The shonen anime and manga series Jujutsu Kaisen by Gege Akutami has become enormously popular since debuting in 2018. A major reason for its success is the depth and likability of the wide cast of characters, even minor ones who make limited appearances.
However, this strength has also become something of a weakness recently, as the extensive focus on side characters has overshadowed protagonist Yuji Itadori.
With the manga nearing its climax, Yuji has taken a backseat while other characters fight, causing some fans to feel he’s been neglected in later story arcs.
While the rich character ensemble is praised, there are concerns the protagonist who drove early storylines has faded too far into the background.
It remains to be seen if Yuji will step back into the spotlight as the manga heads toward its finale.
Yuji Itadori’s Shifting Role
In the early chapters of Jujutsu Kaisen, creator Gege Akutami clearly established Yuji Itadori as the central protagonist.
This focus on Yuji as the lead character continued through major story arcs like the Shibuya Incident.
However, doubts started to emerge about Yuji’s role during the Perfect Preparation arc. While he did not disappear entirely, Yuji noticeably took a backseat as the manga shifted more attention to other fan-favorite characters.
Though he received some page time, Yuji did not get the degree of focus one would expect from the protagonist.
This trend became even more pronounced in later arcs as Yuji watched fights unfold from the sidelines.
Despite his position as the initial lead character, he seemed relegated to a secondary role as the manga built to its climax.
While the rich cast is praised, some feel the creator marginalized the original protagonist too much in the late stages of the story.
Is Gege Akutami Mistreating Yuji?
The Culling Game arcs in Jujutsu Kaisen underscore Yuji Itadori’s diminished role as the purported protagonist. While he receives a comparable amount of page time to other characters in these arcs, Yuji is not portrayed as the definitive central figure.
Despite his position as the original lead, he feels more like just another member of the ensemble during the Culling Game rather than the primary focus.
The structure of these arcs does require a broader cast focus to some extent. However, as the overarching story reaches its pinnacle, some feel the lead protagonist should take center stage again.
Yuji’s marginalization is not absolute, but it is noticeable when compared to the earlier arcs where he was clearly positioned as the narrative backbone.
The expansive cast is a strength of Jujutsu Kaisen, but this richness came at the cost of the protagonist fading into the background during major late-series moments.
Moving forward, fans hope to see Yuji regain his narrative prominence as the manga heads toward a conclusion.
The Culling Game arcs highlighted another area where Yuji Itadori seemed relegated to a secondary role – the action itself.
His only major fight was the mental courtroom battle against Hiromi Higuruma, lacking the physical combat typically expected of the protagonist.
This marginalization continued after the Culling Game when Sukuna left Yuji’s body for Megumi Fushiguro’s. Controlling Sukuna was a defining aspect of Yuji’s role as the protagonist.
Losing this made Yuji feel almost demoted behind the new “Sukuna-fied” Megumi.
The current manga events further this trend, with Yuji sidelined as Satoru Gojo battles Sukuna.
While Gojo is the sensible choice to fight Sukuna first, Yuji sets out on what could be the series’ climactic confrontation when one would expect the protagonist to be central.
How Fans Have Reacted To This Mistreatment
The protagonist Yuji Itadori’s diminished role in the later portions of Jujutsu Kaisen has elicited divided reactions from fans.
When creator Gege Akutami remarked he was “not fond of” writing Yuji, some readers inferred this accounted for the protagonist’s reduced prominence.
There is speculation that Akutami struggles to handle a complex shonen lead like Yuji in contrast to more straightforward characters.
However, Akutami subsequently clarified he does not harbor an active dislike for Yuji, but simply finds the character challenging to depict effectively.
Other fans propose Akutami’s comment of not being “particularly fond of” Yuji may merely indicate the protagonist does not stand out to the author as exceptionally captivating compared to the varied cast.
But this does not necessitate intentional marginalization of the lead character.
While sympathizing with the difficulties of balancing focus across an expansive ensemble, many fans still hope to see Yuji regain narrative importance befitting the original protagonist as the manga approaches its conclusion.
They comprehend the narrative scope has grown, yet feel the foundational protagonist deserves greater focus during climactic events.
