Jujutsu Kaisen’s Original Ending For Yuji Would Have Been Much Darker

It is not uncommon for mangakas’ initial plans to change as they are writing their works, and this certainly happened to Jujutsu Kaisen‘screator, Gege Akutami. The fan-favorite main character of the series, Yuji Itadori, was going to have a drastically different fate before Akutami chose to go in a new direction.

In an interview with the creator, translated by X user and fan @sohkatsu_, Akutami revealed his plans for Yuji Itadori’s character were originally much darker and more violent. One of the most horrifyingly shocking moments in Jujutsu Kaisen occurred when the cursed spirit Sukuna, who was possessing Yuji’s body, tore his heart out of his chest during a battle with fellow curse user, Megumi Fushiguro.

In Akutami’s initial storyline, Yuji would not have survived this deadly attack and his life would have ended right at that moment. This admission is truly astonishing considering Itadori’s significance in the story and the protagonist role he still plays.

Akutami Planned For Yuji Itadori To Die Early On in Jujutsu Kaisen

He never originally intended on keeping Yuji alive this long

Even more surprisingly, Akutami admitted that he doesn’t particularly like the series’ main character. He describes Yuji Itadori as someone he “wouldn’t get along with or handle well,” a shocking admission considering how integral of a character he is. The creator wouldn’t have felt remorse or guilt for allowing him to die in this circumstance, since he doesn’t feel a personal connection to the young sorcerer, even though he’s a fan-favorite.

It’s true that Akutami has a hilarious track record for disliking his own characters, most famously for his most popular hero Gojo Satoru, whose death in the series he actually celebrated. This could also explain why it’s actually hard to describe Yuji as the “protagonist” of the series, considering that many other characters often take the spotlight, often including the villains.

The moment of Yuji’s “death” is quite astounding, both to viewers and the sorcerers in the series, because it happens so suddenly in the first few manga chapters. Still, if Akutami had left him deceased from the beginning, Jujutsu Kaisen’s plot would have headed in a drastically different and much more despairing direction without the hope Yuji provides.

Yuji’s Interaction With Sukuna Showcased His Strength Of Character

This encounter revealed Itadori’s dedication to fighting for good and protecting others

However, Itadori reasoned with the evil cursed spirit Sukuna in order to come back to life and rejoin his friends. Sukuna offered a deal in which, when he spoke a code word, he would be able to control Yuji’s body for a short while. Yuji did not agree to Sukuna’s terms and participated in a battle to the death instead, which he quickly lost, causing him to forget the entire interaction and, thankfully, be revived. A lot later in the series, this interaction would have tragic consequences, with Sukuna using Yuji to take over Megumi’s body.

Still, this crucial event not only hinted at Yuji’s resilience and indestructible moral code, but exhibited his bravery and dedication to fighting for what he believes in. He chose to take the world’s mightiest cursed spirit in battle rather than agree to a deal he felt could cause others to be harmed. However, Yuji’s naivete and excessive selflessness made him overlook an important detail in the deal with Sukuna: while specifying that the King of Curse could not hurt any of his friends while taking over his body, he forgot to include himself in the deal.

This doesn’t mean that Yuji is a “weak” character. Later in Jujutsu Kaisen, Sukuna incredulously describes him as “unbreakable,” recognizing that Itadori possesses a stronger will than anyone else in the series, which is what leads Sukuna to target Megumi instead. At the beginning of the series, Yuji’s grandfather passed away and left him with some parting words urging him to help others with his life, and he let this advice shape the trajectory of the rest of his life.

Sukuna Ripping Out Yuji’s Heart Was A Pivotal Moment In His Development

This moment cemented Itadori’s ironclad commitment to protecting others

Itadori has morphed from a character Akutami planned on quickly killing off to one of the most admired in the series, and one of the few still standing against Sukuna after Gojo’s untimely demise. Yuji has suffered through grave losses, including his beloved grandfather, Junpei, Nanami, Nobara, and even his mentor Gojo, but he continues pushing steadily towards his goal of making the world better and safer. His journey from an average everyday high schooler to a sorcerer with newfound powers was instantaneous, yet he has handled this transition more patiently and courageously than anyone else could have.

Yuji isn’t perfect and has many moments of physical and mental weakness. However, the series has been improved by Akutami’s decision not to kill him, as he has grown more than any other character in such a short time. No other sorcerer has the willpower and unshakable will to defeat Sukuna when circumstances seem hopeless. If anyone is capable of prevailing in Jujutsu Kaisen and saving the world from Sukuna’s wrath, it is undoubtedly going to be Yuji Itadori.

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