In recent months, manga artist Gege Akutami has faced intense criticism from devoted fans of his popular series Jujutsu Kaisen.
While some have long taken issue with certain elements of the manga, recent discourse has largely focused on Akutami’s frequent killing off of characters, including both antagonists and fan favorites alike.
Many readers feel that the death toll in Jujutsu Kaisen has simply become too high in too short a time frame.
They argue that Akutami seems to be hastily dispatching characters without allowing their passings to resonate properly.
However, the core problem may not be the raw number of deaths itself, but rather the rushed pace at which Akutami pushes the plot forward.
Critics contend that major character deaths feel unimpactful because Akutami does not devote enough time for readers to fully process them or see the lasting effects on other characters.
Jujutsu Kaisen’s Evolving Pacing, Balancing Action with Emotional Depth
Jujutsu Kaisen has long been known for its breakneck pacing, quickly moving through setup and exposition to dive into high-stakes storylines. In the early chapters, fans praised this rush, eager to get to the meat of the narrative.
The first major arc that embraced a high body count was the renowned Shibuya Incident. Here, the deaths were impactful, giving space to resonate with characters and readers alike.
Protagonist Yuji Itadori was later shown processing his grief and actions, granting an emotional breather.
But as the series has continued, critics argue deaths have become more frequent and less meaningful. Major characters are killed off in quick succession without time to grieve. The brisk pace now feels more rushed than thrilling.
Fans value Jujutsu Kaisen for its ability to balance action with emotion. They wish the series would slow down if only briefly, to fully explore the toll of loss. Some quiet moments of reflection could make the next wave of high-octane drama even more hard-hitting.
A temporary slackening of speed could satisfy readers craving both top-notch fights and storytelling richness.
After the emotional gut-punch of the Shibuya Incident, Jujutsu Kaisen rushed headlong into the Culling Game arcs and the liberation of Satoru Gojo.
A one-month time-skip occurred, but it disappointingly happened off-screen, skipping a prime chance to show characters processing recent traumas.
Instead, the story immediately transitioned into Gojo’s climactic clash with Ryomen Sukuna, ending with Gojo’s devastating death.
Since then, other major characters like Hajime Kashimo, Kenjaku, Megumi Fushiguro, and Hiromi Higuruma have met similarly tragic fates in quick succession.
Many critics argue that Akutami missed a key opportunity to explore the narrative and emotional fallout of Megumi’s death during the off-screen time jump. Seeing Yuji and others grappling with this loss could have made it feel more impactful.
Instead, fans feel disconnected, not knowing how the characters handled this difficult time.
Gege Akutami Missing Opportunities for Emotional Depth
The rapid-fire deaths of fan favorites like Gojo and Higuruma exemplify how Akutami’s breakneck pacing undercuts emotional weight. Their passings were not given the narrative breathing room they deserved.
While some brief reactions and monologues acknowledged these losses, there were no dedicated moments focused solely on processing grief and growth. The constant forward momentum denied space for meaningful character development in response.
Some argue the long brisk pace makes introspection unfeasible this late in the story. But this very acceleration actively damages emotional resonance.
Though Akutami could still redeem upcoming deaths, it, unfortunately, feels too late for proper exploration of Gojo, Kashimo, and other slain favorites.
Their deaths symbolize a missed chance for nuanced looks at how loss shapes the living. Had Akutami slowed down to linger on grief, the eventual return to action could have felt even more striking.
Fans don’t expect drastic changes, just enough patience to appreciate what’s lost.
More About Jujutsu Kaisen
Yuji Itadori is a supernaturally strong high schooler in Sendai who is encouraged by his dying grandfather to always help people and die surrounded by loved ones.
When his friends unseal a cursed talisman, Yuji swallows it to protect a sorcerer named Megumi Fushiguro, becoming the vessel of an evil spirit called Ryomen Sukuna.
All sorcerers are duty-bound to exorcise Sukuna, but Megumi’s teacher Satoru Gojo sees Yuji retain bodily control and proposes training him to consume Sukuna’s 20 fingers and destroy the curse.
However, cursed spirits are plotting attacks on sorcerers, including Mahito and the resurrected dark sorcerer Suguru Geto, executed by Gojo a year prior.
Gojo partners Yuji with Megumi and Nobara Kugisaki, but Sukuna forcibly takes over during a mission until Yuji allows them both to die. Sukuna revives Yuji out of interest in Megumi. Gojo hides Yuji’s return to continue his training.
On a mission with senior sorcerer Kento Nanami, Yuji befriends Junpei Yoshino, who falls prey to Mahito, fueling Yuji’s vengeance.
