For the longest time in both the anime and manga industry, Dragon Ball and Naruto have held a big name amongst fans. The impact they have had has helped them remain popular despite their original stories having ended years ago. Ever since Jujutsu Kaisen came out, it completely shook an already-formed hierarchy. It achieved accolades that even the most renowned anime and manga couldn’t.
The impact the manga and anime had in the world wasn’t something seen quite commonly. Shrines were being made, marketing campaigns were being changed, and everyone was a fan and everyone was supporting the series and its growth. Now that the series is coming to an end, it was undoubtedly to be acknowledged just how popular its characters actually became.
Jujutsu Kaisen Surpasses Naruto and Dragon Ball
For decades now, characters such as Goku and Naruto have existed in almost any and every top ten list. Whether it consists of the overall popularity of characters or otherwise. However, in a recent poll done (via X), that very hierarchy seemed to crumble. For a popularity poll counting on the most renowned Shonen Jump characters ever, the results were surprising not just because no One Piece character made it into the list but also because of who stood on top.
Gojo Satoru managed to score the number one position, becoming by far the most popular Shonen Jump character ever. It was surprising on its own to see a character whose story has lasted for only a little over half a decade to be able to beat others who have been known to fans for decades now. The list is a compilation of multiple Shonen Jump polls calculating the most popular character.
Although, Gohan and Goku were second and third, following close behind the Strongest Sorcerer of Today. He may long since be dead in the story but it is more than obvious that his impact and fame are less than likely to end any time soon.
Kakashi Surprises Them All
The list had a number of surprising entries including Trunks and Bakugo. However, the one that managed to catch everyone’s attention was how Kakashi managed to keep himself in the top ten when no other Naruto character could. Not only is he the best-written character in the series, but his fan following is one that keeps his popularity alive even though both the anime and the manga ended a long time ago.
He still maintained a position in the top ten, albeit not sitting atop the throne like Gojo. The Jujutsu Kaisen character may be able to rise in popularity forevermore but the way Naruto, Dragon Ball, and other iconic manga and anime made their name, it would take him a long time to still have the impact Kakashi does.
The fact that these secondary characters hold so much power as compared to the protagonists of their own series shows just how much work was put into them. While Gojo may not be based on Kakashi, the comparisons never stopped and after this list, they might only increase.
Jujutsu Kaisen is available to watch on Crunchyroll.
