Jujutsu Kaisen's epilogue can learn how to end a series from My Hero Academia

As someone who has followed both My Hero Academia (MHA) and Jujutsu Kaisen (JJK) since the first chapter was released, I knew just after reading the premise that the stories were going to be promising.

I’ve found myself reflecting a lot on how each series chose to conclude its story. After putting a lot of thought and comparing the endings, I think Jujutsu Kaisen’s epilogue missed an opportunity, one that My Hero Academia actually got right.

I would not say that the ending of My Hero Academia was perfect, but one thing that the creator did right was give the fans clarity. Deku became a mentor, an echo of Aizawa. Bakugo rose in the hero rankings, scarred but steadier. Todoroki stood beside his broken family, committed to healing. Even if the eight-year time skip felt abrupt, the author did not stop at that.

Horikoshi doubled back, he released an extended epilogue that, in my opinion, was basically a love letter to his characters. Thirty-eight extra pages that answered the question every fan asks when a series ends. And because of this extra effort, my frustration with JJK starts to build.

Now, technically, Gege Akutami gave us a four-part epilogue. But reading it felt like a scribbled sticky note next to a massive mural. It felt like it was a glimpse, not a goodbye. The whole climax of the series, after Yuji defeated Sukuna, was rushed. And maybe because the most powerful character died, and Gege had to finish it before he lost his audience.

But in the epilogue, Nobara had a reunion with her estranged mother that felt more like a punchline than a payoff. Panda had a bizarre scene set in the year 2080, which honestly read more like a throwaway gag than a bridge to the future.

We can look at it from another angle. If I bring up the topic of romance, grief, and forgiveness, these three themes are what make an epilogue satisfying. In MHA, the romance between Ochaco and Deku was not openly confirmed, but the author did not have to. But in Jujutsu Kaisen, there was no one who got their happily ever after like how fans hoped.

Different Pens, Different Paths: Comparing Jujutsu Kaisen and My Hero Academia structure

Even though Jujutsu Kaisen and My Hero Academia are both shonen at their core, I’ve always felt like they come from completely different creative worlds. Kohei Horikoshi writes like someone who still believes in heroes. Meanwhile, Gege Akutami writes like the world has already ended and nobody got the memo.

For instance, in MHA, there’s a structure to his story, a moral backbone. Even when things get dark, there’s a sense that Deku and the others are fighting for something worth saving. But Jujutsu Kaisen’s characters are constantly in survival mode, the pacing is brutal, and emotional payoffs are often undercut by sudden tragedy. That’s why I don’t think it’s fair to compare their writing styles directly; what I’m trying to express is that the feeling I was left with after finishing My Hero Academia just didn’t exist when I got to the end of Jujutsu Kaisen.

Final Thoughts

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At no point shall I deny my love for Jujutsu Kaisen, and none of the points I mentioned are said any of this out of spite. I know how powerful this story has been, and how much stronger its ending could’ve felt with just a bit more care. As a fan, it is understandable that when our beloved series comes to an end, we never feel it is enough.

I really wanted to see Yuji teaching the next generation like Gojo did. I wanted to see Megumi smile again. And I know not every story needs a happy ending. But it does need a complete one. In the end, MHA understood that. It is understood that after all the chaos, readers crave stillness, one last deep breath with the characters they’ve grown to love. And that’s what I wish JJK had given us, too.

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