Gege Akutami, author of the famous Jujutsu Kaisen series, also admires a number of other manga authors, especially Tite Kubo – author of Bleach. Akutami remembers when he was a child, he secretly ventured into his brother’s room to study the pages of Bleach. Kubo’s influence can be clearly seen in Akutami’s works, highlighting the deep connection between the two mangakas.
But not only Kubo, Togashi – the creator of Hunter x Hunter also inspired Akutami to create Jujutsu Kaisen. This is shown more clearly in the second season, the Shibuya Incident arc.
Gege Akutami’s relationship with the works of Yoshihiro Togashi, especially YuYu Hakusho and Hunter X Hunter, is that of a passionate fan. This admiration is not limited to the characters, as Akutami is also actively collaborating with Studio MAPPA to adapt the Jujutsu Kaisen anime, or finding ways to incorporate elements where possible to pay homage to Hunter X Hunter.
For example, the Shibuya Incident arc gave Akutami the opportunity to express this admiration, creating similarities between the characters and even sharing the same voice actors. Then the use of narrative techniques like in Hunter The introduction of narrative techniques into the anime Jujutsu Kaisen marked a period of experimentation and innovation in the anime, bringing new dimensions to the series.
Additionally, the similarities between the two series’ basic elements, such as cursed energy and nen, are testament to the deep respect and admiration Akutami has for Togashi’s work.
Furthermore, Gon and Itadori’s special moves, as well as their cheerful and dark personalities when facing enemies like Pitou and Mahito after losing their friends are also clear signs of Jujutsu Kaisen is inspired by Hunter X Hunter.
Responding to Gege Akutami’s sentiments, Yoshihiro Togashi also expressed his appreciation for Jujutsu Kaisen. The mutual respect between these two famous manga authors makes the two works even more profound and interesting. As the Shibuya Incident arc reaches its climax, it’s clear that Hunter X Hunter’s influence not only honors the original series but also elevates Jujutsu Kaisen to new heights.
When we look at Gege Akutami’s creative journey, we see how it intertwines with the works that influenced him.
This phenomenon doesn’t just happen to Akutami. Many other mangakas such as Yuki Tabata – author of Black Clover are also similarly inspired by icons of this genre, such as Akira Toriyama – author of Dragon Ball.
Obviously, passing on the creative fire from previous generations to the next generation is a common practice in manga culture.