10 Jujutsu Kaisen characters who deserve their own spin-offs

❘ Published: 2024-09-28T09:05:09

Gege Akutami/MAPPA

While the Jujutsu Kaisen manga has ended, the story still has a lot of potential to pivot in different directions, and these 10 characters are the best candidates for leading the spin-offs.

Despite its engaging plot, Jujutsu Kaisen noticeably lacks much world-building. During the 271 chapters, it felt like we only scratched the surface of this magical world, and there’s a lot left to explore in jujutsu – from its history to how different it is in countries other than Japan.

That’s why I believe Jujutsu Kaisen would benefit from a spin-off – but who would lead this new story? Well, there are plenty of amazing characters who could star in side stories and entertain us further. Some of them – like Kenjaku and Sukuna – could take us to the past, while others – like Higuruma and Maki – might lead us into the future.

So, without further ado, let’s see our selection of the best main characters for any potential Jujutsu Kaisen spin-off. (Warning: Spoilers ahead!)

10. Tengen

As the only immortal jujutsu sorcerer in existence (that we know of), Tengen is undeniably intriguing. They carry humanity’s fate on their shoulders and are the basis of the jujutsu society. Yet, we don’t see them enough in the original story.

Thus, a spin-off of their own would be a great way to give us a deeper look into their character and the past of jujutsu sorcery. Seeing Tengen’s life as a young woman before their evolution would contribute greatly to understanding the jujutsu world.

Another captivating aspect of Tengen’s past is their friendship with Kenjaku. Though we get a hint at their strange connection before the latter kills the immortal sorcerer, we have no idea about how it started and when it went downhill. Maybe a Tengen spin-off could tell us?

9. Kenjaku

Possibly the most mysterious character in the story, a spin-off headlined by Kenjaku would be the perfect addition to the Jujutsu Kaisen franchise. The parasitic curse user has caused a lot of trouble during his long life.

From manipulating sorcerers from past eras to orchestrating Yuji’s birth, any part of his adventure is great material for a side story. We also shouldn’t forget his stint as Noritoshi Kamo, the most hated sorcerer in history, who created Choso and the Death Paintings.

I, personally, would love to see how he came across Kaori Itadori and what he did after giving birth to Yuji. What was his purpose and why didn’t he ever try to reach out to Yuji (parentally or otherwise) – these are some of the questions the spin-off could answer.

8. Miguel Oduol

At the beginning of Jujutsu Kaisen, we learn that Japan harbors more curses than any other part of the world and has the highest number of jujutsu sorcerers. That’s why a foreign sorcerer like Miguel Oduol is so fascinating.

Not only is Miguel a skilled fighter whom Gojo trusts, but he’s also an entertaining personality, so we wouldn’t mind seeing what he gets up to in his home country. It’d be lovely to explore the jujutsu society of another nation and see their own sets of fighters as well.

A spin-off with Miguel at the center would also allow us to experience his dynamic with Yuta in more detail. Though the two have spent a considerable amount of time together, they hardly get to interact during the fight against Sukuna. Given their contrasting personalities, we can expect a lot of fun seeing these two in a foreign setting.

7. Maki Zenin

The shonen genre has come a long way since its days of using female characters as love interests or for fan service. Still, there’s a distinct lack of female-led mainstream shonen manga – an issue that can be solved by giving Maki her own spin-off.

Now, don’t get me wrong, Maki shouldn’t get her own series just because she’s a girl. She deserves it because her story has incredible potential going forward. As Sukuna said during the Shinjuku Showdown, Maki’s Heavenly Restriction-led powers indicate the future of jujutsu sorcery.

An individual with zero cursed energy, she’s the fulfillment of Yuki Tsukumo’s vision and possibly the key to eradicating curses from the world forever. Sure, it wouldn’t happen in one generation, but we could follow Maki along the ride as she tried to bring this idea to reality.

6. Hiromi Higuruma

Though Higuruma is a comparatively new addition to the team, he managed to endear himself to fans pretty quickly. Though we were saddened to see him die during the Shinjuku Showdown, he’s revealed to be alive in the epilogue.

In Chapter 270, the lawyer reveals he’ll be working as an active jujutsu sorcerer from now on. This opens a lot of promising routes for a spin-off. Higuruma can lead the sequel series and take us along on his journey to purge Japan of curses.

