10 upcoming shonen mangaka who can become Gege Akutami's successor

Jujutsu Kaisen manga series is set to end on September 30, 2024, and the fandom is eager to find a shonen mangaka who could be Gege Akutami’s successor. Jujutsu Kaisen tells the story of a normal high school boy whose life slowly gets entangled with the occult, and he soon realizes that his mysterious origins mean more than what he had imagined.

As a shonen mangaka, Gege Akutami redefined the ‘shonen’ genre through his unique writing by representing cursed techniques as power-scaling. Moreover, the author also established a well-built lore around this power-scaling, making the series one of the best shonen series.

However, this doesn’t mean that there aren’t any other shonen mangaka who cannot be Gege Akutami’s successors, so this article will compile 10 of the emerging shonen mangaka whose magnum opus has enough lore and a ‘unique’ plotline such that they could be considered Gege Akutami’s successors in the shonen industry after Jujutsu Kaisen ends.

Disclaimer: Any opinions expressed in this article solely belong to the author.

Yukinobu Tatsu, Kouji Miura, and 8 other shonen mangaka who can become Gege Akutami's successor

10) Yusei Matsui (Elusive Samurai)

Tokiyuki as seen in the manga series (Image via Shueisha)

Well-known in the industry as the author of Assassination Classroom, Yusei Matsui is a shonen mangaka who could be Gege Akutami’s successor through his newly released series that started its serialization in 2021, The Elusive Samurai. The series tells the tale of Houjou Tokiyuki, a young boy who tries to take his revenge against the people who killed his family.

The author was formerly the assistant of Yoshio Sawai, author of the comedy classic Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo. The shonen mangaka’s manga is impacted by his previous assistant role, as his manga combines comedy as an undertone in every narrative. The Elusive Samurai is one such example, as the manga series explores a unique storyline combined with an ‘interesting’ art style.

9) Naoya Matsumoto (Kaiju no. 8)

Kafka as seen in the manga series (Image via Shueisha)

Formerly the assistant of Toshiaki Iwashiro (Psyren), Naoya Matsumoto is a new shonen mangaka. Known for his magnum opus Kaiju no. 8, the author rivals Jujutsu Kaisen in its uniqueness as he introduced monsters as a concept of power-scaling that worked wonders.

The series follows the tale of Kafka Hoshino, who fights these Kaiju monsters, accompanied by his friends, by being one himself. The author’s artwork also resembles that of the author of Jujutsu Kaisen. Naoya Matsumoto could very well be the shonen mangaka who would be Gege Akutami’s successor.

8) Yukinobu Tatsu (Dandadan)

Momo and Ken as seen in the manga series (Image via Shueisha)

The author of Dandadan, Yukinobu Tatsu is an emerging shonen mangaka and one of the shonen mangaka who could be Gege Akutami’s successors after Jujutsu Kaisen concludes. Dandadan is the author’s most well-known work and is considered one of the best shonen series that could take over the future with its unique setting.

Centered around two high school students, each of whom 'interestingly' discovers the existence of the occult, the series is heavily inspired by the shonen mangaka’s past experiences as an assistant. The unique and strange storyline of Dandadan could be inspired by Tatsuki Fujimoro (Chainsaw Man) and the art style of Yuji Kaku (Hell’s Paradise), making this one of the best entries to this list.

7) Yuto Suzuki (Sakamoto Days)

Sakamoto as seen in the manga series (Image via Shueisha)

Yuto Suzuki is one of the newest shonen mangaka who could be Gege Akutami’s successor. The author’s magnum opus, Sakamoto Days, is one of the best shonen manga series of the modern day due to its unique narrative centered on a former assassin.

The series’ anime adaptation, set to air in January 2025, is also one of the most anticipated anime series. The series tells the tale of Taro Sakamoto, a former hitman who, after falling in love, gives up on his job and enjoys a mundane life. However, will his past ever leave him?

6) Yuto Sano (Gokurakugai)

Tao and Alma as seen in the manga (Image via Shueisha)

One of the newest shonen mangaka in the industry, Yuto Sano could be Gege Akutami’s successor. His magnum opus, Gokurakugai, is one of the most interesting shonen manga series, known for its snappy character designs.

Although the series’ story hasn’t hit the mark yet, it is destined for goodness in the future as an emerging shonen series. The series follows the story of two people who work in an agency that accepts ‘odd jobs.’ These two soon become entangled in a mess that might be hard to escape.

5) Kouji Miura (Blue Box)

Taiki and Chinatsu as seen in the manga (Image via Shueisha)

Kouji Miura is an author who follows a genre entirely different from Jujutsu Kaisen. However, his ability to combine two different genres is what makes him special, the prime example of which is his magnum opus Blue Box, a sports-romance manga series.

The series follows the story of Taiki and Chinatsu, who have to live in the same house due to the latter's family condition. But Taiki has a crush on Chinatsu, making things complicated. Moreover, both of them pursue a sport of their own, making the series a perfect blend of sports and romance. This could be what makes Kouji Miura a shonen mangaka who could be Gege's successor.

4) Takeru Hokazono (Kagurabachi)

Chihiro as seen in the manga (Image via Shueisha)

An author that needs no introduction nowadays as his magnum opus, Kagurabachi, could be the next face of Shounen Jump due to sword lore and the intriguing storyline it established in a few chapters. Kagurabachi follows the story of Chihiro, a young swordsman, who travels to seek revenge against the person who robbed him of his father and a peaceful life.

It is pretty amazing how the author, despite not being an assistant of any shonen mangaka in the past, managed to deliver such an amazing manga series, which was decorated with an accolade recently. This makes Takeru Hokozono one of the most emerging shonen mangaka of recent times.

3) Kei Urana (Gachiakuta)

Rudo as seen in the manga series (Image via Shueisha)

The former assistant of Atsushi Ookubo (Soul Eater) who was declared the successor of Soul Eater mangaka when they were working on Fire Force, Kei Urano is one of the brightest emerging female shonen mangaka who could be Gege Akutami's successor after Jujutsu Kaisen ends.

Her magnum opus, Gachiakuta, follows the story of Rudo, who tries to find the person who killed his father in a place filled with trash that people consider useless. Similar to Jujutsu Kaisen's unique power-scaling, Gachiakuta establishes its power-scaling around trash, combined with an interesting storyline.

2) Kenichi Kondou (Dark Gathering)

Yayoi as seen in the manga series (Image via Shueisha)

Kenichi Kondou was the former assistant of Katsura Hoshino (D.Gray-Man). Where Jujutsu Kaisen redefined shonen, Kenichi Kondou's magnum opus, Dark Gathering, redefined horror by combining it with a hint of comedy.

Dark Gathering follows the story of Keitarou, whose part-time life suddenly turns into a daily paranormal activity that even he cannot control. Although comedy isn't specifically a genre of the series, this undertone made the horror pop out more than normal, different from the Junji Ito series, which makes the shonen mangaka special.

1) Mikio Ikemoto (Boruto Two Blue Vortex)

Boruto as seen in the manga series (Image via Shueisha)

The former assistant of the shonen manga legend Masashi Kishimoto, Ikemoto is a shonen mangaka who could be Gege Akutami’s successor.

After a recent interview, it was indirectly revealed that Ikemoto could be the true author of the Boruto series, as he manages the art and discusses the storyline with the original author, Masashi Kishimoto.

His latest series, Boruto Two Blue Vortex, is potentially one of the rising stars of the upcoming era due to its well-established lore and a unique plotline that exceeds the prequel, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. The series continues the journey of Boruto Uzumaki after he was betrayed through the Omnipotence Act as he tries to gain the trust of his people.

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Edited by Somava