Haikyuu is often considered to be one of the best sports anime in the industry and has managed to gather an ever-growing fan base which keeps expanding even after the release of its final chapter and anime episode back in 2020.
It is also not an uncommon sight to see mangakas and authors often including Easter eggs from other popular franchises in their works. This seems to be the case for the creator of Haikyuu too, who hid a character from another manga series in plain sight.
Creator Of Haikyuu Hides An Easter Egg In Plain Sight
As one would have guessed by the title, Haruichi Furudate, the creator of the famous Haikyuu series, did not hesitate to subtly hide the main protagonist of the Jujutsu Kaisen franchise in one of his last illustrations of the manga series.
What we are talking about is the final Karasuno match, which was drawn in manga chapter 402 and was published nearly 4 years ago in July 2020. It features Yuji Itadori, the main protagonist of Gege Akutami’s Jujutsu Kaisen in the lower right corner of the illustration arguing with people around him. He is also shown wearing a black and white jersey with the number 11 written on it, which could be a hint to another secret.
At the time this particular chapter was released, Jujutsu Kaisen anime was not released yet, which tells how the creator of Haikyuu was likely a fan of the manga instead. Authors often add characters from other series as a way to appreciate the work of another mangaka, and this is something that has been done over the years.
Other Times When Mangakas Have Added Characters From Another Franchise
As mentioned before, readers and watchers alike can often pick out characters from another series to be included in their publication as an Easter egg. One of the most popular examples of the same happening is when there was a crossover panel in One Piece chapter 766, where Luffy and Naruto could be seen together having ramen.
Nonetheless, it was not only Furudate who paid homage to Jujutsu Kaisen, as watchers were able to find another Easter egg hidden in Gege Akutami’s Jujutsu Kaisen anime released later in November of the same year.
Featuring in Jujutsu Kaisen Season 1, Episode 9, watchers were able to find a cardboard cut out of none other than Toru Oikawa, a significant character from Haikyuu. It was seen when Nanami and Yuji Itadori were dispatched together for the first time to investigate the initial Idle Transformation victims.
Seeing how the creators of both series have often complimented each other, fans have started speculating that the two might be great friends with one another, leading them to pay homage to each other’s works. There have also been mentions of the famous Rasengan attack from Naruto as well as Goku’s signature Kamehameha attack from the Dragon Ball franchise, showcasing how well-versed Akutami is in the industry.
Haikyuu is available to watch on Crunchyroll.
