One of the most influential and acclaimed shonen manga series in history, Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece is a monumental cultural juggernaut that continues to break all records of popularity. Even after 28 years in Shonen Jump, One Piece doesn’t seem anywhere close to running out of steam, to the point that most fans expect it to dominate every manga best-sellers ranking.
Yet, Oricon’s 2024 Yearly Comic Sales Ranking, which listed 50 best-selling titles of 2024 in Japan, saw a surprising new-gen manga dethrone One Piece at the #1 spot — Gege Akutami’s Jujutsu Kaisen. While quite shocking, Jujutsu Kaisen’s reign in 2024 is not completely unexplainable. 2024 was the year Jujutsu Kaisen ended its 6-year run in Shonen Jump, and the hype surrounding its final arc was palpable throughout the anime and manga communities. Jujutsu Kaisen has proven itself as one of the defining manga series of the 2020s — yet, astounding sales are not the only reason why it should be a must-read.
10 Jujutsu Kaisen’s Dark Fantasy Narrative Is Gripping & Intense
Jujutsu Kaisen Trailblazed the New-Gen Wave of Dark Shonen Manga
Jujutsu Kaisen is a gritty urban fantasy where sorcerers relentlessly put their lives on the line to combat Cursed Spirits, while humanity at large remains blissfully unaware of the monstrous forms their negative emotions take on. The dangerous world of sorcery opens up to the series’ hero, Yuji Itadori, when he accidentally becomes a vessel for history’s strongest Curse, Sukuna, thus starting his new life as a student at Jujutsu High.
While the premise of Jujutsu Kaisen is not particularly original by shonen manga standards, the series adds palpable stakes to its dark fantasy story, uncommon to more conventional battle shonen manga. As the most popular series in the new-gen «Dark Trio» lineup, Jujutsu Kaisen crafts a narrative where every threat comes with a tangible sense of danger and no character is ever safe from meeting a horrific fate.
9 Jujutsu Kaisen’s Fights Are Exemplary Feats of Spectacle, Choreography & Emotion
Jujutsu Kaisen Keeps Fans Glued to the Edges of Their Seats During Every Battle
While taking a darker turn with its plot, Jujutsu Kaisen remains a battle shonen manga with an affinity for spectacular fights. The anime adaptation of JJK might be known for its top-notch visuals and unbelievable animation feats — yet the battles in the manga are just as engrossing.
Combining Akutami’s splendid paneling and masterful understanding of fight choreography with breakneck pace, emotional potency, and high stakes of the plot, every confrontation in Jujutsu Kaisen is a riveting showcase of skill, awe-inspiring thrill, and ambitious strategic planning that flows with unparalleled splendor. And the pinnacle of Jujutsu Kaisen as a battle shonen series is yet to come to screens — the upcoming acts are chock-full of iconic showdowns, from the many exhilarating fights of the tournament-like Culling Game Arc to the unrivaled final clash against Sukuna.
8 Inventive & Thorough Power System Makes Jujutsu Kaisen a Top-Tier Battle Shonen Manga
The Abilities in Jujutsu Kaisen Are Outstandingly Inventive
A well-thought-out power system is the foundation of any good battle shonen manga series, and Jujutsu Kaisen excels at balancing out the excitement and complexity of its magical mechanics. The primary source of power for both Curses and sorcerers is Cursed Energy — the spiritual manifestation of negative emotions that can be used in a variety of unique ways in battle.
The implementations and rules of Cursed Energy are thoroughly established, giving a sense of grounded realism to JJK’s power system. However, the meticulousness hardly takes away from the creativity of each character’s abilities. From the pachinko-themed gambling madness of Hakari’s Private Pure Love Train technique to the overwhelming strength of Gojo’s Limitless, each power in Jujutsu Kaisen is fascinating and nuanced, resulting in spectacular strategic showdowns.
7 The Manga Is the Only Way to Experience Jujutsu Kaisen’s Story in Its Entirety
Fans of the Jujutsu Kaisen Anime Still Benefit From Reading the Source Material
While the Jujutsu Kaisen manga is immensely well-known in its own right, there’s no denying that the series’ popularity truly skyrocketed only after the release of its anime adaptation. Produced by Studio MAPPA, Jujutsu Kaisen is an exceptional anime that strives to elevate its source material. This becomes especially apparent in Season 2, which takes the already impressive series to a whole new level of spectacle.
However, the anime has barely covered only half of the manga’s content, and, with how sparse news about the Culling Game adaptation has been, there’s no telling when fans will get to see more of Jujutsu Kaisen on screens. To learn how the tragedy of the Shibuya Incident leads to the next major turning point for the series’ heroes — and avoid spoiling the series’ biggest twists — anime fans have to turn to Akutami’s original manga, which stands completed at 271 chapters.
