Few things on this planet are as close to my heart as Shonen Jump and its endless amount of top-notch series. Obviously, this means I was stoked for Jump Force (yet disappointed), and while the roster so-far is pretty tight, I think I could make it even better. Here are twenty Jump characters, from various series, that absolutely have to be in Jump Force. The only self-imposed rule is: no characters from already announced franchises, as Hunter x Hunter and One Piece would absolutely dominate the list.
Honorable Mention: Yoh (Shaman King, owned by Kodansha now but still worth mentioning)
The reason Yoh is an honorable mention is that Shaman King isn’t owned by Shueisha anymore, as it is now published by Kodansha. What does this mean in non-weeb terms? It’s unlikely that Yoh or any aspects of Shaman King will be making any kind of appearance in Jump Force. It’s a shame, as Yoh’s ability to harness the abilities of ghosts and spirits makes him a prime candidate for the game. But alas, not all things are meant to be.
Train Heartnet (Black Cat)
Black Cat is a series that I thought was largely forgotten by time. I was proven wrong by the many Twitter users and YouTube comments that asked for Train to be in Jump Force, which was surprising but pleasant to see for a longtime fan. Train Heartnet is a Sweeper, which is essentially a licensed bounty hunter. After leaving behind a dark past, Train tries to live a simpler life as a Sweeper with his friend and personal arms dealer, Sven. As is always the case in stories like this, Train’s past comes knocking, and a series of escalating events lead to Train befriending a human biological-weapon and confronting both the organization he once worked for, and the mysterious but powerful Apostles of the Stars.
Train would be a fast long-range character whose entire moveset (barring an up-close Black Cross slashing attack) would revolve around the use of Hades; his specialized handgun. Train’s impeccable marksmanship would make his speedy attacks hit rather frequently, as he would use a variety of flashy trick-shots to keep his foes at a distance. Train’s ultimate attack would take advantage of the nanomachines in his body in order to use Railgun, which makes Hades fire three powerful electric blasts. Whether Train will make it in or not is anyone’s guess, but I certainly wouldn’t mind seeing him show up.
Bakugo (Boku no Hero Academia)
My Hero Academia has really hit its stride here in the West, so I can see it snagging a DLC character slot in Jump Force. Bakugo seems like the most likely inclusion (though I wouldn’t complain about All-Might), as he and Deku are generally seen as the two main characters. Bakugo, Deku’s abrasive classmate and rival, uses his explosive powers (and personality) to stay ahead of Deku, though he slowly gains a begrudging respect for Deku as he sees his dedication.
Bakugo would work as a mid-range fighter who is all about explosive damage and mobility. Though his attacks might be slow, Bakugo’s explosions would blast opponents away, allowing him to chase them by pushing himself forward with the momentum from his explosives. As an ultimate attack, he could use his iconic projectile-explosion from his first battle with Deku, complete with that creepy look he gives Deku.
I really think Bakugo is as safe a bet as it gets for DLC. Now how can we go about getting Mineta in…
Gintoki (GinTama)
Gintama is one of the funniest series on the planet, and it makes me laugh in a way that few other series can. The series stars Gintoki, a former samurai who runs an odd-job business in a past version of Japan that has assimilated with aliens known as the Amanto. Though there are some strong, fairly serious story arcs throughout the series, I think the ridiculous characters and the comedy that comes from them is easily the best part of the series, with Gintoki standing out as one of Jump’s all-time best protagonists. His exclusion from the base game in nothing short of criminal, so I’m desperately hoping he comes to Jump Force through DLC.
