Why Jujutsu Kaisen's Creator Believes Yuji Is a "Bland" Hero

Gege Akutami belives that Yuji makes the supernatural shonen series "bland" and that's a good thing.

By Evan Valentine

Jujutsu Kaisen has become a juggernaut in the anime world, selling millions of manga volumes and becoming a hit on both the small and silver screen. The second season of Jujutsu Kaisen put Yuji Itadori and his friends through the wringer as they found themselves trying to survive the Shibuya Incident Arc. As creator Gege Akutami sets the stage for the grand finale that will end the franchise, the mangaka took the opportunity to talk about his protagonist Yuji and the distinctive approach the artist took when it came to his place in the cursed world. 

Yuji Itadori has several elements in common with other shonen protagonists, including the likes of Naruto Uzumaki and Ichigo Kurosaki. The Naruto and Bleach stars both have struggled with their own unique inner demons, but Yuji's might just be the most nefarious of them all. Sukuna, the king of curses, hasn't just been the dark half of Yuji, he has been one of the biggest villains of the series and is considered to be the "Big Bad" of Jujutsu Tech.

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(Photo: MAPPA)

Gege Akutami's "Bland" Main Character

In a new interview as a part of the opening of the Jujutsu Kaisen Exhibit in Japan, creator Gege Akutami took the chance to explain why he decided to create Yuji Itadori and how the protagonist works in the realm of the shonen series, "Itadori's versatility is in the sense that he's easy to fit into shounen-type stories, but this can also make the stories a bit bland. When Itadori does something straightforward, like saving someone, there's no real need for a reason behind it, so the story is easy to move forward but it also can lead to the reader not feeling much or not getting a good taste of his actions."

Akutami then described how he wanted Yuji Itadori to be a 'universal character', "My idea was to use other characters to pave a defined path and portray a universal protagonist. I wanted Itadori to be a flexible character."

Jujutsu Kaisen is already confirmed for a third season, which will see Yuji Itadori struggling with the arrival of the Culling Games. Now that countless cursed energy users have awoken thanks to Suguru Geto's machinations, Yuji and the world are going to sail some rough seas ahead.

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Want to see what the future holds for Yuji Itadori? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook for all the latest updates on Jujutsu Tech. 

Via Anime Hunch

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