Beginning its run in 2018, the Jujutsu Kaisen has quickly become one of the most successful and popular manga of the current era. It's since gone on to receive a just as successful anime adaptation, with this series putting the franchise on the map in terms of recognition. A big part of that stems from the protagonist, Yuji Itadori, who's become one of the most recognizable manga and anime heroes in the world.
Yuji Itadori is the main character in Jujutsu Kaisen, and he's both similar and quite different from other major shonen protagonists. Possessing incredible powers while also stacked against insurmountable odds, the anime adaptation of the series is now gearing up for its next season, allowing fans to see more of Yuji on the small screen. Thus, viewers will want to catch up on who Yuji Itadori is and his exact role in Jujutsu Kaisen.
Who Is Jujutsu Kaisen's Yuji Itadori?
Yuji Itadori is the Protagonist in Jujutsu Kaisen
Before the beginning of the series, Yuji Itadori is a fairly normal (if a bit strange) teenager who's a part of his school's occult club. His life is thrown upside down, however, following the unexpected death of his grandfather, wherein he accosts a "Jujutsu Sorcerer" over her acquisition of the cursed finger of the demonic Ryomen Sukuna. When other Cursed Spirits attack, he's forced to ingest the finger, thereby gaining immense new supernatural power.
This also creates a bond between him and Sukuna, which unfortunately puts a timestamp on Yuji's inevitable death. With his death postponed to save the world from the demon that he's now bonded to. With no other choice but to accept his lot in life, Yuji trains to master his new cursed energy-based powers. Despite his later skill, Yuji Itadori was previously uninitiated to the workings of the world in Jujutsu Kaisen. This puts him out of his element, especially given the constant death he has to face, namely his own.
In spite of everything, he possesses a good soul and strives for justice for himself and others. He's especially focused on others not sharing his fate and also receiving a "proper death," showing his high value for life itself. He will selflessly sacrifice himself to protect others, with his ingesting Sukuna's finger to protect his friend Megumi being one of the first and best examples of this. Though he can sometimes be placid or stoic, he can also become rather excitable, especially if angered by an enemy.
He has what's become an iconic design, with Yuji boasting dark pink, spiky hair and a dark hooded jacket. This more modern apparel has helped to differentiate him from other shonen protagonists and stand out from the proverbial crowd. His character as a whole has also made Jujutsu Kaisen into a revered entry of the "dark shonen trio," which are increasingly influential on modern anime.
What are Yuji Itadori's Powers and Abilities?
Yuji's Bond With Sukuna Grants Him Even More Abilities
As the protagonist of Jujutsu Kaisen, it's no surprise that Yuji Itadori's sorcerer abilities are some of the best in the series. Even if he lacks an innate technique involving cursed energy, he's very adept at controlling it. He's also quick to adapt to newly developed powers such as Blood Manipulation, with each circumstance able to be used offensively against opponents. This is mostly tied to his bond with Sukuna, giving him powers that he otherwise wouldn't have.
These include immunity to poisons and the aforementioned supply of cursed energy. Even without this, however, he's a more than adequate fighter, with his combination of combat skills and sorcerer abilities making him even more effective. Bonding with Sukuna makes Yuji his vessel, and he gains even more power when the demon takes control of him. Yuji is an expert martial artist, with his skills allowing him to effortlessly waltz across the battlefield and dish out attacks.
He also has incredible, superhuman physical faculties, such as enhanced speed, endurance and, especially, strength. At one point, he's seen throwing a car with relative ease, and he can take the same amount of damage from enemies. Furthermore, he can combine these more innate powers with his magical abilities, augmenting his strength and becoming even more powerful.
Does Yuji Itadori Appear In Jujutsu Kaisen 0?
Yuji Does Not Appear In The Jujutsu Kaisen Prequel Film
Originally titled Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical School, Jujutsu Kaisen 0 is a prequel to the main Jujutsu Kaisen series. The manga was released before Jujutsu Kaisen was, and there were initially no plans for the former series to be anything more than franchise creator Gege Akutami drawing cool things. Following the success of Jujutsu Kaisen, however, Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical School was retroactively renamed and made into a prequel.
It was also finally adapted into an anime movie in 2021 following the success of its sequel in both anime and manga form. The protagonist is Yuta Okkotsu, who has to contend with a very personal Cursed Spirit: Rika, his deceased childhood friend. Becoming a sorcerer and utilizing his powers to defend against Suguru Geto (who wishes to kill off those without sorcerer powers), he makes peace with the situation that caused him and Rika to become bonded.
From there on, his abilities make him one of the most powerful sorcerers in the franchise. Given this importance, some newcomers might wonder why he doesn't face off against Yuji Itadori. Jujutsu Kaisen 0 takes place one year before the events of the main series. Thus, Yuta's journey is already ending before Yuji's even begins. Yuji isn't present in the prequel story at all, which is why Yuta is only spoken of in reference during the main series' storyline.
Is Yuji from Jujutsu Kaisen a "Boring" Protagonist?
Yuji More Often That Not Feels Irrelevant to the Story
One major criticism of Yuji Itadori and Jujutsu Kaisen as a whole is that the main character is fairly bland. This manifests both in a somewhat rote, dull personality, especially compared to other manga and anime heroes. He lacks the dynamic and bombastic traits of heroes such as Goku, Naruto and Luffy, which is especially noticeable given how popular Jujutsu Kaisen has become. At the other end of this, however, are the ways in which he stands out against other shonen protagonists.
While some of his traits are fairly common and less than unique, it's the way in which Yuji interprets and interacts with his world. He isn't always a happy-go-lucky person, especially given his plight. He realizes very quickly how much of a poor situation he's been thrust into, yet this never makes him cynical. Instead, he simply comes to terms with the inevitability of death, giving him and his series a somewhat more realistic outlook compared to other popular manga.
Many fans have been stated to prefer Jujutsu Kaisen 0 protagonist Yuta Okkotsu to Yuji, finding the former more compelling. Not only is Yuta considered to have a more interesting backstory, but he's also more integral to the plot of his series. A major issue is that Yuji, despite being the main character, many times feels irrelevant to the overall story in Jujutsu Kaisen. In the end, however, much of the preference for Yuta is derived from his being a more standard battle shonen protagonist.
He starts out as a more interesting character than Yuji, but he also has less room to grow. On the other hand, Yuji is constantly changing and evolving due to his circumstances, and he's put through the wringer on a regular basis. Another criticism is that Yuji doesn't have the flashiest powers and abilities. Heroes such as Goku and Naruto are known for iconic and powerful techniques, but in the case of Yuji, he mostly just throws punches.
It's not the most exciting display of ability, but it does separate him from other manga protagonists in a major way. Most importantly, he doesn't quickly develop a number of overpowered techniques that allow him to take on enemies without any sort of challenge. Overpowered protagonists have become a major issue in modern anime, especially protagonsits in the isekai genre. Thus, it's a sign of Jujutsu Kaisen's quality that it intentionally bucks this trend with its protagonist.
