The New King Of Shonen: Is Jujutsu Kaisen Really Better Than AOT & One Piece?

The latest findings released by data-science firm Parrot Analytics crowned Jujutsu Kaisen as the most in-demand anime much to the ire of One Piece and Attack on Titan fans. While topping the charts is impressive, does it translate to Jujutsu Kaisen being objectively “better”?

I have said in the past – the popularity of an anime doesn’t necessarily dictate its quality. For instance, despite all the love that Demon Slayer gets, I doubt if there is anything apart from it’s animation quality or emotional quotient which stands a head over the others. No there isn’t!

But, this rise in popularity of Jujutsu Kaisen begs a question to be answered – is the series really better than the two behemoths it bested?

While some One Piece lovers were flabbergasted by how an anime that has been airing for over 20 years was beaten by a newbie with only two seasons, 47 episodes and a ton of production issues, it is fair to say that Jujutsu Kaisen is certainly an able competitor to the long running series.

Because, if the length of the series were to influence how good an anime is, then sorry One Piece fans, I think Sazae-San – a series that has been airing for over 50 years, should be taking the crown of the most in-demand anime show.

But that’s not the case is it?

Great anime can captivate viewers for various reasons: stunning animation (Demon Slayer), compelling plots (Attack on Titan), thrilling action, fantastic music, or unforgettable characters (Gojo Satoru, anyone?). Ultimately, it’s about sheer enjoyability.

Now, coming back to the question, can we really say Jujutsu Kaisen is actually better than One Piece or Attack on Titan?

If I were to give a diplomatic answer then I’d say it’s useless to compare the three series because they aren’t even from the same genre, and doing so would be akin to nitpicking and spoiling the fun.

But since I talked about the enjoyability factor as a whole, allow me to compare them nevertheless. I could list out several reasons why the anime or the manga of Jujutsu Kaisen needs to be picked up, but let’s be a bit brief here.

All of One Piece, AOT and JJK fall under the bracket of shows that are animated quite well and keep fans engaged, a testament to all of them being great.

Attack On Titan gained fame for a premise that was very unique, and plot that could easily pull you in. It keeps you on the edge for a major part of the story, before pulling the rug from under you and turning into one of the best political narratives out there. The Rumbling’s impact will be widely debated in the years to come for sure!

And One Piece? It’s strength lies in its ability to retain viewers for over two decades. In fact, Oda is still tightlipped on what exactly the One Piece is, though he did admit that he might have to go away and think about it.

On the other hand, Jujutsu Kaisen, a battle shonen distinct from the others, stands out as a top contender. It excels at what it sets out to do: immerse viewers in its exhilarating battles.

The well-defined power system, reminiscent of Hunter x Hunter, coupled with its amazingly choreographed fights, make the series stand out. Not that it doesn’t have a good plot, crazy foreshadowing or a solid worldbuilding, but everything in JJK culminates in an epic and often exhilarating battle.

For instance, the fight between Mahito and Itadori in Shibuya was not just a battle of powers, it was a clash of ideologies, and Jujutsu Kaisen executed that perfectly! The characters even grow, mature or even spiral into evil (Geto Suguru) through these said fights.

While One Piece certainly has overarching themes of adventuring and camaraderie – a staple in the shounen genre, a good chunk of it is still made up of fights, fights that pale in comparison to the ones we see in Jujutsu Kaisen.

The more you watch One Piece, the more all these fights fit into the same mold – the nakamas getting bodied and then getting back up against all odds to win.

Jujutsu Kaisen, like Attack on Titan, subverts some shonen cliches. However, we need to keep in mind why Attack on Titan, which had been crowned the most in demand show since 2020, lost out to Jujutsu Kaisen.

First is the demand for AOT decreasing because it finished airing – that too in a two part episode which released quite some time apart. And second is that Jujutsu Kaisen’s Season 2, which adapted the Shibuya arc, aired towards the end of 2023, giving it a major boost in demand.

Despite all the hype it created, Attack on Titan couldn’t land the ending quite that well, and that has left a bad taste in my mouth. Jujutsu Kaisen could too go down a similar path, but till now – the manga and its anime adaptation (a huge thanks to the staff who worked super hard despite the horrible production schedule) are consistently delivering.

If the Shibuya arc propelled Jujutsu Kaisen to such heights, then the upcoming Gojo vs. Sukuna fight promises to be a monumental event.

True, like I mentioned before, all three anime are from different genres, but in terms of overall enjoyability, Jujutsu Kaisen seems to be leaping ahead of the other two, thanks to its high octane content. There is no downtime in the manga, as one major event is followed by the other – that’s just the way Akutami has set up the series.

And for fans of battle shonen, these hyped up fights that are thoroughly enjoyable are all they need!