It's quite common for manga artists to draw inspiration from other creators in the industry, and Kohei Horikoshi, creator of My Hero Academia, has just expressed his admiration for another Shonen Jump series. Jujutsu Kaisen is one of the most beloved manga series of all time, and even Horikoshi calls himself a fan.
Horikoshi not only stated that he likes the series, but also said that from the beginning he was "convinced that this series would carry Shonen Jump on its shoulders." In recent years, Jujutsu Kaisen became more popular than ever, winning numerous awards and distinctions, and Horikoshi seems to have predicted this success before it even occurred.
Horikoshi has just expressed his admiration for Jujutsu Kaisen
He explained that a specific piece of artwork in Chapter 28 sparked his love for the series
A post on @Go_Jover's Account X narrates Horikoshi's praise of Jujutsu Kaisen, specifically, one illustration in particular that caught his eye. The art presented in chapter 28 is the My Hero Academy favorite of the creator, and it immediately made it clear to him that the shonen series had the potential to become something incredible. The image presents two main points Jujutsu Kaisen characters, Yuji Itadori, the protagonist, and Mahito, one of the main villains of the series. The two characters sit side by side on a green staircase, with a breathtaking backdrop of vibrant white jellyfish outlines behind them.
The drawing perfectly sums up Jujutsu Kaisen creator, Gege Akutami, bold and unforgettable artistic style and designs featured on his manga covers and panels. In particular, Horikoshi pointed out the "unparalleled ability to make 'stillness' look incredibly cool," Since the two characters appear seated in the image, the drawing still completely captures the viewer's attention. It's clear that Horikoshi greatly admires Akutami's talent in both illustration and story writing, as well as his ability to create a series that has become a cultural phenomenon. Little did Horikoshi know that his own series would achieve a similar level of success.
Akutami expressed his adoration for My Hero Academy also
These creators' love for each other's work is mutual
Both mangakas clearly respect each other a lot, because Akutami has made similar admiring comments about Horikoshi's series. Akutami praised My Hero Academia concluding, stating that, "Without My Hero Academy, Jujutsu Kaisen I wouldn't have started either." His love for the shonen superhero is unmistakable, and it's truly remarkable that aspects of Horikoshi's work motivated Akutami to create his own unique series. These two authors' mutual love for each other's work shows how often they inspire each other, and Horikoshi and Akutami have referenced other creators whose work they also love in the past.
My Hero Academy and Jujutsu Kaisen both manga officially ended this year and have released additional epilogues, although the anime series for both will continue for the foreseeable future. These two shonen giants enjoyed a large fan base and impressive prize pools during their seasons, and even invited new viewers into the world of anime and manga for the first time. Both manga artists have a lot to be proud of, and even though the series that made them famous has already ended, it will be absolutely exciting to see what these two talented creators are working on in their careers.
Source: @Go_Jover in X