Yuji not being essential in Jujutsu Kaisen’s story is one of its biggest strengths
Jujutsu Kaisen's effect on the world still remains even after the series' conclusion. Concluding in September 2024, Gege Akutami's series grew and is still growing in terms of influence and reach. As such, a number of points about the series' storyline, characters, techniques, and events are yet being discussed in fandom across the globe.
Rightfully so, Jujutsu Kaisen was unique and presented things in a different way, which went against traditional Shonen tropes. One of the main aspects of the story was its evenly distributed focus, i.e., although there was a protagonist and he was given sufficient attention, the rest of the cast was also developed. As important as Yuji Itadori was, the plot wasn't entirely reliant on him.
Disclaimer: This article is speculative in nature.
Jujutsu Kaisen finds major strength in giving its cast near-equal recognition
Gege Akutami's series broke a couple of Shonen tropes that set it apart from other modern animanga pieces. One of them was not making Yuji the central focus of the story. It is important to note that this is in no way downplaying his character or doing away with what he stood for. Instead, it is a nod to the way the rest of the cast was also held responsible for plot progression and story development.
To begin with, the name Jujutsu Kaisen, when directly translated, means "Sorcery Fight." The word "Jujutsu" more accurately refers to Cursed Techniques, with "jujutsushiki" describing sorcerers' unique abilities. It also relates to the Japanese martial art form Ju-Jitsu. Akutami created "Kaisen" (Kai - rotate and Sen - battle) to showcase the endless cycle of curses and conflict.
In essence, the series' title reflects its dark themes, allowing it to stand out in the Shonen genre. So there in itself is a hint at a protagonist who is important enough but not the focal point. It isn't something akin to Naruto or One Piece, where the series focuses on a single individual's goal and their journey towards becoming Hokage or Pirate King.
Next, Akutami did well to flesh out the series' other characters. Alongside Yuji, his comrades Megumi Fushiguro, Nobara Kugisaki, Todo Aoi, Yuta Okkotsu, Maki Zenin, Panda, Toge Inumaki, and others felt a lot more organic than simply just supports whose main role was to make the protagonist look good. They each had their trials and tribulations, which was delved into to a certain extent.
Speaking of comrades, more popular than Yuji is likely Gojo Satoru and Ryomen Sukuna. Their battle, the "Battle of the Strongest," was Jujutsu Kaisen's most anticipated fight. More than possibly any other bout, the fandom and the world at large was eager to witness the two strongest entities clash. This is yet another point in support of Akutami expertly developing other aspects equally.
Again, this is also likely why Jujutsu Kaisen did not really use training montages or major timeskips. The author wanted Yuji's character to feel more organic, something that had been built from the ground up. That is exactly what happened—whatever ability or power Yuji received came with a cost. By the end, he was a starkly different person compared to start-of-series Yuji.
Final thoughts
Gege Akutami's approach to Jujutsu Kaisen was odd to begin with. At first, it wasn't even meant to feature Yuji as the MC, rather it was Yuta, and the series was set to be called Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical School. But due its immense popularity and overflowing demand for more, Akutami came up with Jujutsu Kaisen, and thus, Yuji Itadori came into the spotlight.
But even so, the mangaka never really intended to focus the series on the pink-haired teen. In other words, he was the main light of the series. As mentioned, the other moments and battles were more looked forward to, which further this point. Yuji is still a main character, but there are times when one might feel that he isn't overly special after all.
In his concluding remarks, Akutami vowed to afford the protagonist more screen time in his future works. Something like this is exactly why the series is still going strong even today; this was a different source of strength and it stuck well.
Related links:
- Yuji's story has nothing to do with why Jujutsu Kaisen needs a spinoff
- Gege devilishly teases Sukuna's true origin story in Jujutsu Kaisen's final chapter
- Jujutsu Kaisen timeline: The entire Shinjuku Showdown Arc, chronologically explained