Analyzing Yuji Itadori's Character Development in Jujutsu Kaisen Season 1: A Hero's Journey Approach
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31004/joecy.v5i2.1286Keywords:
Yuji Itadori, Hero's Journey, Jujutsu Kaisen, Character Development, Contemporary HeroismAbstract
This study analyzes the character development of Yuji Itadori in Jujutsu Kaisen Season 1 through the lens of Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey framework. The aim is to explore how Itadori's transformation reflects contemporary themes of heroism and the moral dilemmas faced by young people today. Using a qualitative research design, the study focuses on selected episodes (1-24), employing thematic analysis to identify key moments in Itadori's journey. The findings reveal that Itadori evolves from a reluctant high school student into a determined hero, grappling with identity and responsibility. By the end of Season 1, he embodies the essence of modern heroism, emphasizing that true strength lies in protecting loved ones. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of character development in anime and highlights the relevance of traditional narrative frameworks in contemporary storytelling.
References
Ascough, H. (2018). Once upon a time: Using the hero’s journey in development stories. Canadian Journal of Development Studies, 39 (4), 533–549. https://doi.org/10.1080/02255189.2018.1479634
Campbell, J. (1949). The hero with a thousand faces. Princeton University Press.
Campbell, J. (2008). The hero with a thousand faces (3rd ed.). New World Library.
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). Sage Publications.
Dwipa, B. W. P. (2023). The voyage of a heroic pirate: Hero’s journey in Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece. LITERA KULTURA: Journal of Literary and Cultural Studies, 10(3), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.26740/lk.v10i3.54506
Julius, & Satria, R. (2022). Analysis of hero’s journey in Jack London’s “The Call of The Wild”. ELS Journal on Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities, 5(4), 613–618. https://doi.org/10.34050/elsjish.v5i4.23879
Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (2014). Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook (3rd ed.). Sage Publications.
Nurdiana, & Evyanto. (2019). The hero journey of Alice in “Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll: Archetypal approach. Scientia, 1(2). Retrieved from https://ejournal.upbatam.ac.id/index.php/scientia_journal/article/view/2541
Prahasti, S. M. (2024). Identity formation of Yuta Okkotsu in Jujutsu Kaisen 0 (2021): Hero’s journey. Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Firja Adica, aisah chairuna salsabila, shofi dianra zahra Damanik, Qazka Tabita Ritonga, Fikry Prastya Syahputra

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.







