The year 2002 is the start of the shift with the Shaman King franchise in Weekly Shonen Jump. With an anime adaptation airing, it’s quickly catching up to the current story arc for the story in the manga. The popularity for the series is still very strong, but begins the shift into what the franchise will be after the anime ends.
Within Weekly Shonen Jump, on the “Table of Contents” page located at the back of the magazine, each author can leave a short comment to their fans. Below is a transcription of the original Japanese text along with a rough English translation. For some of these comments, we are also providing some additional information/context. There may be some minor errors. The comments listed here are for the ones where the issue # for Weekly Shonen Jump was for 2002.
| Issue # | Release Date (MM/DD/YY) | Shaman King Chapter # | Author Comment (Japanese) | Author Comment (English) | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12/3/01 | 161 | ウワサに名高いしし座流星群は庭のウッドデッキに布団敷いて家族皆で見ました。星よ良い思い出をありがとうございました。 | We spread out some futons on the wooden deck in the garden and watched the famous Leonid meteor shower with the whole family. Thank you so much for making some cherished memories. | Occurred on the evening of November 18, 2001. |
| 2 | 12/10/01 | 162 | ここのコメントいきなり字数が倍に！！ それはそれで嬉しいんだが、前の字数やっと一発で出せるようになってただけに悔しい。 | The character limit here in the comments has suddenly doubled!! That makes me happy, but it’s still annoying since I was barely able to get to the previous number in a single try. | |
| 3 | 12/17/01 | 163 | 久々に転んだ。手の皮ムケるはあちこち筋肉浦になるわこのトシでかますとけっこうキツイ。ま一遜動不足なだけなんですけど | It’s been a while since I’ve fell down. I got blistered on my hands and my muscles ached in many places. I probably don’t move around enough. | |
| 4-5 | 12/28/01 | 164 | ついに買ってしまいました。デロリアンどうしよう | I’ve finally acquired it. But where do I put my DeLorean? | The DMC DeLorean, which was later popularized by the movie Back to the Future. |
| 6-7 | 1/7/02 | 165 | 新連戦関係でまた担当が替わった。 井上さん、短い間だったけどすげぇ、楽しかったです。稲生さん今度は車で熱くいきましょう | My editor has changed again due to the new serializations. I had a great time with you, Inoue-san, even if short. Inoue-san, let’s ride in a sporty car in the future. | |
| 8 | 1/21/02 | 166 | 遅ればせながら明けましておめでとうございます。 なにぶんこれが正月明け初仕事なので自分的には今言わないと気持ち悪い | Happy New Year, even if it is a little late. Either way, this is my first work I finished after the new year, so I’ll feel bad if I don’t say it now. | |
| 9 | 1/28/02 | 167 | 遅ればせながら初ぬてアフレコの見学ってやつへ行きました。皆めしん剣さにかなり感動。自分もがんばらねば、とか愚った。 | I was a little late, but I went to watch my first voice recording session. I was quite impressed by everyone’s range. I think I need to continue giving it my all. | |
| 10 | 2/4/02 | 168 | 遅ればせながらたくさんの年貿状どうもありかとう。全部読んでたくさん元気出ました。(F・L)ファンレターも待ってます。今年もよろしく。 | Thank you very much for all of the New Year’s greeting cards. I read everyone and they cheered me up a lot. I will read your fan letters too. I look forward to seeing you again this year. | |
| 11 | 2/9/02 | 169 | 忘年会やら新年会やら何とかやら休み返上飲みっぱなしでさすがにダウン。いや、楽しいから別に良いんですけどもういい | I went to a year-end party, a New Year’s party, and some other event. Yeah, that was okay since I was having fun, but I think that’s enough for now. | |
| 12 | 2/18/02 | 170 | おウチにすごいゲストが遊びに来た。蓮 と葉と阿弥陀丸の声優さんとアニメの監督さん。楽しかった。みんなホントいい人。 | We had some amazing guests over at our house. The voice actors for Ren, Yoh, and Amidamaru along with the director of the anime. It was fun. Everyone was really nice. | |
