Jujutsu Kaisen Creator Outs His Biggest Inspirations

By Evan Valentine

Jujutsu Kaisen's upcoming comeback is one of the most highly anticipated returns in the anime world, as following the release of the prequel Jujutsu Kaisen 0, fans have waited to see not only the return of Yuji Itadori but the exploration of Gojo's earlier years. With Studio MAPPA set to bring back the anime adaptation this summer, the creator of the series, Gege Akutami, recently had an interview where they laid out their biggest inspirations when it came to the world of Jujutsu Tech. 

The supernatural Shonen franchise ended its first season by seeing Yuji and his friends managing to get their act together and secure yet another finger of the king of curses, Sukuna. With Itadori continuing to fight against both internal and external threats, he took a breather as the Shonen protagonist had no role to play in the recent theatrical release. A new hero was followed in the money-making anime film in Yuta Okkotsu, a Jujutsu Tech student whose origin story was far more tragic than what we had seen from Itadori but perhaps, had far more power as a result. While Yuta hasn't been confirmed to play a role in season two, it seems that his return is assured in the future of the anime adaptation. 

Jujutsu Interview

In an interview with Akutami back in 2020 that has made its way online, here's what the mangaka had to say when it came to the influences that helped forge the supernatural Shonen series that has taken the anime world by storm:

"If there is one thing to mention, it is that no one holds the ultimate truth. The 'good guys' and the 'bad guys' are alike. Some seek to kill the hero out of pure selfishness, but others are led to this decision by logical reasoning. If no one is really right then no one is wrong either. Each character is guided by their own ethics. One of my influences was Evangelion. I was made aware of biblical myths through that, but in general, I find that mythology is about stories where Mankind and Gods clash without a real reason. The manga Demon Slayer by Koyoharu Gotoge cheerfully draws from Shinto stories and ancient Japanese tales to build its universe."

During last year's Jump Festa, Akutami dropped a bombshell that the manga might be drawing to a close within a year, though the anime adaptation has plenty of material left to adapt.

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