10 Reasons Jujutsu Kaisen is the Biggest Shonen Anime in Years

May 15, 2024, 5 p.m.

Movies

10 Reasons Jujutsu Kaisen is the Biggest Shonen Anime in Years

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Summary Jujutsu Kaisen's Gojo is a standout hero with depth and relatability.

Yuji Itadori shines as a resilient protagonist defined by willpower, not sheer strength.

Catchy music, stunning animation, and complex moral themes all blend in Jujutsu Kaisen.

Jujutsu Kaisen has earned itself the title of best modern-day shonen series quite quickly, skyrocketing past all the competition. The masterpiece that was written by Gege Akutami has been topping the charts for years, including receiving the prestigious Crunchyroll Anime of the Year Award for 2023. Furthermore, a Jujutsu Kaisen related Bleacher Report advertisement was created for the 2024 Superbowl.

Awards and advertisements are not the only achievements Jujutsu Kaisen has earned, the franchise has also received amazing merchandise and product collaborations with popular and established brands like Dolce&Gabbana, Uniqlo, and Fortnite. The series is unlike any other, with a unique premise, compelling and unforgettable characters, complex moral quandaries to be pondered, stellar animation, and a breathtaking musical score.

The anime has reached such dramatic levels of success and such a passionate and dedicated fanbase that some viewers have suggested it will become a true, timeless classic that will shape the future of anime, like Naruto, Dragonball Z, and Bleach have.

10 Gojo Is Shonen's Most Iconic Hero

Although he's not the main protagonist, Gojo often steals the show in Jujutsu Kaisen

Jujutsu Kaisen's strongest sorcerer, Satoru Gojo has captured the attention and hearts of viewers since his introduction. He is renowned for his lightning fast speed, sheer strength, and the whopping number of curses he has killed during his time as a jujutsu sorcerer. Anytime Gojo is faced with a threat, he seems to always come out on top.

His character design is also impeccable and has become a cultural icon with his recognizable snow-white spiked hair and black blindfold. However, his character goes far deeper than just an attractive, strong, and hulking hero who beats up bad guys. Gojo is relatable and amazingly sympathetic, with a complex and heartbreaking backstory. More than just a powerhouse, Gojo has endured tragedy, such as experiencing his previous best friend, Geto, turning to evil and destroying their bond.

He is far from an emotionless hero, he is incredibly caring and dedicated, which makes him more relatable than someone flawless. His care for the younger generations of heroes he teaches and his compassion for the innocent are truly heartwarming. These aspects just scrape the surface of reasons fans love Gojo Satoru so deeply, and it is undeniable that he stands out from any other previous anime hero.

9 Yuji Itadori Is A Remarkably Resilient And "Unbreakable" Protagonist

Yuji's average origins, intense drive, and unshakable motivation make him a hero

Yuji Itadori's journey began as an average high school student. Different from many other shonen protagonists, he was not born with the gift of any special, useful powers or skills. Although he consumed Sukuna's fingers and can now harness his powers, Yuji himself does not possess any remarkable strengths. However, what makes him a real hero lies not in his physical abilities, but his mental fortitude.

Even in the midst of some of the series' most intense battles, as his closest friends and mentors dropped around him like flies, Yuji never even considered giving up. His will to keep going is immovable and Sukuna called him "unbreakable" as he noticed this trait of Yuji's. He was shocked and disgusted by the boy's resilience in the face of curses that could kill him in an instant. Yuji's hard work, dedication, and endurance make him a one-of-a-kind anime hero, not defined by brute force, but by something arguably greater: willpower.

8 Catchy Musical Scores Entertain And Stick In Viewers' Heads

Jujutsu Kaisen's anime openings and endings perfectly set the mood of the show

The music in Jujutsu Kaisen is top-notch. From the poppy, colorful, and dazzlingly fun season one ending "LOST IN PARADISE," to the somber, melancholy, and action-packed "SPECIALZ" montage featuring season two's heroes and villains, there are a variety of amazing anime openings and closings, sure to delight any fan of the series. Furthermore, the music featured in the anime episodes themselves adds to the atmosphere and compliments the interactions of the characters.

