Summary
Jujutsu Kaisen breaks with shounen norms by not having an opponent as the main character, emphasizing teamwork over competition. Yuji and Megumi form a deep bond despite their different personalities through saving each other’s lives. Yuji competes with himself to grow – both literally and figuratively – demonstrating his growth even in the absence of a traditional rival.
Jujutsu Kaisen Have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years, becoming best-selling manga globally in 2021 and 2022. This series is one of the most creative and innovative series in the shounen genre, standing out from all the rest. Gege Akutami took many bold risks when writing Jujutsu Kaisen, and some of these choices were truly groundbreaking.
Most movies that have a rival have a rival The main character constantly fights and strives to defeat. This phenomenon was largely popularized by Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball Z, in which protagonist Goku and his rival, Vegeta, compete throughout the series, in a constant struggle to determine their abilities and Whose power is at the top?
The concept of competition between two talented opponents continues to appear in Naruto, with Naruto and Sasuke whose friendship/rivalry has become an industry model. Countless other shounen series give their protagonists a powerful opponent, someone they compare themselves to and fight to overcome.
The Shonen series popularized the “Rival” character type.
Jujutsu Kaisen brilliantly subverts this saying, instead emphasizing teamwork
Jujutsu Kaisen pushes back against previously established shounen trends by not following the standard rival formula. Protagonist,Yuji Itadori, lacks a real rival. Although he has many great friends and powerful mentors, such as Gojo Satoru and Nanami Kento, he has never faced a true opponent like many other shounen protagonists. did. The most obvious choice for Yuji’s opponent might have been Megumi Fushiguro, but Gege Akutami chose to go a different route and make Jujutsu Kaisen’s two protagonists close friends who fight alongside each other and challenge each other. Offer to support and help each other, instead of competitors.
Megumi and Yuji’s friendship has an uncertain beginning. Their first interaction occurred when Itadori and his friends accidentally attracted dangerous curses and Megumi came to their rescue. Finally, when they fought the deadly curses together and were nearly overwhelmed, Yuji chose to save Fushiguro and himself by swallowing the cursed object, Sukuna’s finger, causing the Demon King to begin using his body as a vessel. Just as Yuji protected his friend from death at that time, Megumi helped prevent Itadori’s execution and prolong his life, protecting him from certain death and strengthening their bond. Surname.
Megumi and Yuji have the closest relationship in Jujutsu Kaisen
Megumi was unsure about Itadori when the two first met, seeing him as just another nuisance that he had to help get out of the sticky situation he got into because of the curses. But after talking to the boy, he began to see him as an honorable person, worthy of being saved, which is why Fushiguro vouched for Yuji, preventing his execution. Similar, Yuji thanks Megumi for selflessly saving him and found him truly admirable and kind. They choose to form a deeper friendship, even though their personalities are very different. Itadori is more outgoing and straightforward, while Fushiguro is more quiet and restrained.
Itadori can be serious when needed and is a powerful fighter, but he also possesses a cheerful and humorous side that is frequently shown. In contrast, Megumi is quite reserved with her emotions and portrays a more stoic and cold personality. However, at heart he is a loving person and will do anything to protect those around him, even if his attitude is not as expressive as Yuji’s. Their opposing personalities work very well together and despite their obvious differences could make them rivals in another shouneninstead Akutami chose to write them as friends.
Yuji and Megumi have opposite personalities but they work together perfectly
The saying “opposites attract” perfectly sums up Yuji and Megumi’s friendship
Yuji and Megumi are two of the most talented witches in the series; Megumi possesses unparalleled techniques such as Ten Shadows and Dog God, while Yuji has the power of the most terrifying cursed soul within him. It would be pretty easy to envision them as competitors, which is why it’s really notable Akutami chooses to take their friendship in a completely different direction from the typical shounen genre. Throughout the series, the couple always leans on each other. They never gave up on each other, even when the curses that befell them were nearly impossible to defeat.
Even without an opponent, Yuji continues to grow in his identity and abilities throughout Jujutsu Kaisen. He doesn’t lack the growth that a typical “protagonist” would receive when competing against opponents, but he receives that growth through his internal drive to improve and become into the person he hopes to become. Instead of competing with Megumi or any other “rival”, Yuji competes with an older version of himself People who are too scared to fight for the people they love. This is one of the making aspects Jujutsu Kaisen very special; Yuji is his own rival, That motivates him to constantly strive to become stronger.