JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
Jujutsu Kaisen's Gege Akutami on When and Why He Decides to Kill Characters
Gege Akutami has never been shy about killing his characters and recently spoke about taking Jujutsu Kaisen players off the board.
Jujutsu Kaisen, a popular anime series by Gege Akutami, has faced a series of character deaths in recent months. Many beloved characters have been sidelined or killed, leading fans to question whether the mangaka created the characters to be killed off for the plot. The series gained popularity in 2018 due to its thrilling action sequences, gripping storyline, and interesting cast. However, with many beloved characters dying, fans are questioning whether it's worth getting attached to the characters, as they all end up dying for the plot.
Gege Akutami on why he kills of characters
Jujutsu Kaisen, a shonen series, is known for its fearless approach to character death, as demonstrated in the second season's Shibuya Incident Arc. A third season, focusing on the Culling Game, is in the works. In an interview, series creator Gege Akutami shared their philosophy on character killing and the decision-making process. Fans should prepare for more deaths in the future.
The Shibuya Incident Arc saw several major characters die, including Nanami, who was killed by Jogo after a fight, and Mahito, who killed Nobara, Yuji Itadori's female classmate. The series also saw Jogo, Dagon, Hanami, Toji, and Mahito all die, while the hero side saw Nanami killed by Mahito, while the villains saw Jogo, Dagon, Hanami, Toji, and Mahito all die.
At the latest Jujutsu Kaisen Exhibit in Japan, Gege Akutami was more than happy to take fan questions. One specific question was asked as to the status of Mei-Mei, the powerful cursed energy user, who decided to run when the going got tough. Rather than killing her, Akutami decided to instead leave her in the background as the mangaka dove into his methodology on killing characters, "I don't think a character should die if readers don't feel any emotion for them like sadness."
While Akutami may choose characters to kill off based on what would be the most emotionally painful for the story's audience, the same logic could therefore be applied to characters who are still alive. If they are not especially meaningful to the audience, their deaths could also be considered unnecessary
The Shibuya Incident Arc has left many deaths unadapted into the anime, causing confusion among fans of Jujutsu Kaisen. The anime world is expected to feel tremors once these deaths are incorporated into the series, as fans struggle to comprehend the events.
Gege Akutami reveals Nanami's death wasn't intended
Gege Akutami, the mangaka behind Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2, has revealed that he never wanted Nanami to die during the incident arc, despite the emotional impact on fans. The Jujutsu Kaisen manga continues its Shinjuku Showdown arc, featuring intense battles where notable characters frequently die. The Shibuya Incident arc significantly increases the frequency of character deaths, breaking hearts of both manga and anime fans.
The death not only affected the fans, it also affected the heroes of Jujutsu Kaisen. With each death, Yuji Itadori is losing more and more hope, and seeing Nanami's die at the hands of Mahito and not being able to do anything about is, what started it all. But Akutami tried to avoid this.
"Sometimes it feels like...the script progresses and evolves depending on the characters themselves," revealed Jujutsu Kaisen series creator Gege Akutami during a special art exhibition for the manga in Japan.
Akutami shared that he initially didn't want Nanami to die in the Shibuya Incident, but the story naturally moved in that direction to provide Yuji with motivation. "I didn't want Nanami to die at that point, but I was thinking that maybe there was no way around it, but Itadori burst in, and well, you know how it went. I originally felt that Nanami had surpassed the script, but when I put it into words like this, Nanami was the motivation and Itadori was the one who overcame the script."
Nanami's death marked a pivotal moment for Yuji, propelling him towards the Shibuya Incident finale and the subsequent arcs, marking the start of numerous significant deaths in the series, with more expected before Jujutsu Kaisen ends.
Akutami also revealed why Mei Mei and some other characters haven’t been killed off yet. Akutami apparently does not kill off characters whose deaths don't "have the appeal to make the readers sad," naming Mei Mei, Ino and Ijichi as examples.
If true, this may confirm the suspicion of many readers that Akutami has killed off so many beloved characters to intentionally hurt the audience. Emotional appeal has a stronghold in all storytelling, especially anime and manga, but a growing number of fans have expressed that they feel played by the creator, feeling that many of the deaths in Jujutsu Kaisen have been unnecessary.
ALSO READ: Jujutsu Kaisen Creator Confirms Gojo's Death with New Author's Note
Latest Articles
