Comments
2026 has only just begun, and it’s time for the Shonen Jump series to bid farewell to readers. Last year, many series were cancelled after failing to hit the mark due to low viewership or sales. Shueisha’s Shonen Jump+ is an official manga platform launched in 2014 that serializes original series, as well as broadens the horizons beyond the traditional shonen demographic. The service has established itself as one of the biggest in the industry, with acclaimed series such as Fire Punch, Chainsaw Man, Hell’s Paradise, Spy × Family, Kaiju No. 8, and Dandadan playing crucial roles in elevating its popularity. However, this also means the competition is tough, as it can be difficult for a series to catch the readers’ eye when there are already countless options available. This is why Shonen Jump+ cancels a few series almost every month.
This time, the platform is axing its most disturbing horror series, Ryota Killed His Brother by Ayumi Natori. It’s the creator’s first serialized manga, and while it did gain decent enough traction after its debut in November 2024, it failed to keep up. The story is considered one of the darkest on the platform and even comes with a trigger warning in the official Manga Plus app. The update about the series ending on January 23rd, 2026 (according to JST), comes from @WSJ_manga on X, a reliable source of information regarding all Shonen Jump series. The manga ran on a biweekly schedule and has released 29 chapters so far, as the next one is going to be the finale.
What Is The Plot of Ryota Killed His Brother?
The story follows Ryota, who has been taking care of his younger brother, Chika, since he was born. Ryota’s mother died after giving birth to Chika, while his father is always busy with work, so there is no one else to take care of the baby other than him. However, taking care of a toddler is too much for a young boy, who hasn’t been able to sleep properly or even live a day in peace. The countless amount of work he has to do fills him with dark thoughts, even though he knows it’s wrong to think of his brother as a nuisance. He always thinks about how things would’ve been different if Chika didn’t exist.
However, despite that, Ryota’s heart melts whenever Chika cries to him and begs him not to hate him. He even ignores the fact that Chika’s habit of biting him leaves his body with mysterious marks that make those around him misunderstand that he is being abused by his father. Ryota’s situation continues to worry his friend, who learns that something is terribly wrong with Chika, who can’t die no matter what. Noticing Ryota has been pushed to the brink, he decides to get to the bottom of the truth. However, the reason behind Chika’s strange behavior is darker than anyone anticipated.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the Forum!
Major Anime Studio Teases Announcement of The Hottest Shonen Jump Series
