It would put things lightly to say Jujutsu Kaisen is a popular series. When it comes to manga, Gege Akutami is selling volumes like mad, and audiences across the world are eager to check out Jujutsu Kaisen season two. The supernatural series has fans wrapped around its fingers, and of course, Akutami is to thank for the phenomenon.
Of course, the artist isn’t impervious to flubs, and Akutami has learned a number of important things while creating Jujutsu Kaisen. Now, the artist is speaking about those tips and tricks with aspiring creators. Shonen Jump published a book recently breaking down how manga is made, and it is there Akutami gets real about his mangaka career.
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The interview, as you can see here, finds Akutami confessing some of his work sins as a creator. For one, the artist admits he relies on rough drafts and sketches more than fans might realize. At first, Akutami would try to revise those boards with fixes and suggestions from editorial, but that process become cumbersome very quickly.
“There have been many times when adjusting [drafts] based on the advice of others felt like removing pieces from a Jenga tower which led to collapse and failure,” he shared. “Changing minor details is fine, but generally, I’d rather put in the work and start over from scratch instead of fixing up a bunch of things in my storyboards.”
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Continuing, Gege admitted his focus is “absolute garbage” when doing full chapter drafts, but he can finish one in five days. However, the same cannot be said for storyboards. That first step is one of Akutami’s favorite tasks, and he can finish a whole chapter’s storyboard in half a day. But on the odd occasion, even Akutami can psyche himself out ahead of a major plot twist or revelation.
If you have not read Jujutsu Kaisen for yourself, it has never been easier to check out the title. Of course, you can find copies of the manga in print at local bookstores. Or if you want to read the manga at its most up-to-date, you can find Jujutsu Kaisen on Manga Plus and the Shonen Jump app.
What do you make of Akutami’s lessons here? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.
