Jujutsu Kaisen's Yuji Itadori is known for being a great brawler in battles, but there are several anime main characters who can beat him without much problem. It is worth pointing out that these battles are not going to have special abilities or powers and are just solely focusing on hand-to-hand combat.
Furthermore, while Yuji Itadori has built a reputation as a great brawler because of his exploits in the Jujutsu Kaisen series, there are other characters in prominent series who can overpower him. In that regard, these are, in no particular order, the ten protagonists who can defeat Yuji without much problem and why.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for all the series mentioned here. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda as a whole.
10 anime main characters who can defeat Jujutsu Kaisen's Yuji Itadori in a straight-up fight
1) Goku (Dragon Ball)
When it comes to anime main characters, no one is as iconic and known worldwide as Goku from Dragon Ball. Furthermore, when it comes to fighting skills, there are very few protagonists who can compete with him, and that has been shown throughout the franchise.
Goku is a genius when it comes to the martial arts department, and his work ethic has been shown time and time again in the story, which is why Jujutsu Kaisen's Yuji Itadori wouldn't stand a chance against him. There is also the element that Goku's Saiyan genetics probably give him an edge over Yuji, although the former also has a much better foundation, having trained with so many teachers.
2) Kenshiro (Fist of the North Star)
Very few battle-shonen protagonists are as known for their killing intent and fighting skills as the Fist of the North Star main character, Kenshiro. His mastery of Hokuto Shinken has made him the stuff of legends across his own series and was able to stop absolute powerhouses who can compete with the best in the battle shonen genre.
In that regard, Kenshiro is a master martial artist and could make quick work of Yuji since the latter's feats in Jujutsu Kaisen don't compare with what the former has accomplished. Furthermore, someone who has managed to defeat enemies such as Raoh wouldn't have a lot of problems against Itadori in hand-to-hand combat.
3) Ranma Saotome (Ranma 1/2)
Ranma Saotome and his titular series, Ranma 1/2, might be on the more comedic side of the anime spectrum, but that doesn't stop him from being a masterful martial artist. In fact, the bulk of author Rumiko Takahashi's series displays the young man as a great fighter who has very little problem against his opponents.
In that regard, Ranma has much better preparation and feats than Yuji Itadori when it comes to hand-to-hand combat. That is something that could be shown if both characters faced each other without any special abilities or powers, giving the young Saotome a very significant edge.
4) Saitama (One Punch Man)
There is no denying that Saitama might be the best candidate when it comes to anime main characters who can not only defeat Yuji Itadori but also one-shot the Jujutsu Kaisen protagonist. That is because being incredibly strong for no real reason is part of Saitama's whole character and the core of the One Punch Man story.
Saitama's whole thing as a character is that he is inherently stronger than anyone else he has faced and defeats pretty much everybody with just one punch, including galactic emperors like Boros, for example. Therefore, the Jujutsu Kaisen protagonist has no chance in this particular battle.
5) Naruto Uzumaki (Naruto)
There is a very good chance that most people would think that Yuji Itadori is a better hand-to-hand fighter than Naruto, but the latter's training and formation shouldn't be underestimated. The young Uzumaki was trained as a ninja in a world where hand-to-hand combat is a lot more demanding, as shown by several Taijutsu masters in the series.
It is also worth pointing out which version of Naruto is being used here. However, most versions of the character in the original manga would defeat the Jujutsu Kaisen protagonist, especially the one at the end of Masashi Kishimoto's manga, where he is one of the strongest ninjas in history, even if he doesn't use his special powers or abilities.
6) Suguru (Kinnikuman)
There are very few anime main characters as underrated as Suguru from Kinnikuman fame when it comes to its influence and impact. He is one of the most iconic shonen protagonists of all time and would defeat Jujutsu Kaisen's Yuji Itadori if push came to shove in a battle.
Suguru, first and foremost, is not even human since he is a Chojin from Planet Kinniku, which means that he has superhuman strength from the get-go. Furthermore, his fighting style is mainly focused on hand-to-hand combat, which makes him a great foil to the Jujutsu Kaisen protagonist, thus giving him a significant edge in terms of strength, battle experience, and skills.
7) Gon Freecss (Hunter X Hunter)
Hunter X Hunter was a massive influence on Jujutsu Kaisen, as per the statements made by author Gege Akutami throughout the years, and that is shown by the similarities between Gon and Yuji. Both are introduced as somewhat cheerful protagonists who have superhuman strength, thus making the comparison all the more interesting.
However, Gon has proven to be a much stronger fighter when it comes to hand-to-hand combat, especially considering that he is in a universe where characters are usually more powerful. Furthermore, Gon has also proven to be a smarter fighter, as shown during his fights in the Heavens Arena arc, which is something that Jujutsu Kaisen's Itadori has not shown all that much.
8) Yusuke Urameshi (Yu Yu Hakusho)
Yuji Itadori has a lot of similarities to Yu Yu Hakusho protagonist Yusuke Urameshi because this series influenced Jujutsu Kaisen greatly. Author Gege Akutami has even added references to his series, and there are some similarities between Yuji and Yusuke, especially considering how they are thrust into the supernatural and their demonic heritage.
While both characters are very good in hand-to-hand combat, Yusuke has a lot more street smarts than Yuji in this department. The best example of this was during his battle with Shinobu Sensui in the Chapter Black arc, being able to overpower the villain through cheating and dirty tricks, which is something he would do against the Jujutsu Kaisen protagonist.
9) Baki Hanma (Baki)
When it comes to anime centered around martial arts, Baki might be one of the most prominent series in the entire medium. Therefore, when taking this franchise into consideration, Baki Hanma is one of those characters who could defeat Yuji Itadori in a straight-up fight.
Yuji Itadori has shown time and time again in Jujutsu Kaisen that he can fight with his bare hands, but Baki has a lot more technique. His whole journey in the series is to learn how to fight, which is something that would give him victory in this particular battle.
10) Ohma Tokita (Kengan Ashura)
Kengan Ashura might be the most underrated anime on this list when it comes to worldwide reach and commercial success, but that doesn't keep it from being a very good series. When it comes to that, the series' protagonist, Ohma Tokita, would definitely defeat the Jujutsu Kaisen main character without much problem.
That is because Ohma's whole thing in the story is that he is an underground fighter who has to rely on his strength and skills. He doesn't have special powers or abilities he can depend on, which is something that gives him an edge over Yuji in a fight.
Final thoughts
There are other anime main characters who can defeat Yuji Itadori from Jujutsu Kaisen with no powers or special abilities. However, these are some of the most prominent examples and have the better feats when it comes to this type of battle, which is why they made it on this list.
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