Jujutsu Kaisen: Why Gege Akutami killed his favorite character

Tulisha srivastava
Jujutsu Kaisen Nanami death in anime

Gege Akutami doesn’t shy away from killing fan-favorite Jujutsu Kaisen characters, so much so that he didn’t even hesitate to kill off his favorite character, Nanami Kento.

Jujutsu Kaisen comes with its fair share of deaths and tragedies. The most gruesome arc of the series is the Shibuya Incident arc, which is currently being aired in the ongoing Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2. Just thinking about what’s going to happen in the upcoming episodes is enough to depress anyone.

However, even with all the heart-wrenching moments, nothing comes close to being as spine-chilling as Nanami’s fate. The most surprising part of this is that Gege did all this to his favorite character. Not only Gege but the entire fandom adores Nanami, who is like a mentor to Yuji. 

The character’s desire to help others is an admirable trait to have in the cruel world of Jujutsu Kaisen. He also adores Yuji, who reminds him of Yu Haibara. Therefore, what Gege Akutami did to Nanami Kento, his favorite character, is by far the most tragic moment in Jujutsu Kaisen. Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 Episode 18 features the beautiful yet heartbreaking final moments of Kento Nanami.

Why Gege Akutami killed Nanami in Jujutsu Kaisen

Jujutsu Kaisen Nanami's anime-only scene

Gege Akutami killed Nanami because he didn’t have any further role as a Jujutsu Kaisen character.

As per Comic Book, Gege Akutami shared in a preview interview from 2022: “At the beginning, my favorite was Sukuna. Mainly for his graphic aspects, which are inspired by everything I had read. Nanami is the first character I managed to create by myself and evolve. So he is my favorite character at the moment.”

However, that doesn’t stop him from sacrificing Nanami for the plot. In the Jujutsu Kaisen fanbook Q&A, Gege Akutami was asked: “When did Nanami’s ending in the Shibuya Incident start to be decided?” The author answered: “When I thought about doing the Shibuya Incident arc. To be honest, I like Nanami as a character, and he is easy to work on. But in terms of his role in the story and the development of the characters, I had no choice after all.”

Additionally, Gege joked about “accidentally” killing Nanami when he only intended to make him lose his arm. Jujutsu Kaisen has its fair share of deaths, but nothing is as gruesome as Nanami’s. He suffered too much and for too long.

He was partially shredded in Dagon’s domain, then burned by Jogo’s fires, before finally dying at Mahito’s hands. Mahito blows up the first half of Nanami’s body right in front of Yuji. Yuji completely breaks down after watching someone he deeply cares about die so horribly.

How to watch Crunchyroll from outside your location in 2023

Crunchyroll is the world’s best hub for streaming anime, whether it’s One PieceAttack on Titan, or Jujutsu Kaisen – and thanks to ExpressVPN, you can access the platform’s full library even if you’re outside the US.

If you’re abroad, here’s what you need to do to access Crunchyroll’s full selection – and it really is this simple: 

  1. Sign up for ExpressVPN, which has ultra-fast servers and offers a secure, private connection wherever you are in the world.
  2. Connect to a location anywhere in the US; Express VPN allows you to choose from 24 different spots, from New Jersey to Santa Monica.
  3. Visit Crunchyroll online and start streaming all of your favorite animes – and perhaps some you’ve never watched.

Accessing Crunchyroll’s US roster makes a difference. For example, Hong Kong users only have access to less than 100 titles, while the US has nearly 1,000 movies and TV shows. 

You can also stream anime on Crunchyroll for free with an ad-supported plan. Or you can pay for a subscription – there’s even a 14-day free trial if you can’t quite make up your mind. 

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About The Author

Tulisha is an anime writer at Dexerto. In the past, she has worked for Comic Book Resources. She is most knowledgeable about Shonen series, particularly One Piece and Jujutsu Kaisen. You can contact her at tulisha.srivastava@dexerto.com