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Weekly Shonen Jump Offers New Year Cards From Its Artists

In Japan, friends, family, and work associates often exchange nengajo, or New Year's greeting cards. The cultural tradition is has changed a bit over the years with many celebrities and artists also sharing their own artwork on social media as a gift to their fans. There are less physical cards sent out than the past, but on average each Japanese citizen sent about 13 nengajo last year for a total of 1.64 billion cards making their way through Japan's postal service.

That's a lot of cards.

Nengajo usually depict traditional signs of good luck for the year or art of corresponding Chinese zodiac animal for the year is also popular. In 2018, dogs were popular and 2019 will welcome in the Year of the Pig. Anime studio ufotable, voice actors, and Weekly Shonen Jump are offering a way for fans to receive a New Year's card as a collectible item.

The December 3 issue of Weekly Shonen Jump is providing an application for readers to fill out and receive a New Year's card from its 16 manga artists. Readers can mail in the included application until December 16 to receive a card of their choice. Series include One Piece, Dr. Stone, Haikyu!!, My Hero Academia, Food Wars!, Hinomaru Sumo, Black Clover, Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, The Promised Neverland, We Never Learn, ACT-AGE, Jujutsu Kaisen, Teenage Renaissance! David, I'm From Japan, and Boruto.

Voice actor fans can also hear a special message from their favorite star by purchasing a card set at 37card. The online shop is selling card packs of male voice actors Yūki Ono, Kazuhiko Inoue, Yūki Kaji, and Taku Yashiro in two types: with or without a voice message. The 3,000 yen (US$27) card packs include three to four different pictures of the respective voice actor with different messages and a number to call to hear a New Year's greeting from the actor.

The company is also holding a lottery for its customers that purchase the 3,000 yen packs. Buyers are entered to win a live phone call with one of the voice actors, a personalized voice message, and an autograph board.

Animation studio ufotable is gearing up for next year by offering cards from the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba anime. ufotable is handling the animation production for the show which is set to premiere in April. Fans wanting to receive a card need to fill out an application on the anime's official site and follow the official Twitter account @kimetsu_off. ufotable will send 2,019 of the cards out, so applicants aren't guaranteed a card if more than that number apply before the December 16 deadline.

The card design will show hero Tanjirō Kamado and the boar mask wearing Hashibira Inosuke.

Keep your eyes peeled for more nengajo as we approach the end of December. Anime News Network's usual round-up will feature scores of art and well wishes to bring in 2019.

Source: Comic Natalie (Link 2), Oricon, Nijimen, Savvy Tokyo (Kirsty Kawano)