Fact Check: Did Gege Akutami confirm Hajime Kashimo as stronger than Yuta Okkotsu in Jujutsu Kaisen? Viral claim debunked

The Jujutsu Kaisen recently started a debate regarding Hajime Kashimo being stronger than Yuta Okkotsu. This was prompted by a recent comment made by author Gege Akutami where he states that Ryomen Sukuna viewed the former as the biggest threat after Satoru Gojo. This resulted in a lot of people assuming that Kashimo is more powerful than Yuta, but the truth is a lot more complicated in that regard.

The truth of the matter is that Yuta is canonically stronger than Kashimo in Jujutsu Kaisen, as evidenced by his exploits during the Shinjuku Showdown arc. However, the comment made by Akutami represents Sukuna's point of view after he defeats Gojo. That is something that gives him a degree of knowledge that doesn't provide him with the necessary knowledge of Okkotsu's full strength.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from the manga/anime and reflects the opinions of the writer.

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Debunking the recent claim that Hajime Kashimo is stronger than Yuta Okkotsu in Jujutsu Kaisen

Kashimo as seen in the manga (Image via Shueisha).

Author Gege Akutami commented in a recent Q&A that Ryomen Sukuna thought that Kashimo was his biggest threat after Satoru Gojo was defeated in the Shinjuku Showdown arc. This has resulted in a lot of people claiming that Kashimo is, then, stronger than Yuta, although it is a bit more complicated than that.

It is worth highlighting that the Shinjuku Showdown arc takes place after a month, with the main cast preparing for the battle itself. At that time, Sukuna didn't have the information about the development the likes of Yuta or Yuji Itadori went through. Therefore, he planned and made assumptions based on what he already knew until the conclusion of the Culling Games arc.

Therefore, Sukuna's knowledge is based on the small clash between Yuji and Yuta in the previous arc, so perhaps he didn't think much of the latter. Moreover, Kashimo's abilities and reputation made him stand out from the moment of his introduction, so, logically, the King of Curses would prioritize him as a target.

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What this means for both characters

Yuta as seen in the anime (Image via MAPPA).

It is quite prevalent in the Jujutsu Kaisen community to contrast and compare the characters' strengths and abilities, which is a byproduct of Akutami's heavy focus on combat throughout the series. In that regard, this statement highlights that Kashimo had a chance to seriously damage Sukuna before the latter turned into his Heian-era form, although the same can be said of Yuta as well.

It is worth pointing out that Yuta was also capable of taking down Kenjaku before supporting Yuji against Sukuna, which is something that adds to his achievements in the battle. Furthermore, when considering the tool that is his Domain Expansion, which is something that the King of Curses didn't know what it was because he didn't see it before the Shinjuku Showdown arc. This adds to the idea that he is still stronger than Kashimo.

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Final thoughts

Jujutsu Kaisen author Gege Akutami added more fuel to the fire when it comes to the fandom's discussion regarding who is stronger Yuta Okkotsu and Hajime Kashimo. However, the former still ranks as more powerful than the latter. That is based on the characters' achievements throughout the manga and Sukuna's knowledge at the time he made this assumption.

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