Attack on Titan Fans Critique Gege Akutami for Jujutsu Kaisen Manga’s “Circular” Ending

Jujutsu Kaisen has reached its conclusion after 270 engaging chapters, showcasing a wide array of characters crafted by the imaginative Gege Akutami. Defeating formidable foes like Kenjaku and Ryomen Sukuna was a monumental challenge, but Team Jujutsu High emerged victorious, sparing the world from an impending disaster.

Despite the triumphant ending, Jujutsu Kaisen has faced backlash from fans of Attack on Titan. In light of the chapter 271 spoilers, these fans have taken shots at Akutami, accusing him of mimicking Hajime Isayama’s concept for a circular ending—one where events come full circle by the final chapter.

Attack on Titan Fans Critique Gege Akutami for Jujutsu Kaisen‘s “Circular”Conclusion

The ending of Jujutsu Kaisen concluded rather abruptly. Gege Akutami had previously announced that the manga would wrap up in five chapters around the release of chapter 264, which caught many off guard given the multitude of unanswered questions and unresolved plot points. Fans were particularly interested in seeing how the author would provide closure in such a limited framework.

True to the announcement, the manga has indeed concluded, creating a sense of closure—both Kenjaku and Sukuna have been defeated, with Sukuna’s final finger placed in a box at the same location where it all began. This time, however, it is not Megumi Fushiguro on his own; rather, it is a trio consisting of Megumi, Yuji Itadori, and Nobara Kugisaki, effectively completing the narrative circle.

This is when fans of Attack on Titan began to weigh in, accusing Akutami of trying to replicate Isayama’s approach. The finale of Attack on Titan was unexpected as well, featuring Eren’s demise and Mikasa freeing Ymir, resulting in the disintegration of every Titan body, and the restoration of many to their human forms. This created a reset to the world before the Titans—albeit with significant devastation, losing nearly 80% of it in the process.

Fan Reactions to Akutami’s “Circular”Ending in Jujutsu Kaisen

Fans of Attack on Titan quickly began to draw comparisons and criticize Akutami following the release of the final chapter’s spoilers. Social media was abuzz with opinions highlighting the similarities of the narratives and calling out Akutami for his seemingly derivative conclusion.

“Jujutsu Kaisen fans really thought gege could come close to isayama,”a user commented.

Many supporters of Isayama regarded him as one of the greatest storytellers. Consequently, the notion of Akutami’s “circular ending” led to skepticism, questioning whether Akutami’s storytelling approach could reach the same heights. While this may hold water, it is undeniable that Akutami crafted a work that will resonate with audiences for a long time.

“AOT ending far superior to this and I hate AOT ending but at least that ending was well written,”a fan wrote.

Moreover, some fans felt that the conclusion of Attack on Titan was more effective than that of Jujutsu Kaisen. It’s clear that a significant portion of both fanbases expressed dissatisfaction with their respective series finales. This reflects the subjective nature of storytelling, where individual opinions will undoubtedly vary.

“honestly it would make sm sense for jjk to be a circular storytelling but the execution in the end felt extremely rushed imo,”an X user wrote.

Some fans agreed with Akutami’s decision to conclude the storyline in a full circle. They noted that returning Sukuna’s final finger to its original location was logical, as it prevents the Demon King from reincarnating, leaving the finger as a mere attractor for Curses. However, many echoed the sentiment that the resolution felt hurried, especially given the abrupt announcement to conclude the series.

“Nah. This is the opposite of circular. This shows how good things are to have a sukuna finger out in the open and unsealed. Sure there are going to be new issues but they’ll be easily handled,”a fan opined.

Interestingly, one fan suggested that the ending was the opposite of a circular narrative. Instead, it reinforced the idea that having Sukuna’s final finger back in a safe location was beneficial, given the growth of characters like Yuji and the other sorcerers, who are now well-equipped to deal with any new challenges that might arise.

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