6 Jujutsu Kaisen Features Some of New-Gen Shonen Manga’s Most Memorable Characters
The Cast of Jujutsu Kaisen Is Universally Beloved
Even those who know close to nothing about anime and manga would likely recognize many of Jujutsu Kaisen’s characters, and their popularity is far from unfounded. The cast of Jujutsu Kaisen is filled to the brim with vibrant and memorable characters who possess both likable personalities and intricate depth.
Most evidently, the popularity of Satoru Gojo, the modern era’s strongest sorcerer, has long since breached the containment of JJK’s fanbase as he swiftly became one of the most recognizable anime characters of all time. As the manga’s scope expands, even more incredible heroes and villains join the series’ cast, many of whom, like Kinji Hakari and Hiromi Higuruma, are still unfamiliar to anime-only fans. Yet, each of them gets a chance to shine in the spotlight and leave a notable impact on the narrative.
5 Gege Akutami’s Dynamic Art Style Elevates the JJK Manga
Jujutsu Kaisen Features Incredible Art That Matches the Story’s Energy
The anime adaptation of Jujutsu Kaisen is relentlessly praised for its state-of-the-art visuals. However, the manga’s illustrations are just as splendid in their own right, Akutami’s style being a perfect match for the series’ kinetic narrative. Jujutsu Kaisen adopts a high-octane, sketch-like art style, which works in tandem with Akutami’s excellent sense of movement and panel design.
The merits of this visual style become particularly apparent in Jujutsu Kaisen’s many action scenes, with the thick, disconnected lines adding gravity and impact to every landed attack. By sacrificing details and refinement, Jujutsu Kaisen upscales its visual flow, making every fight gripping and easy to follow. The same applies to the series’ many emotional scenes, which brim with raw feelings masterfully conveyed through dynamic character expressions.
4 The Plot Twists of Jujutsu Kaisen Are Unparalleled
Jujutsu Kaisen Revels in Surprising the Readers
With how gruesome and unpredictable the world of Jujutsu Kaisen is, the lives of its heroes tend to be short and full of sudden tragedies. JJK‘s narrative infamously doesn’t shy away from shocking the audience — be it by killing off beloved characters, turning the tables on the heroes, or erratically breaking shonen manga conventions. Such an affinity for plot twists and sudden character deaths can be controversial at times.
However, many readers appreciate Jujutsu Kaisen specifically for its bold narrative choices and constant plot twists. The unpredictability of Jujutsu Kaisen’s plot keeps the readers consistently engaged, and the series’ willingness to part with its characters leads to many stellar emotional moments. While the Shibuya Incident’s death count and unexpectedly grim resolution have already left anime fans speechless, they’re in for even more surprising developments in the manga.
3 Manga Readers Get to Make Up Their Own Opinion on Jujutsu Kaisen’s Controversial Finale
Jujutsu Kaisen’s Ending Caused a Stir Among the Fans
2024 marks the end of Jujutsu Kaisen’s 6-year run in Shonen Jump, the series concluding on the Shinjuku Showdown Arc after its grandest and most spectacular battle. However, the long-awaited finale was met with an infamously polarizing reception, as is not uncommon for a manga series surrounded by sky-high expectations.
The criticism aimed at JJK’s ending is not unfounded — many saw the finale as rushed and anticlimactic, expressing their frustration with the final chapters’ odd divergence from the series’ dark tone. New fans might be expectedly reluctant to start the manga, knowing how poorly received its conclusion was. Nevertheless, readers shouldn’t miss the opportunity to judge Jujutsu Kaisen’s final arc for themselves, especially now that the initial wave of hate has subsided.
2 Jujutsu Kaisen Is Likely to Only Rise in Popularity
The Jujutsu Kaisen Manga Might’ve Ended — Yet the Series Is Unlikely to Disappear From the Radars
While Jujutsu Kaisen was still serializing, part of why so many manga readers chose to follow it was the immensely active and multifaceted community they got to be a part of. Every new chapter caused an uproar across social media platforms, and witnessing the plot unfold in the moment was an unforgettable experience for every reader.
Although the hype surrounding Jujutsu Kaisen has died down significantly since the manga ended, it doesn’t mean the series will sink into obscurity. Jujutsu Kaisen still has ways to go with its anime adaptation, which will likely keep the excitement surrounding the series alive for years to come, and manga readers will have much more to discuss once the future seasons start airing.
1 Jujutsu Kaisen Is a Cultural Icon of Modern Shonen Manga
The Immense Cultural Impact of Jujutsu Kaisen Makes It a Worthwhile Read
The classics of the shonen manga scene, like One Piece, have been building up their legacy for decades, and their impact on culture cannot be understated. However, Oricon’s 2024 Yearly Comic Sales Ranking reveals that most series at the top — including Jujutsu Kaisen — belong to the new generation of shonen manga, one that is actively taking shape right now.
Despite only debuting in 2018, Jujutsu Kaisen has already become unprecedentedly influential, the series’ reach spreading far beyond the limited circles of manga readers. Only time will tell how well Jujutsu Kaisen holds up as a classic — yet it is undeniably worthy of being regarded and appreciated for what it has already accomplished in making anime and manga more popular.
