More manga has become available to fans, as Viz has announced and implemented a new subscription service. VIZ Manga is the latest addition to the publisher's offerings. It adds numerous new comics including some simulpub series.On Twitter, VIZ Media's CEO, Ken Sasaki, shared the Viz Manga launch announcement. This subscription provides new offerings, beyond just Shonen manga. Select shojo, horror, slice of life, and titles not specifically under the Shonen Jump brand are now available through the new service. However, it is important to note that this subscription is separate from VIZ's current Shonen Jump subscription service app.
VIZ Now Has Two Separate Manga Subscription Service Apps
Previously, Viz only offered Shonen Jump as a subscription service, which allowed manga fans to read classic hit series like Dragon Ball, One Piece, and Naruto, as well as new Shonen Jump series like RuriDragon and Mashle: Magic and Muscles. This service is still offered and is $2.99/month as of now. VIZ Manga is a new app, completely separate from the Shonen Jump subscription. Fans can choose which one they prefer and pay for one or pay for both, albeit separately. At this time there are no combo subscriptions. The new VIZ Manga app is $1.99/month. Each app and subscription is independent from the other, so having access to one will not automatically grant access to the other.
The VIZ Manga App Provides Separate Offerings From Shonen Jump's App
The Shonen Jump app provides readers with exactly what its name says - manga published in Shonen Jump. VIZ Manga is intended to increase the publisher's offerings, without encroaching on the Shonen Jump label. Therefore, when scrolling through both, there will be titles on one that are not on the other. For example, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is only on Shonen Jump, not VIZ Manga. Contrarily, a few works by Junji Ito and series like Ao Haru Ride, Komi Can't Communicate, and Call of the Night are available only on VIZ Manga. These exclusivities could help fans determine which subscription they want or if they need to have both. Call of the Night is serialized in Weekly Shonen Sunday, while Ao Haru Ride serialized in Bessatsu Margaret, a shojo-centric publication. With this expansion in offerings, Viz can now provide manga that are outside of the Shonen Jump brand.
Fans of the free aspects of Shonen Jump will be glad to know that new simulpub chapters will also be available free on VIZ Manga. Older chapters will be locked for subscribers only, just like in the other app. Another perk of the new subscription service is more simulpub chapters being released in English at the same time as Japanese chapters. In addition to previously mentioned offerings, Viz Manga also grants manga fans access to some of Rumiko Takahashi's major works, including Ranma 1/2, Inuyasha, Urusei Yatsura, and Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon. The CEO - as well as the official Twitter page's responses to comments on the Tweet - have promised more manga series will be coming to the service in the future.
Fans have reported series being removed from the Shonen Jump app, which VIZ has confirmed. Some of these, including Dandadan have been moved to the webpage due to "mature content restrictions." To read these series, fans need to log into Viz's webpage via browser, where they will still be able to access them. Manga fans wanting more non-shonen titles can already download the VIZ Manga app, purchase a subscription, and/or begin reading.
Source: VIZ