“Like becoming a pirate king…”: Gege Akutami Regrets Not Making Itadori’s Goals as Big as Eiichiro Did for Luffy’s in One Piece

Gege Akutami is the proud creator of Jujutsu Kaisen, the manga that has traumatized an entire generation of otakus. In fact, it is also considered to be the top contender for the best shonen anime spot.

Yet, the author has revealed his regrets and frustrations about the series in a recent interview. His statements also sparked a debate between fans who are now curious if Akutami will create an entirely new manga or a sequel to Jujutsu Kaisen.

Yuji Does Not Have a Global Goal in Jujutsu Kaisen

In an interview on the Hidden Talent Arc of Jujutsu Kaisen, Gege Akutami expressed his regret over one possibility that he skipped in Jujutsu Kaisen. Yuji, the popular protagonist of Jujutsu Kaisen has gone through struggles worth a lifetime, but apparently, the author thinks there’s more to be desired.

But Gege does not demand more strength improvement or character development from Yuji, what he wants is something far from Yuji’s control. In the interview, Gege remarked:

I consider it a minus that there are no global goals in JJK like becoming a pirate king, I will try to improve next time.

So apparently, the author of Jujutsu Kaisen now wishes that he had dreamt bigger during the creation of Jujutsu Kaisen. Yuji’s immediate goal in the series is probably just to survive. Given the number of horrible murders that happen around him all the time, survival should be his key concern. Dreaming of reaching a certain higher goal is too improbable in his condition.

Is Gege Akutami Planning a New Project?

Gege Akutami’s dissatisfaction with the way he chose Yuji has led fans to expect a completely new series. If the author is in doubt about how they began the series, then it is only right to create a new one.

Recently, Gege Akutami also admitted that the Jujutsu Kaisen manga would end in December 2024. Since Jujutsu Kaisen’s end is near, it is prime time for Gege Akutami to create a new series. There is a chance that Akutami made his statement while ruminating about his next idea or storyline. Maybe the next protagonist will have bigger goals in the story as well as his life.

So far, Akutami has not stated if a new project is in the works. Given the amount of work pressure faced by mangakas, it is not possible to work on new ideas simultaneously. Since Jujutsu Kaisen is a weekly manga, it is even harder for Akutami to create enough gaps between work to think of new ideas.

Nonetheless, the prospect of Gege Akutami’s new work is ambiguous news. On the one hand, you will probably receive another hottie like Gojo Satoru, but on the other hand, you risk months of depression.

You can read Jujutsu Kaisen on Viz Media and watch the anime on Crunchyroll.