Jujutsu Kaisen's main problem remains Akutami's writing and not the deaths

In recent weeks and months, author and illustrator Gege Akutami has come under heavy scrutiny and criticism from fans of his original and beloved Jujutsu Kaisen manga series. While there are certain issues fans have had with the series for several years, recent discussion has predominantly centered around the deaths in the series.

Many fans and readers argue that, in recent months, the Jujutsu Kaisen manga has simply killed off too many characters in too short a time, especially when it comes to fan favorites. Even the deaths of antagonists or relatively minor characters in the series has elicited such a reaction from fans, emphasizing just how sick readers are of the constant deaths.

However, there is credence to an argument that the plethora of deaths within the Jujutsu Kaisen series is not the problem in and of itself and that fault instead lies with Akutami’s writing. More specifically, the issue lies with the fast-paced nature of Akutami’s writing and how these deaths and their consequences are never given time to truly breathe and affect the characters.

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Jujutsu Kaisen’s fast-paced nature becoming a major flaw in high-stakes late-series developments

Why the problem is Akutami’s writing, explained

Throughout Jujutsu Kaisen’s publication history, the series has been infamous for moving incredibly fast and taking almost no breaks for more slice-of-life-esque focuses. In the early series, this was heavily praised, as it got fans through the introductory and setup process of the story and prioritized bringing about higher stakes and more in-depth plotlines.

The first of these plotlines was undoubtedly the Shibuya Incident arc, which is also where the plethora of character deaths in the series first began. However, the Shibuya Incident arc typically gave each death room to breathe and impact the characters and readers. Protagonist Yuji Itadori was also given a brief reprieve and moment to reflect on his actions in front of readers in the arc that immediately followed the Shibuya Incident.

However, the Jujutsu Kaisen manga then dove right into its Culling Game arcs, which led directly to the freeing of Satoru Gojo. A month time skip was given here but done offscreen. This led into the beginning of Gojo’s fight with Ryomen Sukuna, which tragically ended in his death. Since then, Hajime Kashimo, Kenjaku, Megumi Fushiguro, and Hiromi Higuruma have all either died, are suspected to be dead, or have met similarly undesirable fates.

This sequence and progression are emblematic of why Akutami’s writing is to blame for the series. For one, the offscreen time skip could’ve been the perfect opportunity to allow the characters to reflect on recent events. The loss of Megumi Fushiguro and its impact on Yuji and others is one point which would’ve done well to be addressed during this time skip. Instead, fans have no true idea of how Yuji and the others handled dealing with this new, unpleasant reality.

The Gojo and Higuruma deaths are similarly mishandled, with the recent months of Jujutsu Kaisen giving little to no insight into the reaction of other characters to these deaths. While some single panel reactions were shown, and certain characters shared monologues on their current thoughts and feelings, there has been no break in the action dedicated specifically to this character development.

While it is arguable that the series’ traditionally fast pace makes it unrealistic to expect drastic changes so close to its end, this fast pace actively harms the story and characters change perspective. Although it is possible for Akutami to salvage whatever deaths or losses are left in the series by changing tactics, the ship has unfortunately sailed for the likes of Gojo, Kashimo, and other fan-favorite characters.

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