For example, the intense, moving, musical scores that are featured in the background of jaw-dropping fights like Toji vs. Gojo and Yuji vs. Mahito enhance these intense and already stunning moments, by drawing fans into the action even further. Music can certainly spark and amplify emotion and make already stunning moments even more entertaining, and this fact is clearly apparent in the emotional power and catchiness Jujutsu Kaisen's music has. "Akari," the ending theme from season two, even received an award from an anime festival, further proof of fans' delight with the music.

Related 10 Best Episodes of the Jujutsu Kaisen Anime (So Far) Both seasons of the Jujutsu Kaisen anime and its cast have had dozens of incredible moments, but only ten episodes can be considered the best.

7 Fluid, Visually Stunning Fight Scenes Are Animated Flawlessly

Jujutsu Kaisen's animation is top quality, colorful, and seems to move effortlessly

Jujutsu Kaisen has been widely praised for its animation, and for good reason. MAPPA brought Gege Akutami's astounding manga to life on the screen. It is not always easy to adapt paper drawings into a moving medium, but this series has accomplished the task better than anyone ever dreamed. The nearly flawless animation is depicted best in the countless fights. It is miraculous to see how MAPPA's talented animators handled these complicated and fast-moving scenes with many different characters engaged in the battles.

The work that MAPPA has done on Jujutsu Kaisen has been unfortunately marred by the controversies that emerged regarding the poor work conditions of their staff.

Some of the most visually remarkable scenes, such as Choso and Yuji's first battle, are true works of art. In that particular scene, the fluidity of the character's movements as they strike at one another is noteworthy and an excellent example for any aspiring animator. Beloved manga scenes, such as Gojo rising up in front of a golden sky and proclaiming his famous quote, "Throughout Heaven and Earth, I alone am the honored one." when in battle with Toji, are made more majestic by the gorgeous animation talent.

6 Jujutsu Kaisen Offers A Unique Take On Complex Issues Like Good Vs. Evil

Amidst all the action and fighting, the series delves into important moral conundrums too

One of the most interesting themes explored in depth in Jujutsu Kaisen is good vs. evil. This is the very foundation of the series, which follows heroic Jujutsu sorcerers who devote their lives to eradicating the curses that wreak havoc on humanity. However, not everyone agrees on the best way to rid the world of evil, and two of the main characters, Gojo and Geto, possess clashing ideals on this topic.

Geto felt killing all non-sorcerers would prevent the birth of new curses. Surprisingly, Geto felt he was doing something good, while Gojo, and the series' viewers, clearly saw he was doing something bad. This is just one instance of how characters in Jujutsu Kaisen's ideals of good vs. evil oppose one another, creating an intriguing conflict to watch unfold. Both Gojo and Geto felt they were doing what was best for humanity. However, in Geto's pursuit of wiping out evil, he ironically became the very thing he hoped to rid the world of, while Gojo became a godlike and noble hero by pursuing nearly the exact same goal very differently.

5 Heroes And Villains Often Surprise Viewers By Suddenly Switching Sides

When watching Jujutsu Kaisen, judging a character by initial impressions would be a mistake

Jujutsu Kaisen takes a unique approach by making its heroes flawed and giving many of its villains admirable traits and understandable motives, even if their actions are reprehensible. Its characters always fall into neat categories, and characters who were previously believed to be good, like Geto, sometimes shift to the bad side, while villains, like Choso, turn to good.

Choso is an excellent example of a character who is not what he initially seems. Reeling from the heartbreaking deaths of his beloved brothers, Choso was bent on killing Yuji, who was responsible for their deaths. However, once Choso realized Yuji was also one of his brothers, he felt crushing guilt for harming his family member. He went on to turn away from evil and protect Yuji in battle, carefully teaching him everything he knew and showing love for his brother, even willing to forgive the fact that Yuji killed two of his brothers in the past.

Since Jujutsu Kaisen's characters are so ever-changing, nuanced, and often shift sides suddenly from good to evil and vice versa, this keeps the series fresh and exciting and certainly keeps viewers on their toes, learning to never judge a book by its cover.

Related Jujutsu Kaisen Creator Confirms the Manga Will End in 2024 Gege Akutami has confirmed during the latest Jump Festa that Jujutsu Kaisen will most likely end in 2024.

