Gege Akutami has openly acknowledged the influences of both Bleach and Naruto on his work Jujutsu Kaisen, particularly in shaping characters and dynamics such as Gojo and the trio of Itadori, Megumi, and Nobara.
In a Q&A catalog distributed at the Jujutsu Kaisen Exhibition in Shibuya in July 2024, Akutami elaborated on how these series inspired his own. He explained that the relationship between Naruto Uzumaki and the Nine-Tailed Fox Kurama in Naruto served as a model for the connections between Itadori Yuji and Sukuna, as well as Yuta Okkotsu and Rika Orimoto in Jujutsu Kaisen.
Both sets of characters house a demon within them, drawing on the popular trope Naruto helped mainstream. However, Akutami diverged from the reconciliation seen between Naruto and Kurama. While Okkotsu reconciles with Rika by the end of JJK 0, Sukuna remains an antagonistic force whose ideals do not align with Itadori’s.
Bleach also significantly influenced Jujutsu Kaisen, particularly through Ichigo’s conscious decision to become a soul reaper (shinigami) after encountering Rukia. Akutami mirrored this theme when he had Itadori ingest Sukuna’s finger, making a deliberate choice amidst unexpected circumstances.
The exhibition’s Q&A also revealed that Akutami initially planned to make Megumi the protagonist of Jujutsu Kaisen. However, this idea was rejected, leading him to choose Itadori as the main character, despite concerns about potentially making the story bland.
Fushiguro’s character, originally intended as the protagonist, was well-defined early on. In the new draft, Akutami incorporated elements of Rukia’s role as a senior and competent professional into Megumi’s character. Akutami aimed for Fushiguro to have a different approach to justice than Ichigo, which is evident in Fushiguro’s contrasting ideals compared to Itadori’s, especially highlighted in the fearsome womb arc.