Gintoki’s moveset would naturally be based around his goofy antics, which would likely make him somewhat hard to play as. His dash would definitely just have Gintoki ride his scooter, while his melee attacks would be made up of smacks and slashes from his wooden katana. Justaways would be the perfect projectile attack for Gintoki, while his soy sauce-shooting sword could stun enemies from afar. Shinpachi’s commentary bubbles would make for great projectile attacks, as would Gintoki’s impression of a Kamehameha. The show parodies enough other battle shonen to fill half a moveset with Gintoki’s interpretations of iconic moves, while the other half of his moveset would be meta-jokes about crossovers and fighting games, a la Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3’s Deadpool. The recent “conclusion” to Gintama and its legacy as a long-running Jump classic make Gintoki a shoe-in, especially since he’s one of the few characters that could actually fanboy out about Jump Force in-game.
Senkuu (Dr. Stone)
Dr. Stone is quite new when compared to most of the other series on this list, but it’s easily one of the best Jump manga in years. After every human being on Earth is turned to stone for thousands of years, Senkuu and a couple of his friends wake up to a new world that has reverted to what is essentially the Stone Age. As a master scientist and young genius, Senkuu uses real scientific techniques to slowly bring the world back to the technologically-advanced state it was in before everyone was turned to stone.
Though he may sound somewhat pacifistic, Senkuu has had to fight his way out of a few deadly situations using only his mind and the might of science, which means he could have one of the most unique movesets out of the entire roster. Blinding his opponent with freshly-cooked glass, hitting them with a lead-covered spear, or just throwing vials of various chemicals at opponents would all work as long-range moves that show off the power of science; a power that no other character in all of Jump Force really has.
Suguru (Kinnikuman)
Best known in the West for its sequel series Ultimate Muscle, Kinnikuman is one of Jump’s oldest and most esteemed series. Though it starts as a gag manga (a common thread, it seems), Kinnikuman turns into a superhero-pro-wrestling battle shonen that even the creators of Dragon Ball and Naruto looked up to when making their respective series. Though I only recently got on the Kinnikuman train, I already think that Kinnikuman is an essential addition both for his legacy status and his moveset potential.
Since his series is based on wrestling, Kinnikuman would use mostly grabs and kicks, with his “Kinniku Flash” serving as the perfect projectile move. And naturally, Kinnikuman’s ultimate move would have to be the legendary “Kinniku Buster”, which is easily one of the coolest attacks to ever come from a battle shonen series.
Ushio Hinomaru (Hinomaru no Zumou)
Another recent series, Hinomaru no Zumou is all about huge fellas partaking in hype-inducing sumo wrestling. Like Kinnikuman, Hinomaru would stand out as a unique character whose fighting style is more close-ranged than most of the roster, though Hinomaru’s sumo origins work quite nicely for his moveset potential. He’d be an odd fit when compared to planet-busters and supermen, but that kind of contrast is what crossover fighters are all about.
Hinomaru would largely be an up-close fighter who specializes in slaps and pseudo-grab moves (like Luffy’s Red Hawk). His sumo stomp could break blocks and stun enemies, and his rapid-fire slaps could put E. Honda to shame. His speed would be pretty average, but his dash, which begins in the “sumo starting position”, would be able to transition into a headbutt charge. His ultimate attack would have to be his “Hundred Demon Throw”, naturally, where he grabs his opponent’s back (since they probably don’t have a mawashi) and slams them into the ground, shattering it entirely. Maybe it’s because I love Hinomaru no Zumou so much, but I just really want to see my man Ushio get in Jump Force.
Koro-Sensei (Assassination Classroom)
Koro-Sensei is as much a hero as he is a “villain”, making him quite different from most of the characters on this list. Koro-Sensei is an alien being who, after blowing up part of the moon, declares that he will destroy the Earth in one year. His only request is to teach a class of local underachievers the art of assassination for the entirety of the year. If someone can kill him by the end of the year, they’ll save the world and receive an enormous amount of money from the government. There are only two problems: Koro-Sensei has superhuman strength, speed, and flying abilities at his disposal, and he just happens to be a wonderful and caring teacher to these students who were left behind by their system of education.
