A recently opened exhibition focusing on Jujutsu Kaisen has allowed its franchise creator, Akutami Gege, to discuss the many influences and other aspects that are part of creating such a massively popular series. Along with going into their thought process, Gege also revealed a surprising inspiration for one of JJK’s most popular characters.
The newly unveiled Jujutsu Kaisen exhibition, hosted at Hikarie Hall in Tokyo, Japan, has sold out tickets for the event, while international fans have taken to social media to discuss the new revelations that have been reported by visitors thus far. That includes a post by X (formerly Twitter) user Go_Jover, stating that Hollywood actor Jason Statham was the model for JJK’s Toji Fushiguro. Jujutsu Kaisen is known for its occasional real-life pop culture and movies references, including some well-known actors like Jessica Alba and Sebastian Stan. However, the link between Statham and Toji has caught plenty of fans by surprise.
Jujutsu Kaisen’s Toji Fushiguro Is Similar to Jason Statham in More Ways Than One
Toji Fushiguro is one of the most powerful characters in Jujutsu Kaisen and a certified terror to the world of sorcerers. This is because Toji had a Heavenly Restriction placed on him when he was born, absolving him of any Cursed Energy in exchange for great physical strength. This makes him the perfect assassin in the world of JJK and a dangerous antagonist to the main cast. Jason Statham, a leading man in many popular martial arts and action films, may therefore make for a good mold when creating a character that needs to be a serious threat. This not only makes the character stand out in terms of his build, but also for how he is used in fight scenes.
Toji is not only extremely strong but also extremely skilled at martial arts and with various cursed tools. This gives his character a certain grittiness that has made him a fan-favorite antagonist. Not only is he the most exceptional hand-to-hand combatant in Jujutsu Kaisen, but he can even make use of non-cursed weaponry to great effect if he feels it will get the job done. This being the case, using a real-world action star known for his martial arts prowess as inspiration makes sense with the context of the character. As Statham has starred in numerous action-heavy franchises like The Transporter, The Expendables, The Fast and The Furious and the newly streaming The Beekeeper, there’s certainly a large pool of material to draw inspiration from.
As more developments come out from the Jujutsu Kaisen exhibition, fans may be able to see certain aspects of the series in a new light. The exhibition is planned to last until Aug 27, 2024, so there will likely be plenty more information to be revealed over the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, fans can read the ongoing JJK manga via Viz Media or watch Seasons 1 and 2 of the anime adaptation, both of which are available to stream on Crunchyroll.