4 A Perfect And Balanced Blend Of Emotional Impact And Humor Keeps Fans Etertainied

These two traits balance each other out flawlessly, creating a series as tear-jerking as it is laughter-inducing

Jujutsu Kaisen has viewers crying from laughter in one moment and shedding tears of sorrow in the next. Some of the series' best jokes and quips come from characters like Yuji and Gojo, who always know how to crack a hilarious joke right after engaging in a terrifying battle, or sometimes even during one. The show does a phenomenal job balancing serious and funny moments, realizing that too much of either aspect can make or break a series.

The deaths in the series are infamous for hitting hard and upsetting viewers beyond belief, and the manga has definitely been shying away from humor lately. This makes sense as the events of the series get more serious and the consequences grow more devastating. But overall, throughout the history of the anime and manga, the blend of funny and serious moments has been well-balanced and fits the atmosphere of the show perfectly.

The Jujutsu Kaisen manga is currently in what could be its final arc.

It is an action and dark fantasy anime at its core, but the little bits of laughter thrown in certainly keep things fun and endear viewers to the characters even more, offering a refreshing twist on dark fantasy series that are devastating without a break.

3 The Series Contains Astounding Action That Fans Have Grown To Expect From A Proper Shonen

Some of the best Jujutsu Kaisen scenes include astonishing battles between heroes and villains

Compelling and action-packed battles are one of the most important and necessary qualities of any noteworthy shonen series. Jujutsu Kaisen definitely delivers a multitude of spectacular fights and powerful characters. Each jujutsu sorcerer and cursed villain possesses a technique that is unique to them, everything from shooting spears of blood to summoning overpowered shikigami to the battlefield.

Not only are the fights visually astounding to watch unfold and phenomenally animated, seeing the characters' individual and distinctive battle styles and skills come into play and clash with each other is remarkable. One factor that sets Jujutsu Kaisen apart from any other shonen is the use of cursed techniques and cursed energy, one of the most complex power systems. This interesting facet of the series keeps fights fresh, exciting, and absolutely astounding to watch.

2 Complicated And Realistic Relationships Keep Jujutsu Kaisen Relatable And Emotionally Impactful

The series is filled with remarkable relationships

The wide range of relationships in Jujutsu Kaisen reflects the variety of relationships in real life. The series does not focus very heavily on romantic relationships, but it delves deeply into friendships, like Yuji, Megumi, and Nobara, and mentor/mentee relationships, such as Yuji and Gojo or Yuji and Nanami, beautifully showcasing these dynamics. The show even pictures characters who become enemies after years of best friendship, like Gojo and Geto, and characters who grow to understand and care for one another, morphing from enemies to friends, like Choso and Yuji.

The relationships in Jujutsu Kaisen don't feel contrived for the plot or just thrown into the series as afterthoughts apart from the action, they seem realistic, human, and relatable. From Nanami's touching speech to Yuji before his brave, sacrificial death at the hands of Mahito to Yuji's genuine and close friendship with Junpei and heartfelt mourning after his death, these relationships humanize the characters and give the franchise a profound emotional depth and resonance with the audience that other series lack.

Related 10 Best Jujutsu Kaisen Character Designs These top ten character designs in Jujutsu Kaisen are truly remarkable visually and perfectly represent the characters' complex personalities.

1 The Series Proves Teamwork Is Important, But Individual Effort And Growth Are Just As Crucial

Yuji accomplishes a great number of victories thanks to teamwork, but also has to learn to fight on his own

Yuji began his time at Jujutsu High relying on the efforts of others who were more experienced during fights, from friends like Todo and Megumi to mentors like Nanami and Gojo. The series certainly expresses the importance of teamwork and how trusting and relying on others is mutually beneficial and a crucial aspect of not just battles with enemies, but life itself. However, Yuji has suffered many horrific losses and is reaching a point in his journey where he will have to forge his own path and hopefully achieve victory over Sukuna on his own.

The series does an incredible job of balancing these two necessary themes: teamwork and individual hard work. Yuji would not have grown into the hero he is today without training from mentors and working together with friends, but it is also crucial that he never relies completely on others and learns to boldly take down enemies with his own abilities and everything he has learned from those who taught him. This is a common shonen theme, the idea of "carrying on the torch" from beloved mentors, and Yuji's story showcases this concept beautifully, making Jujutsu Kaisen worthy of being called a shonen classic.