Outsiders might assume that creating a manga as successful as Jujutsu Kaisen ensures a good life – where challenges like cranky editors, know-it-all fans, and deadline pressures seem worth it given the notoriety, accolades, and financial rewards. However, as Jujutsu Kaisen creator Gege Akutami As he himself acknowledged, the reality of producing the series is much more complex and demanding than it might seem.
In truth, he encountered several debilitating challenges which significantly impacted their mental health, personal life and professional well-being. It is important to remember that this is the mangaka who always appeared in interviews wearing a mask and uses a pseudonym that roughly translates as “trash” and “inferior”. Despite these difficulties, however, he remains evidently dedicated to the art of manga creation.
Akutami surprises fans with unexpected farewell to Jujutsu Kaisen
The final volume contains a new epilogue and an afterword
Not particularly known for interacting with fans, Gege Akutami jumped at the opportunity share personal reflections on Jujutsu Kaisenthe release of the final bound volume – featuring an all-new epilogue chapter. In the afterword, he discusses his experience creating the manga seriesguiding you through the serialization and adaptation of the anime to its completion. Although the volume of Akutami's commentary is currently available only in Japan, the renowned Jujutsu Kaisen Myamura fan recently uploaded a translated version of the afterword to his @Go-Jover account in X.
The new epilogue was an unexpected gift for fans who believed the series finale, chapter 27, marked the end of all new content. To the surprise of Jujutsu Kaisen fandom, news broke in early December 2024 that Volume 30, the final part of the serialized publication - commonly referred to as the tankōbonn edition - would include an all-new, updated epilogue aimed at wrapping up the story properly. While this announcement infused renewed enthusiasm into the fanbase, no one anticipated that it would also feature Akutami's personal reflections on the series, given its history of limited fan engagement.
Akutami proves a well-known fact – being a mangaka is not easy
Akutami begins by reflecting on what it was like creating a story that he initially had no idea would “explode” as quickly and widely as it did, and then working to sustain that momentum for over six years. Judging by your comments, it was not an easy task. According to the post @Go_Jover, Akutami described the weekly routine of producing new Jujutsu Kaisen chapters as being “upset”.
This phrase highlights the intense and relentless nature of the work, which likely took a significant mental and physical toll on him. This description is in line with common accounts of a mangaka's demanding lifestyle, but in Akutami's case – given the series' immense popularity – the pressures may have been even more strenuous.
One aspect that Akutami emphasizes is the stress of his weekly workload. On the one hand, this pressure pushed him to push creative boundaries, likely contributing to the series' unique yet compelling style of storytelling. In fact, Gege admits to writing “on instinct” for years, which suggests another reason why the series occasionally deviates from the norm. Shōnen Jump weekly manga format.
On the other hand, the intensity of your work began to negatively impact your mental focus. As Akutami himself described it, he was “distracted.” This occasionally led him to make small mistakes and, at other times, becoming frustrated with others – likely editors – who felt the need to correct him or offer suggestions that he believed he was perfectly capable of figuring out independently.
Still, he is grateful that there were people on the team, editors and assistants, who were responsible, patient and supportive. Certainly, without them Akutami admits that the chaos of forgetting his own actions wouldn't have ended well for the series. How the One piece character Gecko Moria, states Akutami, he has come to trust them to do the right thing.
Akutami admits Fandom's ability to affect and influence content creators
Akutami reserves his most captivating and thought-provoking observations for discussions about the Jujutsu Kaisen fan community. In fact, despite its immense popularity, Jujutsu Kaisen'The fandom has always stood apart from those of other major manga like Dragon Ball, narutoor One piece. During the series' publication, fans notably criticized Gege Akutami's creative choices, such as his inscrutable subplot points or his decisions to kill off beloved characters like Kento Nanami.
Although fan criticism is a common aspect of the manga industry, Akutami revealed in his afterword that this criticism affected him on a more personal level. In fact, Akutami wrote about how this “pressure” forced him to doubt his own convictions and to “silence” his creative impulses to do something extraordinary – a hallmark of Jujutsu Kaisen tell stories. He goes on to confess how he initially felt it necessary to prioritize being a “good person” over being a “good author.”
This mentality led him to focus on pleasing fans rather than staying true to your own vision of the story and character development. While he doesn't provide specific details, some likely examples include Nobara and Megumi returning after months of absence and not factors into the story. There is also perhaps the most bizarre return of a character, namely Gojo's return through Yuta's use of Rika's ability to clone Kenjaku's innate technique and then swap bodies with Gojo's corpse. In fact, if there was ever a complicated way to bring back a character - this was it.
Akutami, however, highlights a significant benefit of his hard work in Jujutsu Kaisen: accepting your own limitations. He jokingly admits to being "an idiot." Of course, it's unlikely that Akutami genuinely believes this statement - reflecting his well-known self-deprecating personality. But beneath the humor, Akutami reveals a valuable lesson learned – recognizing that he didn't know as much about being a mangaka as he initially thought.
This newfound humility speaks to the “education” he has received over the years, recognizing areas for improvement and growth. Perhaps most important is the creation process Jujutsu Kaisen it didn't convince him to give up making manga, but rather encouraged him to continue his creative journey.
Sources: Go_Jover