Jujutsu Kaisen Fans forgot that creator Akutami hates Satoru Gojo

Satoru Gojo is notoriously disliked by Akutami (Image via Studio MAPPA)

Satoru Gojo is arguably one of the most, if not the most, popular characters in Jujutsu Kaisen. To Gojo fans, it seems unthinkable that anyone can dislike their favorite teacher. Anime fans, in particular, have been vocal about the character’s popularity. Oftentimes, they would even wonder why people would dislike Gojo, given that he is a complex character who is a vital part of the story and has an aesthetically pleasing design on top of it.

A recent tweet about on this topic has caused some turmoil in the fandom. However, manga readers have taken it upon themselves to remind the rest of the fanbase that there is at least one person who can’t stand Satoru Gojo: Jujutsu Kaisen mangaka, Gege Akutami.

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Mangaka Akutami’s notorious dislike for Satoru Gojo shocks Jujutsu Kaisen anime fans

The debate, if it can be called that, started with a tweet from a fan wondering who can hate Satoru Gojo after watching Jujutsu Kaisen anime. The original tweet also included images from the manga, indicating that the original tweeter has read the manga as well. This led some manga readers to bafflingly remind everyone that creator Akutami has always been very vocal about his dislike for Gojo.

Every issue of Weekly Shonen Jump includes an “Author’s note/comment” section, where the mangaka leaves a message for their readers. On online platforms, such as Manga Plus or Viz, a separate page on authors’ comments is included and available for the readers’ perusal.

Gege Akutami is known for his Gen-Z humor and relatable, slice-of-life comments. However, on the few occasions where the mangaka has talked about his work, Gojo has featured prominently, and not in a very good light.

Akutami has also spoken about Gojo in his interviews. On one memorable occasion following the results of the first Popularity poll, where Gojo ranked 1st, he went as far as to advise his readers to vote for Kento Nanami instead of Satoru Gojo. Interestingly, Gojo has not ranked 1st again in the subsequent polls.

Akutami is not the only one to dislike the Special Grade sorcerer. Japanese voice actor, Yuichi Nakamura, who plays Satoru Gojo, also finds the character annoying. To be fair, Gojo is portrayed as an arrogant character with a slight god complex, but he also has the power to back up that arrogance.

Inarguably and canonically, Gojo is the strongest character in the entire series, and he often has an attitude that matches this mantel. He is one of the key subversions of popular Shonen tropes that Akutami explores with Jujutsu Kaisen.

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Final Thoughts

It is not a novel concept for creators to hate their creations. Sometimes, because their lesser thought-out creations overshadow what they believe to be their masterpieces. Other times, the character overtakes the plot and becomes resented by the author. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was known to dislike Sherlock Holmes quite a bit, especially after he was forced to bring the character back from the dead due to demands from his readers.

Despite his apparent dislike for Satoru Gojo, Akutami has never put in any less effort to make the character complex and layered than he has for any other Jujutsu Kaisen character. Gojo is one of the pillars of the story, being both focal and peripheral, sometimes both at once. It is clear that no matter what Akutami himself thinks of his creation, Satoru Gojo has managed to entice the entire Jujutsu Kaisen fandom nonetheless.