Koro-Sensei would be a very mobile close-range character who would use his flight and dashing abilities to close any gap between himself and his foe. As someone who is notoriously hard to kill, Koro-Sensei would use a couple of counter moves as his specials, alongside some harsh slaps from his tentacles. As an ultimate attack, Koro-Sensei would grab his foe and fly around the world at Mach 20 speeds, slamming them into the ground and destroying everything in the vicinity. He’d never be impolite about beating you down though, as Koro-Sensei really is just a really nice guy.
Toriko (Toriko)
Toriko’s exclusion was quite surprising to me, as his series, aptly named Toriko, was once touted as the next member of the “big three” (One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach), before it ended in 2016. Toriko himself would also be a lot of fun to play as, since his moveset would be based around his skills as a Gourmet Hunter (a person who hunts high-level ingredients and dangerous animals for the sake of gourmet cooking).
Toriko’s super strength would help him go toe-to-toe with the likes of Naruto and Yusuke, but it’s his techniques that would make him unique. Using his strength, Toriko can use the “Fork & Knife” technique, where he positions his hands or legs in a way that lets them cut through and stab the hardest materials you can imagine. His ultimate attack would have him use his Cannon Fork technique, where he shoots out countless glowing energy forks, which combine into one major fork that would skewer his unlucky opponent. Maybe he could gain a bit of health back by chomping down on some delicacies as one of his attacks, making him a terrifying close-range threat that can even heal himself. I’d be surprised if Toriko doesn’t get added, as he’s still one of the most recognizable Jump characters of recent years.
Cobra (Cobra)
Few things are as cool as a space captain with a gun-arm, which can be proven by taking one look at Cobra. Once a seemingly ordinary man, Cobra is the ultimate 80’s power-fantasy hero. He captains a spaceship, smokes Cigars like there’s no tomorrow, battles pirates, has a harem, and wields a cool-looking gun arm called the Psychogun. Hideki Kamiya has even said that Cobra was an inspiration for the creation of Devil May Cry’s Dante, which is pretty indicative of how rad he is. His appearance in Jump Force isn’t too hard to envision, especially thanks to the inclusion of Ryo from City Hunter, another older action manga that isn’t very well-known in the West.
Cobra would probably work best as a long-range character who would use his Psychogun to hit enemies from anywhere on the map. When a foe gets close, Cobra could use his custom revolver to blast them back a bit, as it would fire faster than his Psychogun. Cobra’s ultimate attack could have him ram his opponent with his spaceship, followed up by a powerful blast from his Psychogun. Cobra’s long-staying popularity in Japan and France give him a decent chance of showing up, so keep an eye out for the suavest space captain of the 80’s.
Bo-BoBo (Bo-Bobo Bo Bobobo)
If you don’t recognize Bo-BoBo, you are in for an absolute trip. This legendary fighter wields the “Fist of the Nose Hair,” which is exactly what it sounds like. Alongside his even stranger friends, which include a cool guy who wears an ice cream/poop mask, a neurotic man made of jelly, and a woman who is actually an anthropomorphic torpedo. It’s one of the weirdest (and funniest) manga ever published by Jump, and Bo-BoBo himself definitely deserves a spot in the roster.
A lot of the comedy and action of Bo-BoBo Bo BoBoBo comes from the ridiculous attacks that Bo-BoBo and co. seemingly come up with on the spot. Alongside whipping foes with his righteous nosehair, Bo-BoBo could do anything from using Don Patch as an explosive projectile to transforming into a Sailor Moon-esque idol. Though there’s seemingly unlimited potential for his ultimate move, I’d love to see him recreate the iconic moment from the manga where Bo-BoBo opens his afro, revealing Yugi (yes, from Yu-Gi-Oh!), who uses Slifer the Sky Dragon as he does in his own ultimate. I’d be fine with pretty much anything though, as Bo-BoBo is all about weird surprises.
And that’s it for Part 1! Tune in tomorrow for the final five fighters, and leave your suggestions in the comments below!
