Source: MAPPA/Crunchyroll
Jujutsu Kaisen is a fairly new shōnen manga that has been serialized in the Weekly Shōnen Jump since March of 2018. Written and illustrated by Gege Akutami, the manga was adapted as an anime in 2020 and gained a huge following very quickly. With the Attack on Titan manga finished and the anime on its last legs, Jujutsu Kaisen (JJK) has been touted to be the next big shōnen series that will fill the void left by Hajime Isayama’s brutally gory series.
Like a lot of shōnen content, Jujutsu Kaisen has themes of supernatural, magic, horror, and action.
For the most part, both the manga and the phenomenally produced anime by MAPPA (who handled the latest season of Attack on Titan) have been welcomed by anime lovers across the globe. The Jujutsu Kaisen manga is so popular that the production of the anime was announced a mere year after it started being published in the Weekly Shōnen Jump.
However, the series has seen some backlash and although “hate” is a strong word, there are definitely some people who have problems with the series. Many complaints have to do with it being generic and its similarities to other popular shōnen anime/manga like Naruto and Bleach. But does Jujutsu really deserve all this hate?
Let us first look at the question: Is Jujutsu Kaisen similar to these two shows? Yes, there are obvious similarities. I have listed the similarities that others and I found along with my counter to the complaints:
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• In the first episode we see the main character, 15-year-old Yuji Itadori, absorb a dangerous power in order to transform and save the deuteragonist, Megumi Fushiguro (a 15-year-old Jujutsu sorcerer). Granted that both these characters are male (the name Megumi, meaning blessing or grace, is actually given to females), we see parallels with Bleach’s first episode where protagonist Ichigo Kurosaki takes on a power that is potentially dangerous to him in order to save the deuteragonist Rukia Kuchiki, a soul reaper.
My counter: In Bleach, Ichigo has always had powers and was always able to see spirits. Jujutsu Kaisen’s Yuji, on the other hand, was an ordinary albeit gifted young kid till he met Megumi. He wasn't able to see spirits nor did he have special powers till he was surrounded by the aura of death and consumed the cursed object. While some argue that his strength, agility, and speed are superhuman, making him just another shōnen protagonist, he is far from the only one with these abilities. There are other “normal” characters in the series who are way stronger than him and can easily whoop his ass. Yuji even admits that his abilities are nothing special. (I do have a theory about why he is so strong, but I will save that for another time.)
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• There is this whole secret Jujutsu sorcerers’ society that fights against curses, cursed spirits, and curse users, while the rest of the world is oblivious to their existence even though there is significant and obvious property damage and loss of life. We see a similar situation in Bleach with the Soul Society and their fight against evil earth-bound spirits.
My counter: Okay I’ll give you this but explain one thing to me. The sorcerers have ways of dealing with civilians like lying and using magic veils/barriers to explain/cover-up incidents. Who is covering up for the soul society? Do they have a crisis management team? It’s not like anyone other than those sensitive to the supernatural can see them!
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• Yuji is an “outsider” till he meets Megumi and the Jujutsu sorcerer society higher-ups want him dead because he consumed the most dangerous cursed object. In Bleach, Ichigo is an “outsider” till he meets Rukia and the Soul Society wants him out and to relinquish the powers he gained from her… I think. (Spoilers) Calling either character an outsider is a stretch as Ichigo’s father is a soul reaper and his mother is a Quincy. The Jujutsu Kaisen story is far from complete and so far we have seen only a glimpse of Yuji’s parents. It is possible that his mother has some connection to the Jujutsu sorcerers but we are yet to get any information about his father, although my theory is that he is a regular human.
My counter: Uh, Rukia was the one put on death row, so BAM!
On a more serious note, yes, Ichigo and Yuji are “outsiders”. But that is how stories are told. It is easier to suck in an audience if they start the journey at the very beginning with the protagonist. They inserted into the story and learn about the world through the main character.
Source: MAPPA/Crunchyroll
• Ryomen Sukuna is basically Kurama. Interestingly, both these characters are based on Japanese legends and they reside within the main character. They are both power houses and can kick ass.
My counter: NO! Don’t you dare say Kurama and Sukuna are “basically the same”. (Spoilers) Kurama is a misunderstood fox spirit who ultimately serves as Naruto’s chakra supplement and everyone knows that Sukuna is a bad BAD dude and an evil monster. Kurama and Naruto develop a relationship based on trust and agree to live with each other. Sukuna cannot, I repeat CANNOT and SHOULD NOT be trusted. If he ever does anything nice for you it’s either done on a whim because he wants something from you or just to mess with someone else. Sukuna cares about one person- Ryomen Sukuna. Everyone else is a tool to be used or a bug to be crushed and killed. Heck, he doesn’t even show mercy to his self-proclaimed allies.
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• Gojo Satoru is basically Kakashi sensei but with both eyes covered. I kinda agree with this one. However, there are quite a few shōnen manga mentors and father figures who have similar personalities. They are super strong and cocky yet caring and smart.
My counter: Gojo Satoru is a jackASS. Don’t get me wrong, I love the guy. He is cocky, arrogant, and a bit of a narcissist, all with good reason. I find his flippant attitude quite hilarious and amusing although I do understand why some would find that grating. Satoru isn’t particularly liked even in the anime. He calls himself the “strongest Jujutsu sorcerer” because he literally is the strongest Jujutsu sorcerer in the world. Other characters grudgingly admit as much. Satoru comes from one of the big three families in the Jujutsu world- the Gojo family, the Zenin family, and the Kamo family. The Gojo family has two inherited techniques, Limitless and Six Eyes, the second one being the most powerful Jujutsu technique in the world. Satoru possesses both these techniques, something that hasn't happened in the family in hundreds of years, making him the most powerful Jujutsu sorcerer in the world. (Spoilers) He is so powerful that cursed users (bad jujutsu sorcerers) literally went into hiding after they found out about him. The guy is basically a genius and even figured out how to basically run some of his techniques on autopilot indefinitely.
Here is why I don’t mind these parallels. There is so much content out in the world and it is almost impossible to not be influenced by them, especially considering that Bleach and Naruto have been around for literal decades.
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Sure Jujutsu Kaisen borrows from other properties, but I’d argue that it takes all of that and improves on them. The action (more so in the anime- MAPPA is brilliant!) is wonderful and entertaining, the characters (especially the main ones) are lovable while some grow on you when you least expect it, and the world built by Gege Akutami is amazing. Some of the curses we come across in the series are based on actual Japanese legends, which is really interesting. Unlike Naruto and Bleach, Jujutsu Kaisen is bloody and gory, and the characters (in the manga at least) drop a looooot of F-bombs.
The show also blends comedy and horror really well, making for a great experience.
Anyway, this article is long enough and I still have a lot to say about why I like the show. So, I’ll see you next time.
I think that is a good anime, don't know why so much criticism with it sincerely. It has humor, action the story is interesting and the drawing is good.
I know right? Compared to most of the shonen anime, this probably has the least amount of screaming matches LOL. Yuji is such a down to earth character and is relatively humble. I liked the show so much I started (and finished) reading the manga. Sad part is that the manga will be on hiatus for some time after chapter 152 is released due to the mangaka's ill health