Characters’ deaths have always been a touchy subject for anime fans, sparking debates that explore the balance between high-stakes storytelling and the emotional impact the characters have on the audiences. Some authors mercilessly kill off their characters to add depth to the plot, while others try to avoid the extreme path in order to maintain a brighter tone in the series. Recently, a heated debate ignited between One Piece and Jujutsu Kaisen fans as they discussed the contrast between the two mangaka’s ways of storytelling.
This specific debate has emerged in light of the recent spoiler of Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 267, where Gege Akutami has teased Nobara Kugisaki’s return. As her status was left ambiguous all this time, now these two fandoms are clashing over her implied “fake death”, with One Piece fans accusing Jujutsu Kaisen of falling into the same trope that Akutami had previously avoided.
Ongoing Argument Between One Piece and Jujutsu Kaisen Fans
The Shibuya Incident arc was one of the deadliest phases in Jujutsu Kaisen‘s history. Mahito’s attack on Nobara left fans stunned, as her gruesome injuries seemed to indicate her demise. With no follow-up regarding her fate, fans were left in mourning, expecting that her death was yet another example of Gege Akutami’s willingness to kill their characters.
However, recent chapters have teased that Nobara is coming back for the final stage of the manga. Her survival sparked hope among Jujutsu Kaisen readers but also prompted mockery over the fake-out death pulled by Akutami, especially from One Piece fans.
However, the Jujutsu Kaisen fans weren’t going to let this slide. In One Piece, Eiichiro Oda has built a reputation for faking the deaths of some major characters as well, only to reveal them alive later on.
One Piece characters like Pell, Saul, Pound, and even Kin’emon have “died” in dramatic fashion, only to return unscathed, leaving fans questioning whether any death in the series is truly final. So, when Jujutsu Kaisen teased Nobara’s return, some One Piece fans saw an opportunity to criticize Jujutsu Kaisen for potentially falling into the same pattern of fake deaths.
Jujutsu Kaisen fans argue that Nobara’s situation is different from Oda’s repeated staged deaths since it adds to the mystery surrounding her condition. Gege Akutami has never explicitly confirmed her death, leaving readers to speculate about what happened to her. They argue that if she returned, it wouldn’t be a phony death but rather the continuation of a skillfully crafted plot that was intentionally left open-ended.
The Contrast in Narrative Approach Between One Piece and Jujutsu Kaisen
At the heart of this debate is the question of narrative stakes. Survival can carry a great deal of emotional weight in darker series like Jujutsu Kaisen, where death seems frequent. Gege Akutami‘s world is unforgiving, and their characters carry the emotional scars of their losses. Thus, Nobara’s potential comeback could be interpreted as a fresh take on the story, as the series rarely brings dead characters to life.
On the other hand, One Piece is built on adventure, friendship, and the dream of achieving the impossible. While characters like Ace and Whitebeard’s death carry monumental plot significance, Eiichiro Oda’s approach to death often reflects the idea that life and dreams persist, even in the face of overwhelming odds.
In the end, the ongoing debate concerning Nobara’s comeback between One Piece and Jujutsu Kaisen fans is a conflict between two opposing narrative ideologies. One Piece embraces the idea of hope and survival, often allowing its characters to cheat death to continue their adventures. In contrast, the harsh reality of loss and the burden it places on those who survive is what feeds Jujutsu Kaisen‘s growth.
One Piece and Jujutsu Kaisen is currently available to watch on Crunchyroll.
