Limiting the number of pages is often anathema to manga authors who are overwhelmed by the multiple ideas they want to draw and include in a chapter. Jujutsu Kisen Author Gege Akutami is no different.
In an exclusive interview published in Issue 45 of Weekly Shonen Jump on October 11, 2022, the author revealed how he overcame this particular problem.
According to Akutami, it only illustrates scenes based on whether they are absolutely relevant to the main story and their “necessity in composition creates a sense of catharsis.”
The author tells the story in a way that directs the plot towards his characters, which releases their pent-up feelings.
An example of Higurama’s progression in Jujutsu Kisen Then explain Chapter 159 to display this.
The author laid the groundwork for Higurama’s emotional shock first, revealing how he had previously failed to exonerate one of his clients. These pent-up feelings gave him a strong determination to make things right, which is evident in his behavior as he approaches a new experience.
Although his current client, Uwe, was found innocent at the first trial, the second trial invalidates that decision. The fleeting satisfaction that Higurama received from the outcome of the first trial fades away and the previous trauma comes back to haunt him.
Akutami wanted to elaborate on this second trial. However, due to limitations, he instead included only one panel; One after sentencing which depicts a look of Ui’s disappointment towards him. According to the author, this scene was central to the construction of the story’s drama, as it overlapped with Higurama’s previous trauma.
Higurama then wakes up, and his explosion of pent-up emotions creates an unforgettable tragic catharsis.
“The scenes that need to be drawn are those that relate to the character aspects of the inner work, and those that are necessary to create the ultimate sense of catharsis!! Other than that, I also cut out the scenes very critically,” Akutami said in the interview.
Jujutsu Kisen The manga has been serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump since March 2018, and its chapters have been collected into 20 volumes as of August 2022.
With the release of the twentieth volume, the manga had 20 million copies in circulation, including both the physical and digital version.
A second season of the anime is currently in production at MAPPA Studio. It will be broadcast in two sessions in 2023.
The first season of the anime aired from October 2020 to March 2021. It consisted of 24 episodes, animated by MAPPA Studios.
Source and translation credits: sukatsu on Twitter