A large-scale exhibition, "Gege Akutami 'Jujutsu Kaisen' Exhibition," which unravels the "creative secrets" of the manga "Jujutsu Kaisen," will be held from July 6 to August 27 at Hikarie Hall in Shibuya, Tokyo (advance reservation required). Prior to the opening, a preview was held on the 5th, showcasing many pre-final draft names and sketches. Due to spoilers, some parts of the exhibit area were off-limits to photography and reporting, but the reporters were so captivated by the rare content that they were heard exclaiming "Wow..." and were so absorbed that they forgot their work, without even picking up their pens or cameras.

The exhibition's highlights include a comprehensive display of the "Jujutsu Kaisen" creation process using digital techniques, with explanations from the author, Gege Akutami. It explores how the story, characters, and illustrations were created, evolved, and reached new heights. The exhibition does not hold back in displaying valuable name boards and sketches before they became the final manuscript.

Key exhibits include:

1.A selection of previously unreleased name boards from "Tokyo Metropolitan Magic Technical School" displayed on panels.

2.Panels displaying a prototype of "Jujutsu Kaisen" (read as "Jujutsu Sosen"), created for serialization meetings with Weekly Shonen Jump, featuring a selection of unpublished name boards.

3.A projection exhibit of name boards and sketches from Chapter 1 (Volume 1) to Chapter 236 (Volume 26). Over 4,400 pages of names and 3,000 pages of sketches will continuously flow, showcasing the sheer volume and time the author invested in the creation.

4.An area divided by story arc, explaining the characters, settings, and stories, with names, sketches, and background art, providing a deep dive into the creation process.

5.Large-scale displays of numerous color illustrations, including the top three illustrations from the 4th Character Popularity Poll (conducted from March 11 to April 18, 2024), which are being exhibited for the first time in Tokyo.

"Jujutsu Kaisen" is a dark fantasy manga that began serialization in Weekly Shonen Jump in March 2018. The story follows high school student Yuji Itadori, who steps into a world of battles over curses after the seal on a powerful "cursed object" is broken. The manga series has surpassed 90 million copies in circulation (including digital editions as of July 2024). The TV anime aired from October 2020 to March 2021 and gained immense popularity, followed by a theatrical anime in December 2021. The second season of the TV anime aired from July to December 2023, and a sequel, "Jujutsu Kaisen: Culling Game," has been announced. At the "Jump Festa 2024" held at the end of last year, author Gege Akutami hinted that the "Jujutsu Kaisen" story would conclude in 2024, stating, "This will probably definitely be the last Jump Festa while Jujutsu Kaisen is still serialized."

(C) Gege Akutami / Shueisha

Source : ORICON NEWS