10 Things Jujutsu Kaisen Does Better Than Most Other Shonen Anime

Shonen anime are the most sought after genre due to the fascination they exert. Full of action and epic battles, shonen anime never fail to captivate the hearts of fans around the world, especially young viewers who love action, the target audience they are aimed at. Jujutsu Kaisen has made its name among these shonen anime as one that stands out, offering a unique experience that few shonen series can compete with.

Gege Akutami's masterpiece quickly garnered a huge fan base through its masterful execution of the conventions of the shonen genre and its willingness to break free from them. Here are some things that Jujutsu Kaisen does better than most other shonen anime which makes them stand out.

10 Commitment to Psychological Complexity

Beneath its action-packed surface, Jujutsu Kaisen explores complex themes such as morality, existentialism and the consequences of one's choices, adding a layer of intellectual depth to the narrative, engaging viewers and prompting them to reflect on the complexities of living in such a world. . The antagonists' motivations are also simple but provocative.

Geto Suguru's intentions to rid the world of cursed spirits are good, but his approach, which involves killing all non-sorcerers or forcing them to evolve into one, is horrendous and wrong.

9 Fluid Animation and Visual Brightness

Studio MAPPA has blessed Jujutsu Kaisen with some of the best animation ever seen in the target audience of shonen anime, the only anime series that come close being Ufotable's Demon Slayer and Fate series.

With dynamic and captivating animation, the anime series brings the intense battles to life with amazing fluidity and detail, showing jujutsu sorcerers facing off against cursed spirits in visually stunning ways. The meticulously crafted fight scenes are a visual spectacle that arguably portray the fights better than the manga.

8 Real Theme of Discrimination

In the world of Kaisen Jujutsu, the Three Great Jujutsu Families hold the most prestige among the sorcerer families due to their innate talent for jujutsu and their techniques passed down. Those born into such families without cursed energy are mistreated by their kin, often being scorned and ridiculed, even those who possess cursed energy but are mediocre sorcerers are treated the same way.

Some examples are Toji Fushiguro and Maki Zen'in, who both turned their backs on the Zen'in clan due to the discrimination they faced.

7 Absence of cliché novels

Romance in shonen anime isn't bad; when used well, it can be an amazing plot device that can significantly resonate with viewers, but if done inappropriately or forcedly, it can affect character dynamics in the series and leave a bitter aftertaste. Just like One Piece by Eiichiro Oda, Jujutsu Kaisen by Gege Akutami prefers not to get involved in romance stories, just to be safe.

Some characters have complex relationships that cannot be defined, like Yuji, the protagonist, and Nobara, his female best friend.

6 Highest Bets

Shonen anime often feature high stakes for protagonists trying to save their loved ones or achieve their goals. However, the stakes for Jujutsu Kaisen protagonist Yuji Itadori are doubled because he's not just a target for villains. Being the vessel of the feared and revered Ryomen Sukuna means that even the higher ups in the Jujutsu Society want him dead.

Gojo Satoru's warning to the elders prevents them from acting on their thoughts. They even resort to devious tactics, such as asking the students of the Kyoto School of Jujutsu to get rid of him during the Goodwill Event.

5 Willingness to Kill Characters

Unlike most other shonen anime, Jujutsu Kaisen is not afraid of killing main and minor characters. Whether it was to conclude a story or provide character development, the show was quick to ax some characters despite being fan favorites. Many more friendly faces will be dropped when later chapters of the manga are animated.

Junpei Yoshino's death shocked everyone, mainly because the anime's opening theme showed him in the uniform of the Tokyo School of Jujutsu, leaving fans who only watched the anime thinking that he would play an important role in the story.

4 Incredible Female Cast

Jujutsu Kaisen treats its female characters well, unlike many other shonen anime that marginalize them. Many animes of this genre love to make fun of their female characters, subjecting them to gimmicks and a lot of disrespect.

Jujutsu Kaisen seeks to combat this by making its female characters aware of the injustices against girls in their world. These characters – Maki and Nobara, among others – play an essential role in the progression of the series. They are fully fleshed out characters that don't rely on male characters or sex appeal to be relevant.

3 Elements of Horror

Many shonen anime prefer to take a lighter approach, but Jujutsu Kaisen, like Bleach, has no problem mixing things up. With cursed spirits that look like cosmic monsters and cursed techniques that make onlookers shiver. Tension and fear are accurately portrayed whenever Mahito is on the scene, transfiguring people's souls and physical bodies into something unrecognizable.

The locations haunted by the cursed spirits are well designed to unsettle viewers, and combined with the dark audio they do an exceptional job.

2 Powerful and Intriguing Characters

Power dynamics are one of the most crucial things in anime, especially shonen, and as a result, there are many characters with immense strength. Due to their tremendous power and ability to end fights with ease, keeping these characters interesting for viewers is no easy feat. Gojo Satoru, the strongest character in Jujutsu Kaisen, has a strong personality to match his powers.

The complexities behind his limitless abilities are also intriguing and challenging, a testament to Gege Akutami's great character writing.

1 Intricate Power System

The power system in Jujutsu Kaisen is one of the most unique in all anime. He employs the generation and manipulation of cursed energy that flows from humans due to their negative emotions to perform cursed techniques.

These techniques have many variations, each with its limitations, from manipulating space to manipulating time. Cursed energy can even be incorporated into weapons in small amounts over a short period to strengthen them, or in medium amounts over long periods to transform them into cursed tools with specific abilities.