Gege Akutami has spoken at length about his inspirations when creatingJujutsu Kaisen,and has stated thatBleachis one of the series he draws heavily from.Jujutsu Kaisenis not the only anime that Tite Kubo’sBleachhas influenced,but it is one of the most well-known.
Although it is common knowledge that the general plot and power system inJujutsu Kaisenare based on similar elements found inBleach,another, less expected part of the series was derived fromBleachtoo. The arc between one of the series' main characters,Megumi Fushiguro, and his sister, Tsumiki Fushiguro, also has origins in a familiarBleachstoryline.
Megumi and Tsumiki Fushiguro’s Storyline Was Inspired By the Bleach Series
Rukia and Byakuya’s Sibling Relationship is Quite Similar to the Jujutsu Kaisen Siblings
Megumi’s strained relationship with his father, Toji Fushiguro, has already been covered in theJujutsu Kaisenanime, but his close bond withhis step-sister Tsumiki Fushigurois set to be revealed later in the anime. Megumi’s mother and Toji were largely absent during his childhood, causing him and Tsumiki to depend on one another heavily.Since Tsumiki was the eldest sibling, she essentially raised her younger brotherand comforted him in their parents' absence. Tsumiki is one of the only people Megumi truly loves, and Sukuna took advantage of this vulnerability in the most despicable way.
Tsumiki reappeared inJujutsu KaisenwhenSukuna was plotting to take over Megumi’s bodyas a new vessel, and he used Tsumiki to bring him one step closer to this evil goal. By harming Tsumiki, Sukuna caused Megumi so much emotional distress and anguish that his defenses were lowered, so he was easier to manipulate and use as a host body.Megumi’s love for his older sister, Tsumiki, is touching, but also his greatest weakness.In a similar vein, Byakuya and Rukia fromBleachalso have an inseparable sibling relationship that inspired Akutami when writing for Megumi and Tsumiki.
Gege Akutami Incorporated Other Elements of Bleach Into Jujutsu Kaisen
The Series' Power System and Overall Dark Shonen Feel Were Influenced by Its Predecessor, Bleach
Similar to how Tsumiki raised Megumi when they were abandoned by their parents,Byakuya took in Rukia as a sister when Hisana, her older sister, left her behind.Although Byakuya was standoffish and not thrilled to take on the older brother role at first, he and Rukia’s relationship eventually blossomed as he grew to accept her as a family member despite his initial hesitance. Their sibling relationship was tumultuous at times, but whether Byakuya admits it or not, his love for his adoptive younger sister, Rukia, is evident, and he eventually developed a protective older brother attitude.
The parallels between Byakuya and Rukia and Megumi and Tsumiki are quite noticeable, adding yet another shared trait betweenBleachandJujutsu Kaisen.In an interview with Tite Kubo and Gege Akutami,Akutami revealed thatBleachwas his first and most prominent inspiration in the world of manga,leading him to create a poem anthology centered aroundBleach’scharacters and storyline. Later on,Jujutsu Kaisenwas born out of Akutami’s love forBleach,and Megumi and Tsumiki’s sibling bond is just one sign ofBleach’stremendous influence on the manga and the characters in it.
