Following its initial serialization in 2018 in Weekly Shonen Jump, Jujutsu Kaisen quickly became a standout title. The series stars Yūji Itadori, a high school student with almost supernatural athletic abilities, whose life is completely changed when he finds himself in the middle of paranormal battle. In an attempt to rescue his friends, Itadori chooses to swallow a cursed finger, hoping it will make him stronger. While his plan works, the finger belongs to a powerful Curse named Sukuna, who fuses with Itadori, making him both an asset and target for the Jujutsu Sorcerers that later recruit him into their ranks.
The Jujutsu Kaisen anime adaptation is set to be released this October, but with just over 100 chapters released so far, it may face production delays in the future. This is common for anime adaptations of unfinished manga, but the sort of adaptation Jujustsu Kaisen winds up being will determine how production deals with the possibility of a hold-up.
Though Jujutsu Kaisen is already incredibly popular, it's no surprise that there is a desire to capitalize on its success like fellow Jump title Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. Following the release of the Demon Slayer anime, the sales of the manga were bolstered to unprecedented heights. While fans are excited for the Jujutsu Kaisen anime to be released, it could end up in a similar situation to Attack on Titan, with a multiple-year break in between seasons for more of the source material to be produced. However, this is just one potential course of action the adaptation could take to avoid running out of manga to adapt.
When faced with issues of catching up with the source material, studios used to rely on filler episodes to help buy time. Though this option has become less popular, with shows expected to take longer, or more frequent, breaks to avoid them. With filler episodes being frowned upon and Jujutsu Kaisen's darker subject matter, it seems unlikely that this option would be ideal for MAPPA, the studio producing the anime, or for fans.
Looking at Fullmetal Alchemist as another example of how to navigate this issue, Jujustu Kaisen could instead opt to divert from the source material. This would take time out of the equation, allowing the production team to tell a different version of the story, but at the cost of the original manga. However, in Fullmetal Alchemist's case, the series eventually released Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, as a more faithful adaptation of the manga. However, for fans wanting an anime that stays true to the Jujutsu Kaisen story creator Gege Akutami intended, this too is not ideal.
The previous two options rely on the anime being popular enough to warrant further seasons, and a studio willing to keep it going until the end of the manga. There have been series like Soul Eater, Blue Exorcist, and Hunter x Hunter, which, while popular, ended before their respective manga. Though having an anime produced for your favorite series can be exciting, it can be just as frustrating when they end too soon. "Is it better to have loved and lost..." and all that.
Whether Jujutsu Kaisen will run into these issues down the line is still up in the air, but there is no doubt about the hype surrounding the popular manga series and its upcoming anime. With excitement continuing to build in anticipation, especially as Toho Animation's official YouTube account recently released a promotional video, there is no better time to check out the paranormal action series.
The Jujutsu Kaisen anime will be released this October, though there is no information on when to expect an English language release.
Jujutsu Kaisen is available now in English from Viz Media.