Jujutsu Kaisen & Attack On Titan Share One Key Element That Make Them My Favorite Shonen Anime (2024)

Warning: Contains spoilers for Attack on Titan and Jujutsu KaisenI've seen more shonen series than I can count over the years. As one of the most popular genres, there are many incredible animes to choose from that fall under the shonen category. Despite all the different ones I've viewed though, two series have always been my absolute favorites: Jujutsu Kaisen and Attack on Titan. Although their overall plots, characters, and animation are not comparable, I adore both of these series for the same unexpected reason.

Both Jujutsu Kaisen and Attack on Titan possess sky-high death tolls, on a greater scale than most other anime series. Since Attack on Titan takes place during a war, the death count quickly reached a staggering number of over a billion. Jujutsu Kaisen's deaths did not reach that horrific level, but over forty important main characters died, making these losses feel even more personal. Although it may seem strange to enjoy a series due to such a grim quality, my admiration for both Jujutsu Kaisen and Attack on Titan lies in the respectful, emotionally impactful manner in which these series handle death.

Both Jujutsu Kaisen and Attack on Titan Have High Death Tolls, Raising the Stakes in a Grim Way

These Shonens Handle Death Better Than Any Other Series

Attack on Titan centers around humanity's war against man-eating creatures called Titans who threaten to wipe out all of humanity, while Jujutsu Kaisen's premise focuses on a group of sorcerers who devote their lives to exorcising evil curses, led by the worst villain of all, Ryomen Sukuna, who also plans to destroy humanity. Since both shonens occur during a war, it makes sense for major death to play a part in these stories. The sheer magnitude of loss of human life raises the stakes of these stories, urging fans like me to become even more invested in the storyline.

Because of the prevalence of death, Jujutsu Kaisen and Attack on Titan have a strong emotional effect that not every anime does. Gege Akutami, mangaka of Jujutsu Kaisen, and Hajime Isayama, mangaka of Attack on Titan, certainly never shy away from killing major characters, like JJK's Gojo or AOT's Eren, often sparking outrage and heartbreak among the fandom. Despite fans' complaints though, these plot points don't only provoke tears, they helped me become more interested in these series and eager to see what happened next and if the characters who passed away would be avenged by their comrades by the end of the story.

Deaths Like Nanami’s and Eren’s Were Handled Respectfully and Emotionally

These Hard-Hitting Deaths Offered Respectful and Emotional Send-Offs for the Series’ Best Heroes

These shonens do not just end characters' lives for pure shock value, which is a dangerous trap that some series fall into. I respect both Jujutsu Kaisen and Attack on Titan deeply because of the respectful way that they handle these deaths. The final moments of characters in both series are often tragic and portrayed with emotional effect. For example, Nanami Kento's death in Jujutsu Kaisen season two was one of the most hard-hitting anime deaths of all time, to the point that real-life memorials were constructed across the world for fans to pay their respects to the character.

Nanami was one of the most powerful and relatable jujutsu sorcerers. He often made witty remarks about hating his old, unfulfilling corporate job and dedicated himself to protecting the weak, two qualities fans especially resonated with. In the Shibuya Incident arc, he was murdered by the Cursed Spirit, Mahito, by being burnt and then transfigured beyond recognition. Although Nanami's death was gruesome and heart-wrenching, in a way, it was a perfect send-off for the heroic figure. As he died, he envisioned a beautiful Malaysian beach, the place he planned on retiring to before his horrific demise ruined that hopeful possibility.

Jujutsu Kaisen’s Deaths Are Some of the Saddest, but Most Well-Written

Nanami and Nobara’s Deaths Are Unforgettably Tragic, Yet Filled With Symbolism and Meaning

Although Nanami's death certainly did cause me to shed tears, I also appreciated how carefully and emotionally his final minutes were portrayed. His fantasy of Malaysia allowed him to die in peace, even though he was likely feeling pain. Furthermore, his persistence to keep fighting until he physically could not go on proved his dedication to the cause of fighting evil. Nanami's death, although saddening, is one of the best death scenes I've ever witnessed, and one of the most powerful. Also in Jujutsu Kaisen, Nobara Kugisaki's death had a tremendous effect too, because of how suddenly it occurred.

Nobara was killed by Mahito so quickly I barely had time to process it, left in complete shock. The main character, Yuji Itadori, shared in the audience's dismay, as one of his best friends was annihilated right before his eyes. Nobara's sudden takedown effectively proved just how far Mahito was willing to go and how high the stakes of the battle truly were.Attack on Titan's most sorrowful, well-written deaths also provoked my emotions, proved how high-stakes the war was, and got me more attached to the series. Attack on Titan went even a step further than Jujutsu Kaisen, killing the main character, Eren Yeager.

Attack on Titan Even Boldly Killed Its Own Main Character

The Series’ Shocking Deaths Convey How Serious the War Against Titans Is

Eren Yeager's own best friends, Mikasa Ackerman and Armin Arlert, had to kill him to prevent him from committing genocide and killing everyone but Eldians. His death was the most moving and heartbreaking moment of the series, as his anguished friends mourned the loss of their childhood friend. Hange Zoe's death also stands out, because of their heroic sacrifice. They threw themselves into a horde of charging Titans, knowing full well they would die, all to save their friends and protect humanity. Both of these deaths, although distressing, were necessary to the story and revealed how significant the war against Titans is.

These examples explain why I appreciate the deaths in these shows so much, even though I hate to see my favorite heroes die. Rather than rely on shock value kills, these series create harrowing moments that convey the dire circumstances of the battles the characters are fighting in. It is difficult to get so attached to these characters, only to watch them die, but these two shonen animes give these heroes the deaths they deserve, showing great respect for them and their heroic acts. Overall, because of these emotional scenes, Jujutsu Kaisen and Attack on Titan have made me more invested than any other series.

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9.3/10

Jujutsu Kaisen

TV-MA

Animation

Action

Adventure

Jujutsu Kaisen is a supernatural action anime that follows high school student Yuuji Itadori as he battles against magical curses. After Yuji selflessly saves a classmate by taking a curse into his own body, he is discovered and trained by a powerful sorcerer named Satoru Gojo. Gojo, who also happens to be a faculty member at a high school, enrolls Yuji there to help him and other students prepare themselves against the supernatural forces that plague humanity.

Cast

Junya Enoki , Yuma Uchida , Yuichi Nakamura , Adam McArthur , Asami Seto

Release Date

October 3, 2020

Seasons

1

Streaming Service(s)

Crunchyroll

Franchise(s)

Jujutsu Kaisen

Writers

Hiroshi Seko

Directors

Sunghoo Park , Shōta Goshozono

Main Genre

Animation

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13

9.3/10

Attack On Titan

TV-MA

Animation

Adventure

Action

Based on the manga, Attack on Titan is a dark-action fantasy series set in a world where humanity has been corralled into walled cities from fear of monstrous human-eating Titans that exist outside of them. When protagonist Eren Yeager's mother is killed in front of his eyes at a young age, his thirst for vengeance leads him to join an elite group of soldiers created to fight back against the Titan menace.

Cast

Matthew Mercer , Josh Grelle , Hiroshi Kamiya , Shiori Mikami , Jerry Jewell , Kishô Taniyama , Jessica Calvello , Masahiko Tanaka , Yui Ishikawa , Romi Park , Robert McCollum , Tomohisa Hashizume , Hiro Shimono , Trina Nishimura

Release Date

April 7, 2013

Seasons

4

Main Genre

Action

Franchise

Attack on Titan

Production Company

Wit Studio, MAPPA