| 13 | 2/25/02 | 171 | まんがに鬼を出すとヤバイらしい。 かに近ころトラブルが絶えぬ。とりあえず9週で終わらなかったのもそのせいにしてみる。 | It’s very dangerous to put a demon in a manga. There are endless troubles ahead. For now, I’m going to blame that for not finishing within 9 weeks. | This is the 9th chapter of the Osorezan arc, which then ran for a total of 15 chapters. |
| 14 | 3/4/02 | 172 | 次選谷湾でサイン会の為お休みです。 それは そうと初めての海外。 パスポートも出来た。 これで世界中どこでも行ける。 感激。 | We’ll be off next week due to an autograph session in Taiwan. This is my first time aboard. Even got a passport now. Now I can go anywhere in the world. So excited. | |
| 15 | 3/11/02 | Break | |||
| 16 | 3/18/02 | 173 | 行って来ました台灣。その情緒に心洗われ素直になれた四日間。現地スタッフもいい人ばかりで別れ際泣きそうになる。謝謝。 | I went to Taiwan. I was so touched by the atmosphere of the island that I could be my true self for all four days. The local staff were all so nice that I almost cried when I said goodbye. Thank you very much. | |
| 17 | 3/25/02 | 174 | 病気3連発！！ の通院生活でかなりやばめ。 早く鬼倒さんとシャレならないかも･･･。 | It’s 3 consecutive illnesses!! Being admitted to the hospital is rough. I don’t know what will happen if we don’t beat these demons… | |
| 18 | 4/1/02 | 175 | 1968年製、 世界に現存する数約10台。あのFUTUROを見学してきました。 モダン建築方歳、TWAターミナルとり壊し反対。 | Built in 1968, there are only about 10 of them left in the world. I visited a one of those Futuros. Modern architecture shouldn’t replace demolishing the TWA terminal. | Futuros are a type of building. The TWA terminal is the landmark in New York City. |
| 19 | 4/8/02 | 176 | なんとあの視聴率でおなじみビデオリサーチ 社がウチに来ました。 でも家族にマスコミ関 係者がいるとだめなんだそうな。残念。 | A video research company, dealing with audience ratings, came to our house. But it seems that we can’t apply if a member of the household is in the media. Very disappointing. | |
| 20 | 4/15/02 | 177 | やっと過去編終わったー！ と思ったら実は先週間違えて2P多く描いて関係者皆々様に大変ご迷惑かけたり今度はなんと(続く) | This story arc is now finished! But last week I made a mistake and drew 2 extra pages, which caused a lot of trouble for everyone, and now I’m (continued…) | This is a joke at the end, since he was pretending to also write too long of a comment. |
| 21 | 4/22/02 | 178 | 父親が恐山の方に単身赴任。 担当&集声優は各々階段から落ちアシが車にはねられ骨折。 一しめうで。これもすべて鬼の仕業なのか！? | My father went to the Osorezan area by himself. Then a voice director fell down some stairs and a voice actor was hit by a car breaking their arm. Once again I ask. Is this the work of demons!? | |
| 22-23 | 4/27/02 | 179 | 皆さんコンポボーイって知ってますか?コンボサ合件してロボになるんだけど誰も信じてくれないところがなんとその(続く) | Have you heard of CompoBoy? He’s a robot who combines pieces together, but nobody believes me that he is really (continued…) | |
| 24 | 5/13/02 | 180 | コンポボーイ(おもちゃ)を台湾で実物見つけちゃいました。 しかも今見るとかなりかっこいい。80年代ラウンジ感の絶品です。 | I found a real CompoBoy (toy) in Taiwan. It looks really cool now. A great example of that 80’s lounge feeling. | |
| 25 | 5/20/02 | 181 | G・ Wって渋滞とか大変じゃないですか。だ から自由選んだのに子供の休みにあわせる と結局意味ないのです。どうにも。 | There are lots of traffic jams and other problems that happen around Golden Week holidays. I want to be free, but I need to time it with my kid’s vacation time, so that’s troublesome. It can’t be helped. | |
| 26 | 5/27/02 | 182 | 今、ウチには魚、カメレオン、 インコ、 フク ロウがいますが今度ネコちゃんが来ます。名はハタチ。 皆無事でありますように。 | We have a fish, a chameleon, a parakeet, an owl, and now a cat is coming soon. His name is Hatachi. May they all be safe and sound. | |
