The landscape of shōnen manga, traditionally associated with adventure and overcoming challenges, is undergoing a radical and visceral transformation in this year of 2026. The current wave, led by authors like Tatsuki Fujimoto (Chainsaw Man) and Gege Akutami (Jujutsu Kaisen), delves into adult themes and uses body horror – the grotesque violation of the body – as a central narrative tool. This phenomenon, which gained strength with the digital platform Jump+, reflects a readership that has matured alongside the genre and now seeks stories with permanent consequences and unprecedented visual rawness.
This silent revolution did not happen overnight but is the result of a gradual evolution. From the dark moments in classics like Dragon Ball and One Piece, shōnen has always flirted with darkness. However, the difference now lies in the intensity and centrality of these elements. Due to the creative freedom of digital publication and an older readership demographic – where 27.4% are 25 years or older – graphic violence and psychological exploration have moved from being background elements to becoming the plot itself. Thus, we are witnessing a rebirth of the genre, which directly dialogues with the anxieties and maturity of its current audience.
The Lineage of Horror and the “Dark Trio”
The seed of dark shōnen was planted long ago, with works like Bleach being considered a proto-form of the genre. However, it was with the arrival of what became known as the “Dark Trio” – Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man, and Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku – that the movement gained body and definition. Meanwhile, the violence in these stories is not merely aesthetic but carries thematic weight. In Chainsaw Man, for example, body horror is linked to the trauma and distorted desires of the protagonist Denji, creating an absurdist and deeply disturbing narrative.
On the other hand, this trend is not limited to Weekly Shōnen Jump. Works like Attack on Titan and the recent Gachiakuta, published in the competitor Weekly Shōnen Magazine, show that the thirst for rawer narratives is an industry-wide movement. Gachiakuta, in particular, combines impressive art with graffiti to portray a world of trash and social inequality, proving that the “dark” goes beyond gore. Furthermore, this shift recalls the gekiga movement of the 60s, which also sought to bring complexity and maturity to Japanese comics, now adapting for the generation that grew up with Naruto and Luffy.
The Body as a Page of Trauma
The element that truly defines this new wave is the deliberate use of body horror. It’s not just about showing blood, but about violating the body in ways that cause psychological discomfort and reinforce the gravity of the consequences. In Jujutsu Kaisen, the brutal death of the character Nobara, with a hole exploding in her face, is a shocking example. Similarly, in Hell’s Paradise, the macabre beauty of bodies transformed into flora demonstrates how thin the line between the horrible and the beautiful can be. Therefore, the body ceases to be a shell and becomes a map of trauma, loss, and inescapable violence.
Thus, what we are witnessing in 2026 is more than a passing trend. It is a natural maturation of a genre, guided by artists who challenge conventions and by an audience that is no longer afraid to face the shadows. In this way, the future of shōnen appears to be a more diverse ecosystem, where stories of friendship and overcoming can coexist with narratives that investigate, with brutal honesty, the limits of the human condition. The body horror revolution has arrived, and it is here to stay, carving its space with the sharp blade of the new generations of mangaka.
