Prediction 1: Announcement of “same month” Ultimo manga in english online
On Viz’s Shonen Jump website, they have a special area called the “Sub Club.” This area is designed for special extras for people to subscribe to the magazine each month. It’s very likely that Viz has worked out a way for the Ultimo manga to be uploaded in this area to be given as a free benefit for the people who subscribe to the magazine. The series would still be printed in the magazine, but it would give the benefit of a subscription-like service, but maintain actual hard copies. Additionally, they could catch up with Japan (and be in front of the magazine in the US) and have the same chapter released in Japan and the USA in the same month.
Estimated Release: October 2010

Prediction 2: Shaman King Kang Zeng Bang (Complete Edition) is announced
The sales for the Shaman King manga have been passable. Not knock your socks off, but do a bit better than break even. However, Viz is basically selling an incomplete product, and Shueisha wants to try to sell Shaman King Kang Zeng Bang as a brand new series. My prediction is that Viz has worked out an agreement and will begin to release the conclusion in 2-3 volumes. These volumes would be additions to the current running series, and be sold as a sequel, not a complete redraw of the series. This 3 volume set would be released bi-monthly, and contain a collection of the extras (Shaman Files, Last Words) from the KZB sets. They would be sold at a slightly higher premium price of $12.99 but would have several color pages in them in addition to the new chapters.
Estimated Release: March 2011

Predicition 3: Jumbor is announced for release
As Jumbor is just starting in Japan this month, Viz may want to continue it’s collection of Takei series (with SK and Ultimo) and grab this new series as well. How it will be released is something that is hard to predict. It could be online, it could be in Shonen Jump, it could be somewhere else. This could also include the original series of “Jyuki Ningen Jumbor” being released as well.
Estimated Release: October 2010 – May 2011

Prediction 4: Ultimo Anime is announced
When the series was originally announced, it was hinted at an anime would also happen as well. However, there has been little to no word on this happening. Viz could take this as a chance to announce that Ultimo will become an anime. However, rather than a full anime series, it will be a full feature length movie with a release in Spring/Summer 2011. This announce would be a rather big shock since it hasn’t even been hinted at, but we would welcome the surprise if it did!
Estimated Release: Spring/Summer 2011

So, those are my predictions of what could be announced this weekend. I hope for all of them to come true, but we are more likely just to get the first one. Be sure to check back later this weekend for all of the up-to-the-minute details from all of Hiroyuki Takei’s series!

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The next Editorial will be called “The History of Shaman King, Part 2,” and it is currently being written. Please look forward to this editorial and future editorials along with the latest news right from Japan!

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