| 27 | 6/3/02 | 183 | 仕事場恒例の誕生 交換会。武井宏之30歳 が買った今年の物はDVD、 ライター、 自転しすぬいぐるみ、着ぐるみ、 着ぐるみ！? | The annual birthday exchange party at the office. This year Hiroyuki Takei is 30 years old and got a DVD, a writer, a spinning stuffed animal, and a Kigurumi. A Kigurumi!? | Kigurumi: A onesie that is designed like an animal. |
| 28 | 6/10/02 | 184 | 故郷にて友を送るも未だ様々な想いが交錯して気持ちがまとまらない。半端な事は言いたくない。ただ、冥福を祈るしかない。 | One of my hometown friends passed, but I can’t describe my emotions. I don’t want to say anything half-heartedly. All I can do is pray for his soul. | |
| 29 | 6/17/02 | 185 | 頭の中で変な音がして気失いそうになったので脳外科行ったら疲れすぎと言われた。でもCTスキャン初体験は楽しかったです | I went to the neurosurgeon because I heard a strange sound in my head and almost fainted, but he said I was just too tired. But my first experience with a CT scan was fun! | |
| 30 | 6/24/02 | 186 | どちらかと言えば蜘蛛の方か苦手なんですが庭に1mシマヘビ出没には流石にビビりました。しばらくはドキドキ庭いじりです | I am afraid of spiders, but if anything, that 1 meter long striped snake in my garden was terrifying. I’ll be nervous in my garden for a while | |
| 31 | 7/1/02 | 187 | 子供寝かしつけるのに即興でお話作って聞かせた。タイトルは「足の速い亀」。最後の方は面白すぎてかえって興奮させてしまった。 | I made up an impromptu story to put my kid to bed. It was called “The Fast Tortoise.” The last part of story was so interested that he was actually getting excited instead. | |
| 32 | 7/8/02 | 188 | あるショップで発売中！ のフダの付いてる携帯契約終了こ「実は入荷待ちです」で計3通間行った挙句届いたのが違う機種。 強者。 | It’s now on sale at a certain store! After visiting the shop 3 times, I was met with “Actually we are still waiting for it”, so I ended up with a different model. Strong willpower. | |
| 33 | 7/15/02 | 189 | 約2年ブリに白骨温泉行ってきた。 あそこの野天風呂外から丸見えなのが気になるが僕はむしろ全開にする方なので大丈夫です | It’s been about 2 years since I’ve gone to the Shirakone Onsen. Some may be concerned that the open-air bath is fully visible from the outside, but I’d rather it be fully open, so it’s fine. | An article about the Shirahone Onsen from Japan-Guide.com |
| 34 | 7/22/02 | Break | |||
| 35 | 7/29/02 | 190 | 後、暗い部屋に帰るとスネのあたりがもぞもぞ。 ネコじゃれついて来てんだな、かわいいなあと思って気つけたら毛虫はってた。 | When I was walking in the dark earlier, I felt something rub up against my shin. I thought it was a cute cat, but when I looked it was a caterpillar crawling on me. | |
| 36 | 8/5/02 | 191 | 業企画のためツナリオ濫修。遇去のストーリーを再構築したら意外と面自くなった。これは…… オススメかもしれない。 | I’ve been working on the new scenario for the series. When I reconstructed the story’s scenario, it became surprisingly interesting. This is….. Something I might be able to recommend. | |
| 37-38 | 8/12/02 | 192 | 仏ゾーン好きな人に朗報です。もしかしたら一瞬だけ動く彼らが見られるかもしれません。アニメで。毎年恒例のあの祭で。 | Good news for the fans of Butsu Zone. Maybe you can see them in action for a moment. In an anime. At a certain annual festival. | This would later be revealed as the Butsu Zone OVA short for Jump Festa. |
| 39 | 8/26/02 | 193 | 朝、疾の通路にでかいねずみがれて死ん でたのね。気のせいじゃなかったんだ、 前の 夜帰った時ふんづけたあの感触は･･･。 | In the morning, I found a large dead rat in the hallway of my house. It wasn’t just my imagination, I had a feeling it was there when I came home the night before…. | |
| 40 | 9/2/02 | 194 | 二風谷と向のアイヌコタンを訪ねて来ました。 二風谷の方は17年ぶりでしたがあらためて深く考えさせられた良い旅でした。 | I took a trip to Nibtani and the Ainu Kotan in Mukai. It has been 17 years since my last visit to Nibutani, but it was a good trip that brought back those old memories. | |
| 41 | 9/9/02 | 195 | 今年のの要はかなり北海道の夏はかなり寒かったらしい。確かに阿寒湖の夜は半そで短パンで息か自かった。でも人はあたたかでしたよ。 | I heard that this year’s summer in Hokkaido was quite cold. One time at night at Lake Akan I could almost see my breath while in my shorts. But the people there brought the warmth. | |
