Yuji was not supposed to be the Jujutsu Kaisen protagonist, and it wasn't Gojo either

Modified Jul 11, 2024 06:10 GMT

The Jujutsu Kaisen protagonist (Image via MAPPA).

Jujutsu Kaisen protagonist Yuji Itadori has always been the source of criticism for not having a lot of prominence in the story. In a recent exhibition of the series, author Gege Akutami revealed that he wasn't originally the main character. While many people might assume that the original idea was for Yuta Okkotsu to continue in that role or for Satoru Gojo to take over, it was actually going to be Megumi Fushiguro.

At Anime Expo 2024 in Tokyo, Japan, the details of the Jujutsu Kaisen protagonist were one of several revelations the author provided. That could be one of the most interesting facts because it shows how different the story could have been with Megumi as the protagonist. The author's revelation also explains how the reversal of this original idea influenced certain elements of his and Yuji's stories.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the series.

Megumi Fushiguro was the original Jujutsu Kaisen protagonist, not Yuji

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At the Anime Expo 2024 in Tokyo, Japan, author Gege Akutami revealed several facts about the series' development. One was that Megumi Fushiguro was the original Jujutsu Kaisen protagonist, not Yuji Itadori. Megumi's sister Tsumiki was going to be in the first chapter of the manga, and Yuji was going to be a supporting character with a small connection to Ryomen Sukuna.

This revelation might have resonated with many fans who think Yuji, as the Jujutsu Kaisen protagonist, has struggled massively for relevance and doesn't get much attention. It is worth pointing out that Yuji is mostly well-liked by fans, but they feel disappointed by the little focus he gets in large portions of the manga.

Gege's revelation also explains how Megumi has so many connections to the main plot points of the series. He is part of the Zen'in clan, was raised and trained by Satoru Gojo, and is the son of Toji Fushiguro, who shaped so many events in the story. Even Sukuna was interested in his abilities with the Shikigami, plus his motivation to save his sister, Tsumiki, gives him a central role worthy of a protagonist.

Megumi's role in the story

Megumi was going to be the Jujutsu Kaisen protagonist (Image via MAPPA).

The fact that Megumi Fushiguro was going to be the Jujutsu Kaisen protagonist is interesting because it analyzes his role in the story from another perspective. While Megumi remains a significant character in the story, there is also the perspective in some sections of the fandom that he has been a disappointment and never took off from a narrative perspective.

It is expected that the Jujutsu Kaisen protagonist, in this case, Yuji Itadori, will be involved in the story until the very end. Still, Megumi's role often felt underwhelming to some fans. This is mainly because plot points such as his relationship with his sister or never addressing that Toji Fushiguro is his father were seen as considerable failures in Gege Akutami's writing.

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Edited by Shreya Das