Gege Akutami, the famed creator of Jujutsu Kaisen, has always been an avid manga reader, which led to their development as a mangaka. They have openly admitted that creators like Tite Kubo and Yoshihiro Togashi had influenced them with their works: Bleach and Hunter x Hunter.
The author also claimed that their love for Evangelion, which was steeped in mythology, made them take a deep dive into Japanese mythology. While the author admits that their style was influenced by all the manga they had read from childhood, they have issued a stern warning to newer creators against emulating a particular mangaka’s artstyle.
Gege Akutami Unveils Why Rookie Mangakas Shouldn’t Copy Bleach and Other Popular Manga
In an interview with Tite Kubo, Gege Akutami began to discuss their inspirations and what made them create Jujutsu Kaisen. But soon enough, the topic changed to newbie mangakas, and the major mistakes that are found in their drafts.
Personally speaking, if a newbie manga artist were to say to my face, “I plan to use Kubo-sensei’s Bleach as reference,” I’d stop them right then and there. After all, that’s something only Kubo-sensei could have produced.
The author then explained that they were also influenced by Bleach. The series is so popular that it is next to impossible to escape its grip. Akutami also accepted that Bleach, as well as other manga, affect their work in ways that they don’t notice till they look back at them. Thus, they have absolutely been influenced. But the most dangerous habit is to methodically analyze the story and style of Tite Kubo or any other author with the intention of imitating them.
Akutami further stated that editors often pay close attention to the quirks that make up an author’s identity and style. Thus, they can be quick to catch if a work is heavily influenced by another. Thus, the best way to approach this would be to create a completely original series without being obsessed with the artstyle of other popular writers and illustrators.
Gege Akutami Never Wants to Copy Bleach
Gege Akutami stated that their identity as a mangaka revolves around their ability not to be bogged down by ‘whys’ or ‘hows.’ Their ability to craft a story without explaining every little detail is what makes them unique.
I consider folks like Kubo-sensei and Chainsaw Man’s Tatsuki Fujimoto-sensei to have strong identities, and it’d be unwise for commoners like me to carelessly imitate authors of their caliber.
Akutami humbly accepts that certain authors have a very strong personality that reflects in their writing. These works cannot be produced by anyone except these particular creators. These creations are simply the products of their instincts, talent, and the strong identity that they have cultivated.
That’s why I go out of my way to avoid this pitfall. I’ve always loved reading Bleach, but I know that imitating it would be the death of me.
The Jujutsu Kaisen creator also explained that the creations of popular mangakas have such a strong sense of identity in them, that it would be foolish to imitate them. They accept that trying to copy Bleach would be like a death sentence. Of course, it would also completely ruin Jujutsu Kaisen as it is a far cry from Bleach. So whenever anyone tells Akutami that Jujutsu Kaisen reminded them of Bleach, the author tries their best to get out of the situation after a hesitant reply.
Jujutsu Kaisen and Bleach are available to read on Viz Media and are currently streaming on Crunchyroll.
