There’s a big difference between a fan’s recommendation for a Shōnen Jump manga and one offered by an industry insider like Jujutsu Kaisen‘s Gege Akutami. While fans might have a deeper knowledge and understanding of a series that an average reader lacks, an industry insider brings all that and the understanding of the craftsmanship that goes into creating quality content. Therefore, when Akutami highlights a manga that fans should be reading, there’s certainly a compelling reason for enthusiasts to take notice.
As revealed in a recent post to the Weekly Shōnen Jump News‘ X (formerly Twitter) account, Akutami named Yoshihiko Hayashhi’s series MamaYuyu as a story manga fans need to be reading and following sooner rather than later. Specifically, Akutami goes on to state that “MamaYuyu” is what he considers “having good taste” in manga content creation.
As Akutami explains, his interest in the manga is based on his respect and appreciation for its author. He goes on to state, “Hayashi sensei is a turning point for [Weekly Shōnen] Jump“. At its most basic level, Akutami is saying that MamaYuyu is not only the rare pivotal manga series in Weekly Shōnen Jump‘s history, but also that Hayashi himself is at the center of the revolution in manga that is or will change Jump forever. Needless to say, these are hefty words of praise for both Hayashi and MamaYuyu.
MamaYuyu Creatively Reimagines The Age-Old Battle Between Good and Evil
Debuting in September 2023, MamaYuyu is one of Weekly Shōnen Jump‘s newer titles. It tells the story of Corleo, the world’s current hero, and Mamama, the leader of the world’s demon hordes. Historically, humans and demons were mortal enemies. However, due to the sacrifice of the prior hero, demons and humans have learned how to wholesomely co-exist. The human-demon harmony is most obviously demonstrated through the friendly, albeit competitive, relationship between Corleo and Mamama.
The harmony enjoyed by humanity and demons is tested, however, when a hero from an alternate reality arrives. He works to upset the peaceful balance between heroes and demons – as well as the relationship between Corleo and Mamama. This sets off a chain of events where Corleo and Mamama are forced to confront who they are, what are their purposes is as leaders, and whether they can permanently break the age-old cycle of conflict between the two groups long enough to defeat the outside forces that threaten to eliminate or enslave them both.
Gege Akutami Can Certainly Relate To MamaYuyu’s Storytelling Style
While the narrative may appear typical for a Shōnen Jump manga, a closer examination of its chapters unveils that its genius resides in the intricate details, which include an intricate power system known as sigil sorcery, a wide range of interesting characters, and a layered plot involving the interplay of different realities and diverse factions within each reality that relies heavily on world-building.
Knowing Akutami’s proclivities for complex stories that tend to require a fan’s careful attention, it’s not hard to understand why he’d find MamaYuyu interesting and recommend it so enthusiastically. He went to the extent of including his own fan art of the character Minerva in his commendation post. Indeed, there are more than a few similarities between Jujutsu Kaisen and MamaYuyu – mainly in the style of storytelling that Akutami appreciates. But only time will tell if it becomes as successful for Shōnen Jump as his own series.
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Sources: @WSJ_manga
Jujutsu Kaisen
Jujutsu Kaisen is a supernatural action anime that follows high school student Yuuji Itadori as he battles against magical curses. After Yuji selflessly saves a classmate by taking a curse into his own body, he is discovered and trained by a powerful sorcerer named Satoru Gojo. Gojo, who also happens to be a faculty member at a high school, enrolls Yuji there to help him and other students prepare themselves against the supernatural forces that plague humanity.
