Five years after debuting in Weekly Shonen Jump, Blue Box is preparing to close the curtain on one of the magazine’s most successful modern series. Creator Kouji Miura has confirmed that the romantic sports manga will conclude with Chapter 250, bringing an end to a story that has become one of Shonen Jump’s defining new-generation hits since launching in 2021.
The announcement, via VIZ Media, marks another huge transition for Shueisha’s flagship manga magazine. As several veteran and long-running titles approach their finales, Blue Box’s ending removes one of the publication’s strongest recent success stories, leaving readers wondering which series will emerge to fill the gap in the years ahead.
Blue Box’s Graduation Brings Its Story to a Natural Close
The confirmation arrived alongside Chapter 249, where Miura shared a brief message revealing that the next installment would serve as the manga’s graduation ceremony and final chapter. The author also explained that ending the series at this point had always been part of the original vision, tying the conclusion directly to the characters completing their high school lives.
“Next week is the graduation ceremony. I always planned to have it end in the box. Hope you enjoy it.” – Kouji Miura
That decision reflects the story’s central themes. Rather than extending the narrative beyond its intended destination, Blue Box closes as Taiki Inomata and Chinatsu Kano prepare to move into adulthood. Their athletic ambitions and growing relationship have always been framed within their shared high school experience, making graduation a fitting conclusion instead of an arbitrary stopping point.
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01
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?
✓ 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.
02
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?
✓ 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.
03
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?
✓ 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.”
04
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?
✓ 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.
05
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?
✓ 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.
06
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?
✓ 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.
07
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?
✓ 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.
08
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?
✓ 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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The penultimate chapter also wraps up many lingering storylines. Although Taiki successfully reached the National Tournament after an important victory, the manga quickly revealed that he ultimately fell short of winning the championship. Instead of focusing solely on trophies, Miura emphasized the personal growth of both Taiki and Chinatsu, reinforcing that their emotional journey mattered more than the final results on the court.
Shonen Jump Faces Another Major Transition
Blue Box exits Weekly Shonen Jump during a period of many big changes for the magazine. While recent years saw numerous cancellations of newer titles, 2026 has instead become defined by established series reaching planned conclusions. That shift creates a very different challenge, as proven hits disappear from the publication’s lineup.
The magazine has already seen Genki Ono’s Hima-ten! finish after a two-year serialization, while Yuto Suzuki’s Sakamoto Days is also progressing through its final arc. Losing multiple recognizable series within such a short span leaves Shonen Jump searching for the next generation of breakout successes capable of attracting long-term readers.
Hima-Ten! has just ended its two-year run in Shonen Jump, and surprisingly, it ended by breaking one of the biggest rules of anime romcoms.
Still, the future is far from bleak. Hunter x Hunter is scheduled to continue its latest return from hiatus throughout the summer, bringing renewed attention to one of the magazine’s most beloved franchises. Combined with rumors of additional returning series and the constant search for fresh talent, Shonen Jump has several opportunities to build momentum after these high-profile farewells.
For Blue Box, however, the focus remains on delivering a satisfying ending. Across 250 chapters, Kouji Miura blended romance, badminton, basketball, and coming-of-age storytelling into a series that stood apart from traditional battle-heavy Shonen Jump titles. As Taiki and Chinatsu finally graduate, readers will also say goodbye to one of the magazine’s defining manga of the past five years, closing an era that helped reshape what a modern Shonen Jump success could look like.
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Shonen Jump is one of Japan’s most successful manga anthology franchises, published by Shueisha. Launched in 1968, it is the source of some of the most beloved and popular anime and manga series, such as One Piece, Dragon Ball, and Naruto. The franchise has extended into multiple adaptations across various media, including anime, films, video games, and merchandise.
