Gege Akutami, creator of Jujutsu Kaisenrevealed that the character Toji Fushiguro was inspired by actor Jason Statham and Emiya Kiritsugu from Destination/Zero.

Akutami discussed the influences behind Fushiguro's character in a Q&A session, which was part of a catalog distributed during the recent Jujutsu Kaisen exhibition, held in Shibuya in July 2024.

When considering Fushiguro's character, Akutami initially envisioned him as similar to Kenny from Attack on Titan. However, the character's appearance changed after being influenced by the aura of voice actor Kazuhiro Yamaji.

Yamaji is a Japanese actor and voice actor who dubbed Jason Statham's voice in Japanese. This influence made Akutami resemble Fushiguro, akin to Jason Statham, known for his tough, professional roles.

Akutami also drew parallels between Fushiguro and Emiya Kiritsugu's Destination/Zero. Both characters share characteristics in their approaches and actions that are often considered unacceptable by others in their respective worlds.

Both Emiya and Toji are well-known sorcerer assassins in their respective universes, and both used methods and means that were looked down upon by their peers.

Emiya's influence can be clearly seen in Toji, as he uses a variety of weapons and tactical brilliance to defeat his opponents.

“At first I thought of making [Toji] something like Kenny from Attack on Titan, but then I was drawn to [voice actor Kazuhiro] Yamaji-san's aura, and he ended up looking more like the professional workhorse Jason Statham. He's also quite similar to Kiritsugu from Fate/Zero in that he does things that jujutsu sorcerers find disgusting.said Akutami.

The author also delved into the reasons why he created Toji, explaining that he was developed to address Akutami's concerns about Megumi's character being too weak.

As the story progressed, Akutami decided to introduce Fushiguro's father to deepen the character's dynamics. This approach, suggested by editor Katayama, helped establish connections within the narrative.

“When the serialization began, there was always the question of whether Itadori was too weak as a character…? But as the story progressed, I began to question whether it was Fushiguro's character who was too lacking, so I introduced Fushiguro's father. This was a technique I learned from editor Katayama for building connections..”

Toji Fushiguro gained popularity among fans after appearing prominently in the manga's Hidden Inventory arc. Known for his exceptional combat skills and formidable presence, despite having no cursed energy, Toji quickly became a fan favorite.

His actions set the tone for what was to come. Jujutsu Kaisenwith the murder of Riko Amanai becoming one of the most crucial points in the story.

The exhibition catalog's Q&A also provides interesting insights into Megumi, Itadori, and even Yuta Okkotsu.

Jujutsu Kaisen manga, which began serialization in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump in 2018.

As of July 2024, the manga's chapters have been collected into 27 tankōbon volumes, with over 90 million copies in circulation. The ongoing Shinjuku Showdown arc is reportedly the final arc/part of the manga, according to Akutami.

Source: Jujutsu Kaisen exhibition via Soukatsu