favorite series are placed low

 

[Franz]

Jujutsu Kaisen Promotional Page in WSJ 38/2021 Issue.

 

[Pietro]

Black clover chapter was just 11pag this week... I wonder if Tabata just needs a break like Akutami

 

[Shinuki no Reborn]

Black clover chapter was just 11pag this week... I wonder if Tabata just needs a break like Akutami

It's 14, there are 3 double pages in the chapter

 

[Franz]

Black clover chapter was just 11pag this week... I wonder if Tabata just needs a break like Akutami

Not this one again

 

[KiMiTo]

So, after a vacation, I managed to catch up with the new chapters.

Jump #36-37:

Great:
Bleach - Oh, some good old Bleach epicness. Can we hope for serialization? Doubtful since Kubo started Burn the Witch
One Piece - Hoho, Robin just served some justice into her And what a twist with Momo
Witch Watch - That twist was Let's gooo!
Sakamoto Days - What a badass, stopping a bullet with a fork The gambling battle is gonna be fun.

Good:
Blue Box - Oh, man, poor Hina...
Jujutsu Kaisen - Nice chapter. So Kirara can be a trans? Nice work from Megumi and Panda.
Neru - Let's gooo! Neru is showing some crazy skills.
The Elusive Samurai - The fight is pretty strategic one. Also, Hojo sees a blood, Hojo takes a stand.

Fine:
Red Hood - That was a nice worldbuilding chapter.
Candy Flurry - I wonder if it'll wrap in volume 2 or it'll run for another volume.

 

[Pietro]

K

It's 14, there are 3 double pages in the chapter

I counted each one of them (including the double pages)

 

[Shinuki no Reborn]

K


I counted each one of them (including the double pages)

8 normal pages + 3 double pages = 14 pages

 

[Jovan]

Issue 38 cover: Mashle

 

[SharkBait]

if only that was the actual mashle logo

also Dot lol.

 

[Pietro]

8 normal pages + 3 double pages = 14 pages

Okay, then the raws are incomplete

 

[Cerclox]

That Mashle cover is amazing

 

[KagamiKuroko]

Has Furudate said what he'd like to do a series on next?

 

[Shonenfan]

Does anyone know what the overall Japanese reception has been on red hood? I really want to see it survive.

 

[SharkBait]

I really want to see it survive.

Any reasons why?

 

[savethecat]

Any reasons why?

I would like it to survive simply because I enjoy the series