Jujutsu Kaisen is arguably the most popular anime and manga series at the moment, but that doesn't stop the story from having points and characters worth criticizing. Megumi Fushiguro is one of those characters - even if he ranks among the most popular in the entire series, recent events in the manga have cemented his unfulfilled potential, spurring conversation about how author Gege Akutami wasted this potential.
Furthermore, Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 251 showed Megumi for the first time in several months and it was revealed that he had lost the will to live, which led to a lot of discussions online. And while the evolution that he had in the series led to this moment in a somewhat logical manner, it also shows a certain disregard for his friends and comrades who are still alive and trying to save the world.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for this series. All views expressed solely belong to the author, not Sportskeeda.
Explaining Megumi Fushiguro's disappointing actions in the Jujutsu Kaisen series
Megumi Fushiguro was defined in the early stages of the series as someone who was mostly focused on finding a way to heal her cursed sister, Tsumiki, and many of his actions, particularly during his fights in the Culling Games, cemented that perception. However, once Ryomen Sukuna took over his body and murdered Yorozu, who was in Tsumiki's body, major cracks began to show in Megumi's character.
While is true that the pain of losing a loved one is very significant and Megumi withstood a lot of damage for Sukuna during the latter's fight with Satoru Gojo, it is difficult to assess his reaction in chapter 251 of the manga as nothing but selfishness. It sounds harsh but Yuji Itadori, the one who reached out to him, and his friends, are currently fighting to save the lives of millions all over the world, but Megumi has put his own pain above the greater good.
Yes, Megumi has gone through a lot in the series, but so has Yuji, Maki Zen'in and many more characters in the story who are still trying to save the day. Megumi, in particular, can make things difficult for Sukuna, especially as his control over his body has weakened recently.
However, he has decided to wallow in his own misery, which could have disastrous results for the entire planet if the sorcerers don't win.
Megumi's flaws from a storytelling perspective
Jujutsu Kaisen author Gege Akutami has major virtues as a mangaka, particularly when it comes to paneling and battle sequences, but a major flaw of his is not giving most of his main cast significant development. When analyzing the main characters in the series, Megumi Fushiguro might be the best example of wasted potential.
Akutami didn't explore elements such as Megumi's relationship with his father Toji despite hinting at that with the Shibuya Incident arc, didn't develop his relationship with Satoru Gojo, his mentor or father figure of sorts, or his connection with the Zen'in clan, even going as far as not playing a role when the clan was murdered by Maki. His relationship with Tsumiki, the main motivation behind his actions, didn't get a lot of development either, thus falling flat when she was killed by Sukuna.
It is a running issue across the series with several characters, but Megumi's case is one of the most egregious when considering that he is part of the main cast and has connections to several major players and plot points in the story. Therefore, Megumi's journey throughout the series is fairly disappointing.
Final thoughts
Megumi's reaction to Yuji Itadori reaching out to him in Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 251 showed how he was only faring for himself and Tsumiki throughout the series. While he has gone through hardship in the story, so have most of the main sorcerers, and his lack of action is probably dooming a good percentage of the human race.
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