Gege Akutami, the mind behind Jujutsu Kaisen, has shared some of the ups and downs he experienced on his creative path. In a sincere and open message, he talked about the doubts and challenges he faced while working on his famous series. He was really honest about his self-criticism and showed a deep understanding of his own limits, giving fans a closer glimpse into the thoughts of this well-known creator during the seven years it took to bring Jujutsu Kaisen to life.

Gege Akutami shares his struggles and frustrations

Akutami opened up about the challenges and frustrations he faced while creating the manga. In a public note, he shared, “Jujutsu Kaisen took about six and a half years to develop, almost seven if you count the special issues. What I realized is that ‘I really am an idiot....’ I pushed myself hard to get the best out of my work, and after around three years of serialization, my already rough personality started to feel a bit scattered.”

He went on to say, “Even though I was venting about how ‘I’m tired of people pointing out things that could easily be found online!!,’ I still messed up on volume 18 with the sanpin, thinking like Gecko Moria that ‘if something goes wrong, the people around me will sort it out....’”

Akutami also acknowledged the difficulties he caused for his team, including the designer and editor. He mentioned, “I’ve been writing the openings for six and a half to seven years based on instinct. This just shows how dependable the adults around me were. I’ve really caused a lot of trouble for my editors—Katayama-san, Ikeda-san, and Fukuda-san, as well as volume manager Yanagida-san, designer Ishino-san, and my assistants. I know I added quite a bit of stress to the editorial team and everyone at the printers every week. I sincerely apologize for that," as reported by Mitzusen.

He also reflected on the early days of Jujutsu Kaisen, writing, “Jujutsu Kaisen started with my first editor Yamanaka-san, and we jumped right into an underground forced labor arc, but he kept in touch with me throughout. I’m thankful for that and grateful to have met you.” Read the full note here.

There were moments when Akutami didn't feel very sure of themselves

The well-known mangaka opened up about how, even with the success of Jujutsu Kaisen, there were moments when he doubted his abilities and his work. Akutami shared, “I didn’t say much between the volumes because I was kind of lost in my thoughts. When I first started the serialization, I was aware that Jujutsu Kaisen was being published in a big magazine. I felt this pressure to do my best for the readers who might be affected by the story, and for those who might be hurt by it.”

He went on to say, “This led me to think, ‘Just stop! I know you (Akutami) just want to be seen as a good person!’ and it ended up hurting me. So, I decided to let that go. Honestly, that mindset was pretty arrogant, and I realize now it stemmed from my lack of confidence in sharing my work with the world. It’s kind of embarrassing, but even now, I still don’t completely have that confidence. I often think about negative intentions that aren’t really there, and I want to express myself loudly, but I know it’s just my own immaturity as a mangaka, so I keep it all inside... or rather, I just keep swallowing it down.”

Akutami shared, “One of the great things about Shonen Jump is that its reputation is built around the work itself rather than the creator. By believing in myself, I aim to create a manga that readers can enjoy without any concerns. I’ll carry the lessons I’ve learned over these seven years with me and strive to overcome my challenges moving forward. I’ve got a bunch of books I picked up during serialization—some for studying and others just to have around because they might make me a bit smarter.” He continued, “Honestly, I think just having them nearby has made me smarter, even if I didn’t actually read them. It’s a bit unsettling. This marks the end of the Jujutsu Kaisen that I’ve illustrated.”

He wrapped up his message on a heartfelt note, saying, “To everyone who has supported me, to those who binge-read it when it became popular, to those who picked it up after watching the anime, and to anyone who just happened to grab this final volume—any reason is good enough. I’m truly grateful. Until we meet again,” as reported by Mitzusen.

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