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Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 224 is out and like pretty much any other chapter released by the series by author Gege Akutami, it has also generated a lot of hype and discussions among the fandom.
The beginning of the highly-expected battle between Satoru Gojo and the King of Curse, Sukuna, has to do with one of Akutami’s greatest influences, author Yoshihiro Togashi. The latter is known for series like Yu Yu Hakusho and Hunter X Hunter.
Those familiar with Akutami know how much of an influence Togashi has been over the years. Now, Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 224 highlights that even more with some subtle, albeit important references to the highly-celebrated Hunter X Hunter series. However, the connections and inspiration don’t stop there as this series has many subtle connections to Togashi’s magnum opus.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the Jujutsu Kaisen and Hunter X Hunter series.
Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 224 of the manga has shown another hint of the Togashi influence
Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 224 has shown Gojo continuing his fight with Sukuna, with both characters displaying some of their power. One of the panels shows the sorcerer in the same pose that Hunter X Hunter protagonist Gon Freecs does when executing his signature move, “Jajanken." This, of course, has been picked up by longtime fans who are familiar with Togashi’s influence on the series.
Some could argue that this panel on Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 224 is too small an example to represent the impact that that series has had. However, the connections and small tributes don’t end there, though. There are several examples of how Togashi has influenced author Gege Akutami, with the latter even openly stating it in interviews.
Togashi's influence on Jujutsu Kaisen
Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 224 is not the only similarity.
One more similarity that fans picked up was the physical similarities between two Hunter X Hunter characters - Isaac Netero and Killua Zoldyck. Fans believe that Yoshinobu and Gojo, are similar to Isaac and Killua respectively. They called upon the fact that both young, white-haired characters don't have a lot of respect for the elder men who happen to be powerful masters in their respective crafts.
Killua does evolve into a much more emphatic and emotionally-stable character as the series progresses.
However, his demeanor in the early portion of the story does share some similarities with Gojo. Both of them are often very sarcastic and have black humor and have no qualms about taking a person’s life and joking about it when talking casually with their friends. Additionally, they look very similar, albeit being in different age groups.
The character of Suguru Geto is also inspired by Togashi’s other significant creation, the 90s masterpiece Yu Yu Hakusho. The antagonist is based on Shinobu Sensui, the main villain of the Chapter Black arc of that series, and both started serving humanity only to end up hating it. While that isn’t related to Hunter X Hunter, it does show how Togashi impacted Akutami’s work.
In fact, the entire concept of Domain Expansion in Jujutsu Kaisen is directly influenced by the Territories introduced in Yu Yu Hakusho during the Chapter Black arc. They basically have the same rules and executions.
While Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 224 gave a direct Gon Freecs reference with the pose Gojo did, that character also served as the blueprint for protagonist Yuji Itadori. They are both established as lighthearted characters with freakish strength who follow the classic shonen protagonist trope. However, they are deconstructed to have mental breakdowns and get violent during their respective series.
This is a lot more prominent with Gon during the iconic Chimera Ant arc in Hunter X Hunter, but Itadori himself has shown to have a lot of similarities with that protagonist.
Final thoughts
Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 224 gave fans another example of how much the work of Yoshihiro Togashi has influenced Gege Akutami’s super hit. The truth of the matter is that this series, in many ways, is a spiritual successor to the likes of Hunter X Hunter and Yu Yu Hakusho. However, some of Jujutsu Kaisen's clear differences give it its own voice, appeal, and charm.
This goes to show that even the best in the business pay tribute to others that have influenced them in many different ways.
