Popular Japanese franchises like Dragon Ball, One Piece, Naruto, and more are set to collide when Jump Force launches on February 15 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. The brawler promises to bring the past and present of Weekly Shonen Jump together to properly celebrate the publication’s 50th anniversary and ensure that many more years follow. While it’s great to see characters like Goku square off against Luffy, it’s hard not to wonder why developer Spike Chunsoft and publisher Bandai Namco haven’t announced other shonen mascots like Gintoki or Toriko yet. Without further ado, check out what other fighters should make it onto Jump Force‘s roster in time for its release.
Jump Force‘s missing shonen mascots – Gintoki Sakata (Gin Tama)
It’s surprising that no one from Gintama has been announced for Jump Force yet, given the series’ immense popularity in Japan and substantial history with Weekly Shonen Jump. It began running in the publication on December 8, 2003 and has since spawned several anime, a handful of movies, and a live-action adaptation. Protagonist Sakata Gintoki would control similarly to other swordfighters already in the title, though a couple of gag moves could be thrown in for good measure. There are also side characters like Shimura and Kagura to consider, the latter of which sports a bulletproof umbrella that can fire rounds of its own into enemies.
Jump Force‘s missing shonen mascots – Kuro-sensei (Assassination Classroom)
Assassination Classroom‘s Kuro-sensei blew up 70 percent of the moon before coming to Earth to teach a group of kids a thing or two about murder. That alone should be enough to warrant the tentacled professor a spot on Jump Force‘s roster. Given Kuro-sensei’s extreme agility, players could speed around the battlefield with ease and even steal enemy weapons whenever they aren’t looking. Students like Nagisa Shiota and Kaede Kayano could also join the roster, each with his or her own unique assassination skills. It’s all in the name of good fun at the end of the day.
Jump Force‘s missing shonen mascots – Suguru Kinniku (Ultimate Muscle)
Ultimate Muscle is a classic shonen series that ran in Weekly Shonen Jump from 1979 to 1987. It stars a superhero named Suguru Kinniku who must maintain his title as prince of Planet Kinniku by winning in a grueling wrestling tournament. This straightforward premise has spawned a spin-off series, an anime, video games, films, and a ton of merchandise that’s still popular in Japan today. Why Suguru hasn’t been announced for Jump Force yet is a bit of a mystery. Adapting him as a fighter would be relatively simple given all the other physical combatants in the game already. Perhaps his muscles are too much to handle.
Jump Force‘s missing shonen mascots – Toriko
Toriko is an anime all about food. Given how every shonen fan loves a good meal, it would make sense for the titular Gourmet Hunter to make his way into Spike Chunsoft’s game. For those that don’t know, the series follows a muscular blue-haired man as he travels around the world in search of rare ingredients to cook a full-course meal. His incredible knowledge of the animal kingdom could manifest in allowing players to summon strong beasts to fight alongside him in battle. Toriko could always boil his opponents to death too, though that may be a little too graphic (we’re looking at you, Kirby).
Jump Force‘s missing shonen mascots – Shoyo Hinata (Haikyu!!)
If you’re thinking that sports protagonists from franchises like Haikyu!! have no business being on a list about a fighting game, you’d be wrong. Shoyo Hinata’s volleyball skills could work in imaginative ways, as players could spike opponents and chain moves together in a dangerous loop that’d be near impossible to escape. His inclusion would help appeal to a female demographic too, as Haikyu!! is popular among women despite it being a shonen.
Jump Force‘s missing shonen mascots – Ryoma Echizen (The Prince of Tennis)
Ryoma Echizen from The Prince of Tennis could work similarly to Haikyu!!‘s Shoyo Hinata, though he’ll excel at long range attacks. Ryoma would have the additional benefit of having a racket in his arsenal for close combat situations, and may even be able to launch opponents into the air and hammer them onto the ground just like in one of his serves on the court. These sports protagonists could mean business if Spike Chunsoft designs them right.
Jump Force‘s missing shonen mascots – Bobobo-Bo Bo-Bobo (Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo)
The protagonist of Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo, named Bobobo-Bo Bo-Bobo (I’m not making this up), would be the perfect addition to Spike Chunsoft’s upcoming fighter, especially considering the power of his magic nose hairs. Indeed, this character can lift, grab, and toss opponents around arenas with the luscious tendrils emanating from his nostrils. Bobobo-Bo Bo-Bobo may take a bit to get used to from a gameplay perspective, but more variety in fighting styles is always a good thing.
Jump Force‘s missing shonen mascots – Emma (The Promised Neverland)
An anime adaptation of The Promised Neverland is currently airing in Japan, which makes now the perfect time for it to appear in other media. It stars an 11-year-old named Emma who’s tasked with taking care of a group of orphans after finding out that each is being raised as food for demons. The action picks up when the little girl and her crew gain access to an arsenal of deadly firearms. Imagine taking down mascots like Goku as a tiny child with semiautomatic rifles. It’s hilarious and horrifying at the same time.
While some mascots on this list may not make the cut, it’s important to be grateful for the popularity each franchise has received thanks in part to Weekly Shonen Jump‘s large readership. Witnessing Kuro-sensei launch a barrage of grenades onto the Straw Hat Pirates may have to wait for Jump Force‘s sequel, though Spike Chunsoft and Bandai Namco may be willing to offer some DLC until then. Here’s hoping Shonen Jump continues to introduce otaku to exciting new worlds for a long time to come, and that the industry will remain as imaginative as it always has been.
