Jujutsu Kaisen’s Sequel Was Inspired By an Unlikely Japanese Book

Few expected Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo, the surprise sequel to one of anime’s darkest and most popular shōnen series, to come from such a humble and human place. While Jujutsu Kaisen itself explored power, pain, and sacrifice through supernatural battles, its new chapter draws from a real-life story of compassion and endurance far removed from curses or sorcery.

Gege Akutami’s decision to continue the franchise was not driven by fan pressure or studio demands, but by a deeply personal spark. The author reportedly found inspiration after reading Providence Was With Us, the biography of Nakamura Tetsu, a Japanese doctor who spent 35 years bringing medical and humanitarian aid to Afghanistan and Pakistan, according to @Go_Jover on X.

A Doctor’s Humanity Sparked a New Kind of Story for Jujutsu Kaisen

Nakamura’s story is one of quiet heroism. Working amid civil war, bombings, and drought, he remained dedicated to saving lives long after most would have given up. His story is not one of fantasy, but of grit and compassion, which are all qualities that Akutami has always woven subtly into Jujutsu Kaisen’s fabric, beneath all its darkness and spectacle.

In interviews, Akutami has often expressed admiration for people who persist in doing good despite facing unimaginable odds. Reading Nakamura’s biography, known in Japanese as Ten, Tomo ni Ari, appears to have reignited that fascination. The book’s exploration of moral duty, empathy, and the quiet weight of leadership resonates with the themes that have long defined Jujutsu Kaisen’s heart.

Rather than serving as a simple continuation, Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo may become a meditation on the cost of compassion in a broken world. Nakamura’s resilience mirrors characters like Yuji Itadori and Yuta Okkotsu, heroes defined not by power, but by their willingness to keep helping even when it hurts.

From Darkness to Renewal in Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo

What makes this inspiration so surprising is its contrast to Akutami’s usual tone. Jujutsu Kaisen thrives on despair, loss, and the cyclical nature of violence. Yet Providence Was With Us tells a story of endurance and peace, offering a counterpoint that could push the sequel in a profoundly new direction.

Rather than endless tragedy, Modulo may focus on rebuilding, both literal and emotional. The influence of Nakamura’s humanitarian legacy could signal Akutami’s desire to explore healing instead of destruction, perhaps showing how hope survives even in cursed worlds. It’s a shift that could redefine what fans expect from the series.

In drawing from real-world altruism, Akutami is not softening his story, but grounding it. The brutal honesty of Jujutsu Kaisen might now be tempered by a deeper empathyas a lesson taken from a man who faced devastation and chose kindness anyway. If Modulo lives up to that influence, it could mark not just a new era for the series, but a rare evolution for shōnen storytelling itself.