Jujutsu Kaisen ended this year and it has become many fans’ worst nightmare. However, having a fandom as active as JJK, moreover enraged, wouldn’t have been easy for Gege Akutami either. When Death Note ended in 2006, Tsugumi Ohba, the creator of the series, was probably in the same situation as Akutami is in now.
However, one rule both creators have followed throughout their careers has probably helped them after the questionable endings of their respective series. It also highlights a huge problem with how fans of popular anime-manga series engage with their favorite mangaka.
Death Note and Jujutsu Kaisen Ended On A Similar Note
Death Note is one of those anime that made the medium popular overseas. It’s a great gateway series and the thrilling execution paired with great characters appealed to many fans. When L died in the series, many fans wished for it to end because of a noticeable dip in the quality. The introduction of Near and Mello was interesting at first, but they failed to live up to the exhilarating contrast L offered against Light.
Throughout the series’ run and even now, no one knows about the creator’s real identity. They have kept it a secret from fans and made a clear distinction between their work and their personal identity. This decision by Tsugumi Ohba is extremely wise as anime fans can be overly passionate about their favorite series.
The same thing happened with Gege Akutami. Jujutsu Kaisen was the most popular among the new-gen series because of the memorable characters. Every social media platform was flooded with edits of the characters, and fans would often discuss every plotline with one another in great detail. However, the ending of the series disappointed most of them as Akutami failed to convincingly bring the story to a close.
Fans were furious with how the series ended as it felt too convenient. Just like Ohba, Akutami has maintained anonymity over the years. Even though they have been part of numerous interviews, they strictly refrain from disclosing any personal details, which is wise after how things got heated with the ending of Jujutsu Kaisen. Interestingly, these two are not the only creators to follow this rule.
Renowned Mangaka and Anonymity
Many mangaka go to great lengths to prevent disclosing their real identity to the general public. For instance, Akutami once showed up in a Mechamaru costume for an interview that concealed their appearance. Similarly, Koyoharu Gotouge (Demon Slayer), Sui Ishida (Tokyo Ghoul), and even Kentaro Miura (Berserk) all maintained a low-key presence.
Even those like Eiichiro Oda who are quite well-known and their identity isn’t as much of a secret, refrain from taking many pictures. Even during the cast interviews during the One Piece Live Action, Oda’s face was superimposed with his avatar in the video, even though he could be heard.
It’s common for some anime fans to go overboard with the hate. So, it’s rather wise of the creators to avoid interacting with their audience with their real identity as it’s a good way for them to ensure their privacy and safety.
Death Note and Jujutsu Kaisen are available to stream on Netflix.