Another thing the sequel spin-off can highlight is his relationship with Yuji. Higuruma has a mentor-like dynamic with the protagonist, similar to his bond with Nanami. Now that Nanami is dead, it’d be nice to see Yuji become a better person and sorcerer under Higuruma’s guidance.

5. Toji Fushiguro

The sole abomination of the jujutsu world until Maki unlocked her powers, I don’t need to tell you why Toji having his own spin-off would be a swell idea. From being ostracized by the Zenin Clan to falling in love with Megumi’s mom, his journey is great material for a manga.

What happens after that is also a great premise for a prequel spin-off. We’ve only seen Toji as a killing machine in the story. But it must’ve taken hundreds of battles for him to become as strong as he is. If he really gets his own side story, it’d surely be full of high-octane action sequences.

But I’d love to see a different version of Toji: a family man who dotes on his wife and son while also kicking the ass of sorcerers and curses alike. Sure, it’d be a long way from Jujutsu Kaisen’s usual flavor, but the franchise could use some variety.

4. Yuki Tsukumo

One of my biggest complaints with Jujutsu Kaisen is how it wasted Yuki Tsukumo. She had a lot to offer to the story as a Special-Grade sorcerer and the only person with a sensible idea to completely wipe out curses.

Sadly, her time in the story is cut criminally short when Kenjaku kills her before she can even show us her Domain Expansion. But Jujutsu Kaisen can rectify this misstep by giving Yuki her own spin-off where we can follow her through various missions.

There are plenty of routes the side story can take as most of her character is still unknown to us. It may focus on how she came to be Todo’s mentor, giving us a better look at their dynamic while also providing some crazy training montages.

3. Yuta Okkotsu

Now this one may seem like cheating. Yuta already has a spin-off of his own – Jujutsu Kaisen 0 – where we see him being introduced to the jujutsu world. But given that there’s so much of his powers to explore, I wouldn’t mind seeing more of his adventures.

There’s a very good opportunity, too, as we know Yuta spent a year abroad with Miguel where he got a lot stronger. During this time period, Rika mysteriously came back to him. The spin-off would be an appropriate place to explain her reappearance.

Besides, it’d be a joy to follow Yuta’s adventure. The young man carries all the qualities of a good protagonist – he’s well-written, sympathetic, and clever. I’d like to see him interact with new people in Miguel’s home country as he learns Rika and his powers better.

2. Satoru Gojo

The relationship between Gojo and Jujutsu Kaisen is an odd one. While the white-haired man is undoubtedly the series’ most popular character, he’s also been treated the worst. However, the trauma the character has been through has only made fans hungrier for more of him.

This is true more than ever after the Jujutsu Kaisen finale. It could be rectified, though, by giving Gojo a spin-off of his own. He more than deserves it as one of the strongest and best characters of the series. My personal preference would be to see him as a student doing missions with Geto and Shoko.

However, a glimpse into Gojo’s childhood would be a good idea, too. We’ve already learned that it was depressing, with him being separated from his parents at a young age and having several bounties on his head. It might not have a lot of action but it’d help us resonate with his character more.

1. Ryomen Sukuna

Aside from the usual fighting stuff, fans had one special request for Gege Akutami: the Heian Era flashback focusing on the rise of Sukuna as the King of Curses. Of course, their wish never comes true as Jujutsu Kaisen abruptly ends after the Shinjuku Showdown Arc.

But there’s another opportunity to give fans what they want: a spin-off with Sukuna as the protagonist. It’ll undoubtedly be one of the greatest storylines of the franchise and will give us a better understanding of the story’s final villain, not to mention we’ll get to see some exhilarating battles.

The Jujutsu Kaisen finale gives us one more reason for wanting the Heian Era spin-off. This prequel could dive deep into his complex relationship with his mother, his abusive childhood, and his eventual encounter with Uraume, his most loyal subject.

So far, there’s been no announcement of Jujutsu Kaisen Part 2 or any spin-offs. But we can always hope to get one or the other in the future.

For more exciting stuff on Jujutsu Kaisen, check out our rankings of the best fights, most wasted characters, and strongest modern-era sorcerers.