It is no surprise that Jujutsu Kaisen has become a fan favorite and has garnered popularity worldwide. It won the Best Anime of the Year at Crunchyroll Awards in 2024. With Gege Akutami’s exceptional storytelling and visuals, the manga is in a league of its own. While it may not be as iconic as Big 3, it is remarkable in its way.
Be it domain expansion or cursed energy, the author fuses modern and mythological elements perfectly in the manga. They also took inspiration from several iconic references in movies and anime. Of all the references, the author’s pick is the legendary mangaka Hideaki Anno who wrote Neon Genesis Evangelion.
Neon Genesis Evangelion’s influence is evident in Gege Akutami’s Jujutsu Kaisen
Jujutsu Kaisen, written by Gege Akutami, incorporates Japanese folklore with modern elements. Be it cursed energy or demonic entities, Akutami excels in their portrayal of supernatural elements. Apart from its usual dark themes, the manga draws inspiration from other iconic works. Along with Bleach, Akutami revealed that they are a huge fan of the Evangelion series.
From Mechamaru’s screams to Masamichi Yaga’s pose, Akutami refers to Hideaki Anno’s anime in their work. Apart from being a cult classic in the mecha genre, Neon Genesis Evangelion is considered a canon anime. Besides that, Anno’s work continues to inspire several artists and filmmakers.
In an interview with Ki-oon in 2019, Gege Akutami revealed the inspiration behind their manga and his love for Hideaki Anno’s work and style. They quoted:
I appreciate creator Hideaki Anno’s work and he has real talent for composition. He doesn’t attempt to explain every single thing in Evangelion and this way of leaving stuff unexplained is commendable.
Anno san’s influences are clear in the author’s work, especially when it pertains to sustaining mystery in the series. Other than the manga’s spiritual references borrowed from Evangelion, Akutami also created a sympathetic protagonist in his storyline.
Gege Akutami excels in sustaining mystery and surprise in Jujutsu Kaisen
Jujutsu Kaisen has its fair share of plot twists and shocking revelations. From Satoru Gojo’s death to Nobara Kugisaki’s return, the author has faced flak for killing off characters. While some character deaths and returns triggered shock in viewers, others sent them into a state of disbelief.
However, this proves the author’s excellence as a manga artist in maintaining mystery. Their tendency to not give out details adds to the discreetness of the storyline. Their inspiration comes from Anno’s work, as they stated in the interview. They quoted:
I think Hideaki Anno’s way of giving explicit details of the strict minimum keeps the story interesting and maintain the story flow uninterrupted. On my side, I tend to show too little/not show enough and my editor often scolds me my lack of clarity.
The author’s discreetness maintains anticipation of the readers’ and viewers’ end. Although mystery is a crucial element in the process of storytelling, it can also leave most questions unanswered.
Most times, lack of closure can be hit or miss for the fans including readers and viewers alike. While it may have worked out with Neon Genesis Evangelion and Cowboy Bebop, the chances of this technique working out with Akutami’s work are uncertain. With only five chapters left till the manga’s end, all we can do is wait.
Jujutsu Kaisen is available for streaming on Crunchyroll. The manga is available for reading on Viz Media.
