Weekly Shonen Jump is Japan’s and the world’s most iconic manga publishing magazine. Over its decades-long run, it has seen the rise of countless successful series, such as Dragon Ball, Naruto, One Piece, Slam Dunk, Hunter x Hunter, Bleach, Jujutsu Kaisen, and many more. All of these legendary stories have been serialized in this magazine and changed the industry as we know it.
Of course, we also can’t forget about Gintama, one of the most famous shonen series by creator Hideaki Sorachi. Gintama originally ended in 2019, but Sorachi’s career did not end with it. Following Gintama’s end, Hideaki Sorachi returned to Weekly Shonen Jump in 2026 for the new series Class 2-B: Hero Destroyerz. In Class 2-B: Hero Destroyerz’s first volume release, he confirms that this might very well be his last big project, and his retirement could be ahead of us now.
Gintama Mangaka Hideaki Sorachi Confirms Class 2-B: Hero Destroyerz Is His Last Big Project
Image via Shueisha
Gintama is a widely popular manga series. Originally started in 2003, the series had a successful run until its eventual ending in 2019. Behind Gintama is the legendary mangaka, Hideaki Sorachi. Sorachi had his great breakout with his protagonist Gintoki, and his legacy has been cemented ever since. Gintama’s success led it to become one of the best-selling manga series of all time by the end of its run. With 77 volumes, it has amassed over 73 million sales overall, and its anime success is clear, with a hit TV anime and popular theatrical releases.
While the story of Gintama ended, it wasn’t the end of Hideaki Sorachi. Even after Gintama’s end, Hideaki Sorachi made a comeback to Jump. In 2026, Shueisha unveiled Sorachi’s most recent project, titled “Class 2-B: Hero Destroyerz.” The series debuted with chapter 1 in Weekly Shonen Jump Double Issue #21-22 on April 20, 2026. Quickly, it gained a lot of traction, and even today, it is still ongoing with new releases. Since the series has been going on for a couple of months, it has finally seen the release of its very first manga volume. Class 2-B: Hero Destroyerz Volume 1 was officially released in Japan on September 4, 2026.
As is the norm with volume releases, Class 2-B: Hero Destroyerz Volume 1 had a short comment from the mangaka Hideaki Sorachi, and he stated the following:
“So, I’ve been tricked by the international criminal group “Shueisha” into serializing my manga in Jump again. To be honest, I still haven’t gotten back into the weekly rhythm, and I’m missing deadlines every week. I don’t know what will happen, but I think this will be the last time I’ll be able to rampage through Weekly Shonen Jump due to my physical condition.
I’ve been given this opportunity, and I think this will be my last chance, so I’m going to try my best and ask for your support. I’m also accepting encouraging letters, questions about my work and myself, insults and abuse from the Jump editorial department, so please send them in.” — Hideaki Sorachi in Class 2-B: Hero Destroyerz volume 1
Image via Shueisha
As we can see, Hideaki Sorachi confirms that Class 2-B: Hero Destroyerz, his new manga that comes 7 years after Gintama’s end, will likely be his last big endeavor. With this new message, he sets up his retirement from the manga industry. For now, we can still enjoy his return with Class 2-B: Hero Destroyerz. To be clear, we have no idea how long this 2026 manga will be serialized for. It seems to be a regular-length serialization, but as Sorachi has brought up once again in the new message, he still struggles with health issues. To that end, we can at least look forward to 100 chapters. Hideaki Sorachi won’t be leaving the industry anytime soon, given that the manga only just began.
How Hideaki Sorachi Became A Legend In The Manga Industry
Image via Sunrise
There are many successful manga series, especially among the lineup at Weekly Shonen Jump. When a series becomes famous enough, its creator’s name can also become legendary. This has been the case for the likes of Akira Toriyama, the creator of Dragon Ball, Eiichiro Oda, the creator of One Piece, and Masashi Kishimoto, the creator of Naruto, among many others. Hideaki Sorachi could definitely be considered in the same league as these legendary creators in Japan, at the very least.
Gintama, his first major series, is one of the most recognizable and iconic franchises of Japan. Over the years, Gintama has had its serious arcs, but largely, it is a comedic shonen with many puns and gags referencing popular Japanese media and other big manga series. Gintama’s overall success clearly shows that. Just in Japan, the series has been able to achieve over 70 million sales. Of course, Gintama’s biggest weakness is that, while it is an icon in Japan, it has struggled to catch on as much overseas. A big reason for that is because of how Japan-centric its humor is, and of course it had its rise in Japan before anime became as mainstream as it is today.
Sorachi, however, has a shot at becoming a global icon now. His ongoing series, Class 2-B: Hero Destroyerz, carries a similar vibe to Gintama. While the series is unique and stands out in its own way, it is a more modern franchise that could take the world by storm. For the time being, we can observe how Class 2-B: Hero Destroyerz Volume 1 does sales wise in Japan. Since the volume dropped on September 4, it will take at least a week to get an idea of its performance. Hopefully, someday, we will see it adapted into a TV anime. With a proper adaptation, it definitely has a shot at becoming a big hit and gaining popularity not only in Japan but globally as well.
While Hideaki Sorachi Takes His Leave, Other Big Mangakas Could Eventually Return
Image by Studio MAPPA
It’s unfortunate to learn that Hideaki Sorachi, one of the biggest names in the industry, considers his current ongoing project, Class 2-B: Hero Destroyerz, to be his last big one. If there is a time when Weekly Shonen Jump needs big names, it is right now. Weekly Shonen Jump sales have dropped under 1 million for the first time in decades. It’s definitely a worrying sign for the magazine and shows that it’s in dire need of new big hits.
While series by new rising creators need some time to cement themselves, legendary mangaka can often come in and share the burden when they return with a new story or with a new sequel. In 2025 and 2026, we had the return of the legendary Gege Akutami with a sequel to Jujutsu Kaisen, titled Jujutsu Kaisen: Modulo. Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo was a massive hit in Japan and ended up being one of the best-selling series upon its release. Recently, there have been reports circulating that Gege Akutami might be planning another return, which is more than welcome.
In 2026, we also had the return of another legendary name in Weekly Shonen Jump — Kohei Horikoshi. Horikoshi is the man behind the most iconic superhero manga, My Hero Academia, which ended in 2024. Horikoshi made a comeback on August 10, 2026, with the new one-shot series “Quit Laughing, Shijima.” This romance horror became one of the most popular releases of its week. A full-fledged adaptation of this one-shot is a possibility.
