Jujutsu Kaisen Manga goes on indefinite hiatus over the author’s health

The rumours about the ever-popular weekly Shonen jump manga going on a hiatus has been confirmed on Wednesday night. A statement released on behalf of the author of Jujutsu Kaisen, Gege Akutami, has pointed out the deteriorating health as the reason for the break. “We wish Gege Akutami a restful time off and look forward to the next chapter,” Shonen Jump shared on Twitter. It also featured a handwritten note from the creator himself.

The statement further said that the author was in dire need of a severe rest; the time estimated for the rest has been speculated to be around a month, but nothing is set, and it could run longer.

The author, too, has given out a personal statement regarding the issue. He has said that the health problem is not grave and nothing related to mental health but the rest would ensure that he gives out his best in the future releases.

The hiatus hasn’t surprised the fans who were speculating about his health for a long time. However, this action has sparked debates about the concept of weekly Shonen issues and the health of the authors. The immense pressure they feel about completing the weekly requirement and keeping up with the schedule can be challenging and taxing on the authors.

“I have been asked by the editorial department to take a break from the series, but I don’t want to slow down the weekly serialization of Jujutsu Kaisen since I’d like to draw the end of the series as soon as possible, and just put a hold on my answer,” Akutami wrote.

“However, I’m just not able to recover my schedule compared to other mangaka when they take a single break. If nothing is done about this, the same thing will be repeated over and over again, so I decided to accept the proposal from the editorial department… Even if I say I’m sick, it’s not any serious illness. My mental health is completely fine, so do not worry about it. I’m really sorry I’ll have to keep you waiting. Once I come back, I’ll do my best with the serialization.”

Clearly, Akumtai is upset about the break, but Jujutsu Kaisen fans are happy to accommodate his needs. After all, the manga can wait if need be, but Akutami cannot when his health is on the line.

Many fans have shared their support for the Mangaka while other have continued to criticise the industry that put so much pressure on the authors.

For those unfamiliar with Akutami, the manga artist was born in 26 February 1992 in Japan. The artist began dabbling in art as a young age, and he went on to draw inspiration from hit series like Bleach, Hunter x Hunter, and even Neon Genesis Evangelion. Akutami went on to publish his prequel to Jujutsu Kaisen in 2017 before his fully serialized story went live in 2018. This means Akutami has been working doggedly for four years straight, so you cannot blame the man for needing a break. And with his health in question, fans want little more than for Akutami to get the rest he needs.