| 42 | 9/14/02 | 196 | またちょっぴり朗報。集シリーズのCDドラ マ化でアレの2番の歌詞作りました。 どんな 出来になるのか今からドキドキです。 | More good news. I wrote the lyrics for the 2nd part of the Drama CD collection. I’m excited to hear how it sounds. | |
| 43 | 9/22/02 | 197 | 箱根のロープウェイで中東系観光客30人程と 乗り合わせ大鬼にそっくりな人を見た。 雲に 包まれた真っ白な山頂で笑顔だった。 | I was on a ropeway in Hakone when I saw a person who looked exactly like the Oni with 30 Middle Eastern tourists around him. I was smiling at the pure white mountain top that was wrapped in the clouds. | |
| 44 | 9/30/02 | 198 | 『鉄騎』瑕境作るため2日がかりで自室大改組。(ほとんど掃除だったけど)で、必然的に一室コックピット状態。 ゲームはまだ。 | To make room for “Steel Battalion”, I took 2 days to re-organize my room. (It was mostly cleaning) So it was an inevitable one-room cockpit situation. No game yet. | Steel Battalion (鉄騎), with it’s very large controller released on the Xbox in Japan on Sept 12, 2002 |
| 45 | 10/7/02 | 199 | アニメが無寧最終廻を迎えました。作ってくれた人、見てくれた人本当に感謝です。ひねた原作で御免なさい。もうしません。 | The anime has reached its final episode. I’m very grateful to the production team and those who watched it. I’m sorry for the twisted original story. I won’t do it again. | The word “twisted” could also be awkward, strange, or distorted. The anime needed to have an original ending since it caught up to the manga before Takei was able to finish it. |
| 46 | 10/12/02 | 200 | 後、地の街を徘徊するメガネタオル作務衣 団が気になる。仲間に入りたいんだがやはり黄 かけづらい。 彼らは一体何者なのか。 | Lately I’ve been wondering about those group of people in samue (work clothes) with glasses and towel who roam the city streets. I want to join them, but I’m not sure how to. Who are they? | |
| 47 | 10/21/02 | 201 | キャラ人気投票はエピソード編が終わって新展開！ な頃にやろうかなと思ってます。 不史ですが。これからも応援してください。 | I’m thinking about having a character popularity at the end of this story. It’s not finalized. So please continue to support us. | |
| 48 | 10/28/02 | 202 | 取材で福島に行ったついでに旧・常磐ハワイアンセンター立ち寄りました。こっちの呼び名の方が好き。 30年前に来たかった | While I was in Fukushima for an interview, I stopped by the former Joban Hawaiian Center. I like this old name better. I wish I had come here 30 years ago. | The Joban Hawaiian Center is now called the Spa Resort Hawaiians, which is a large theme park, hotel, and more. |
| 49 | 11/2/02 | 203 | 10歳になる息子のDQっぷりが読率悪いので指導しつついっしょにやる。楽しい。 ちょっとした父と子のキャッチボール気分。 | My 10-year-old son can’t read all of the words in Dragon Quest, so I help teach him those words while playing. It’s fun. Sort of like father and son playing catch. | |
| 50 | 11/11/02 | 204 | 10歳と言えば、その頃初めてハマったアニメがマクロスだった。 当時はビデオも普及してなかったので週一の放送が宝でした。 | Speaking of 10-year-olds, at that time I got my first anime, Macross. Back then, video tapes weren’t as widely available, so the weekly broadcast was a treasure. | |
| 51 | 11/18/02 | 205 | 去勢手術でネコのタマ抜いたら見事なまでにちちんでも弾みたいになった。しわしわで可哀想なので、早く毛ェはえてほしい。 | When I had my cat neutered, the balls came out so quickly, like a bullet. I hope the hair grows back quickly, since it’s now wrinkled and looks pitiful. | |
| 52 | 11/25/02 | 206 | 今週はZの試乗で大興者。間近で見たらかっこいいし、乗り心地も抜群だし、それに何より速い！・・・って別の車買いに来たのだが。 | This week’s big excitement was taking a test drive of the Z. It was cool to see it up close, the ride is excellent, and most importantly it’s fast…! But I came to buy a different car. |
Contributions:
- The Grand Line for actual Weekly Shonen Jump release dates.
- 咲良さくら, Dit, 晴, Clover, Stacey, Elliot Têtedoie for Japanese transcription assistance