Unique aspect of Jujutsu Kaisen's character writing proves Gege's authorial skills

Modified Dec 19, 2024 06:30 GMT

Jujutsu Kaisen had some underrated writing themes (Image via MAPPA).

Jujutsu Kaisen has been criticized for the last year or so for its weak character writing, lack of development for most of the cast, and how several subplots are abandoned to a degree. However, author Gege Akutami did have some good moments as a writer, and one that is not highlighted enough is the theme he developed of people not learning their lessons.

Several characters in Jujutsu Kaisen had moments and opportunities to change and make a difference in the world but chose to be set in their old ways. Two prime examples are father and son, Toji and Megumi Fushiguro, but there are also other cases who chose to change. The very few with a happy ending are those who embraced change.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the series. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda as a publication.

Explaining why Gege's theme of some people not changing and suffering for that is an underrated element of Jujutsu Kaisen

Toji and Megumi as seen in the anime (Image via MAPPA).

Toji Fushiguro is an excellent of this theme since, by his own final thoughts, he believed that he had overcome his insecurities for not having Cursed Energy and didn't have to prove himself but, ultimately, died fighting Satoru Gojo simply to show he was better than sorcerers.

His son Megumi was poised to overcome his own issues of self-confidence when he unleashed his Domain for the first time but ended up going back to his old ways and failed to live up to his potential.

There are other examples of sorcerers who were not proactive enough and paid the price, such as Nobara Kugisaki being extremely rash and overconfident, suffering a massive injury against Mahito in the Shibuya Incident arc. Yuki Tsukumo didn't make much of a difference in the Jujutsu world for over a decade and died when she got involved.

Moreover, Suguru Geto didn't move on from his idea that normal humans were the problem and was killed by Gojo after being defeated by Yuta Okkotsu without having achieved anything meaningful. The same can be said of Kenjaku, who spent centuries playing around with experiments as a game and died when fighting Takaba since he kept treating what was a major battle against sorcerers as a hobby.

Those who did change

Sukuna and Yuji Itadori as seen in the manga (Image via Shueisha).

On the other hand, there are other examples in Jujutsu Kaisen who manage to adapt and change throughout the story and get much better conclusions. The two protagonists, Yuji Itadori and Yuta Okkotsu, had to adapt to a lot of circumstances and grew stronger and wiser while someone like Satoru Gojo died in peace knowing that he had the great fight he wanted.

Additionally, Gojo also went from a selfish teenager to a teacher who wanted to make a difference for the greater good.

Perhaps one of the most interesting examples of this is Ryomen Sukuna since he embodies both sides of the same coin. Sukuna shows throughout the story that he doesn't have to change, that he only lives for himself, and makes sense when considering that his methods drove him to the peak of Jujutsu sorcery but ultimately died at the hands of Yuji, who is someone who relies on the help of his friends.

However, when talking with Mahito, the Curse who embodies human hatred, in the final chapter of the Jujutsu Kaisen manga, he chooses to walk away from those old ways and change for his next life. This allows the character of Sukuna to die in peace and with content, which is very telling when considering this theme.

Final thoughts

Jujutsu Kaisen is a series where several areas lacking from a writing perspective but also has some themes where author Gege Akutami really did well. In that regard, the theme of people failing to learn and change, therefore paying the price, is a very compelling thread throughout the series.

Related articles

Edited by Tiasha