Gege Akutami’s Jujutsu Kaisen has taken the internet by storm thanks to the mangaka’s impressive dark fantasy narrative. Besides the thrilling action-packed scenes, Jujutsu Kaisen adds a layer of intellectual depth through the complexities of morality, existentialism, and ancient Japanese history.
Akutami never hesitated to draw inspiration from fellow manga creators, and this is evident in Jujutsu Kaisen‘s storytelling. However, there’s one resemblance between Yuji and the iconic anime protagonist, Naruto, that caused Akutami to fear their manga’s success. Many new-gen animes such as Black Clover faced tons of backlash from the Naruto fandom, which inevitably led to the series’ downfall.
Gege Akutami Addresses Yuji and Yuta’s Resemblance to Naruto in Jujutsu Kaisen
Jujutsu Kaisen‘s antagonist, Sukuna, has become the crowd’s favorite because of his immense strength and cocky attitude. Besides Sukuna, Gege has also introduced several characters in the series who have left a lasting impression on the audience. Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 was a rollercoaster ride of emotions for fans as they witnessed the tragic deaths of their beloved characters such as Nanami and Nobara.
When JJK‘s first episode aired, Sukana was introduced as a powerful and infamous Curse sealed inside Yuji Itadori. Naturally, many viewers raised concerns regarding Akutami’s narrative, echoing another Naruto and Kurama storyline. However, the mangaka was always cautious that Yuji and Sukuna’s relationship didn’t mirror Naruto‘s bond with the Nine-Tails. Gege revealed:
In NARUTO, it’s the relationship between the main character Uzumaki Naruto and the Nine-Tailed Fox (Kurama). For Itadori, it’s Sukuna and for Okkotsu, it’s Rika. In Volume 0, the story ended in reconciliation like in NARUTO, but I thought Jujutsu Kaisen needed a different approach, so I tried to portray Sukuna as someone completely incompatible [with Itadori].
this will be my thread for JJK exhibition translations
— Jさん💥( ֊’ ‘֊) ✌️🥈 (@soukatsu_) July 11, 2024
English translation of Akutami Gege Q&A #1 for the Jujutsu Kaisen exhibition + bonus audio guide tidbits
[1/2] pic.twitter.com/LY3XJnjAy1
Akutami never envisioned Yuji as Jujutsu Kaisen‘s protagonist and always planned his tragic fate long before the manga’s creation. Since they initially designed Yuta Okkotsu as the main character, we can see both Yuta and Naruto share a similar resolution: reconciling with their inner demons, Rika and the Nine-Tails, respectively.
However, after witnessing Yuji’s immense popularity in the fandom, Gege decided to shift the focus of the plot to revolve around Itadori. To align with the dark theme in Jujutsu Kaisen, the mangaka narrated Yuji and Sukuna’s relationship as toxic.
Why Yuji Itadori Surpasses Gojo and Yuta as the Strongest Special Grade Sorcerer
With the recent Jujutsu Kaisen manga chapter, Yuji Itadori has surpassed the likes of the strongest sorcerers, such as Yuta and Gojo. In the final showdown between Yuji and Sukuna, readers are awe-struck by Yuji’s immense strength and powerful curse techniques. Gege’s narrative in showcasing Yuji’s Itadori character development featuring a traumatic past captivated many viewers with his journey.
With the demise of several beloved characters, Itadori carries a lot of burden on his shoulders of his friends’ deaths. In Chapter 264, Yuji proves himself as a formidable Special Grade Sorcerer as he unleashes his Domain catching both Sukuna and the fandom off guard.
Itadori shows deep sorrow for Sukuna and offers to spare the King of Curses if he agrees to leave Megumi Fushiguro’s body. After the end of JJK Season 2, Yuji was left traumatized; however, his battle with Sukuna highlights his journey, resonating with Itadori’s primary goal to protect his friends and have a meaningful death.
You can watch Jujutsu Kaisen on Crunchyroll.
