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don't gotta worry abt same face syndrome if u only draw one guy ever

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growth // decay

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i heart microsoft paint

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Both Kugisaki and Fushiguro deciding to share the burden of guilt with Itadori because they know they can't absolve him from it. Can anyone hear me. Anyone at all.

That makes us accomplices vs It's our fault.

It just warms my heart that they don't say something like it's not your fault or it can't be helped. Because there's no way he'll forgive himself. So they share the blame equally and it makes them less alone. I love them so much my family. Can anyone hear m

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They should make a form of writing where I write everything in my head and my brain turns it into a Google document immediately.

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I really like itafushi fire and water metaphors because Sukuna burned a devastating portion of Shibuya in Itadori's body, and drowned Fushiguro's soul out in The Bath which left both of them a shell of their former selves. But their personalities (and design colours) are very reminiscent of their respective imagery (although personality wise I think they're closer to sun/moon)

I just like them being similar to the element that caused their downfall.

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I need to get on the post-canon writing grind so badly bro.

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it's kind of hard to put this into words but something that's been on my mind since jjk ended and there was a boom of post canon fan content being made for it, is that it always really irks me when people act like a "happy" ending is possible at all for characters staying within the jujutsu world, like in the case of yuuji and megumi especially, characters who have been continuously exploited by jujutsu society (not unique to just them, but made particularly obvious by them being basically the sole focus of the main narrative by the second half of the manga) and were unwittingly thrown in/forced to become a part of it in the first place, the idea that just because sukuna is gone everything is suddenly great comes off as really dissonant, like i think it would make sense for characters to act like that's the case in the months immediately following shinjuku showdown because yeah, objectively shit does look great compared to how it was in that arc (which is why, despite some qualms i do have with it, i've never particularly minded that aspect of the ending, since it took place over such a limited time frame) but imo it realistically becomes obvious relatively quickly that the immediate threat of sukuna wasn't the only problem, and that in the long term, a society built from the ground up pretty much solely on the exploitation of those who keep it running cannot sustain a happy ending for anyone

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While his kindness is one of his biggest downfalls, so many of Itadori's problems stem from the lack of care for his own wellbeing. And this trait is a constant throughout the story, not just in later chapters.

They bring this up at the Detention Center. Despite what he said when he was alone, Itadori will jump at the chance to help/save others with a disregard for his own life. Both Fushiguro and Mahito refer to this:

Despite only entering the Jujutsu world for a limited time, both his closest comrade and biggest enemy already notice how self-sacrificing he is. Fushiguro knows that Itadori will throw away his own life to protect him, and Mahito uses that nature to his advantage both with Junpei and in Shibuya. It's the easiest way to break him after all.

The same patterns crop up both in Shibuya and post Shibuya, with the fight against Choso and pre-Yorozu reveal:

If it's for other people, Itadori has no qualms with sacrificing himself. That's the entire reason he signed up to Jujutsu Tech in the first place (other than the fact he would be executed if he didn't). This has been known from the beginning.

However, one thing I find really heart-wrenching is Sukuna and Itadori’s binding vow. Those things are complicated, and unconscious thought seems to play a part in it. Sukuna's conditions are no one will be killed or hurt whenever he is in control (after enchain of course):

Very straightforward, and it doesn't seem like there'd be any loopholes. Even when carrying out the stages of his plan, Sukuna refers to it as a "gamble" because he doesn't know if hurting his own vessel counts.

The fact that Sukuna is able to break off Itadori's finger without consequence because Itadori didn't consciously or subconsciously think to consider himself in this situation is seriously messed up.

The binding vow took place pre-Junpei, pre transfigured humans, pre-Mahito, before there was much chance to lament saving anyone. Even back then, Itadori subconsciously chose not to be included in that Binding Vow. His whole soul excluded himself from being hurt.

You know why? Because he does not give a shit about what happens to himself. He'll die for anyone since he's already on a timer anyway. The higher-ups want him executed at some point and it'll happen eventually, so who cares about his body or what happens to him?

And yet, in Shibuya he sees the consequences of what happens when Sukuna takes over. Devastation, wreckage, murder, etc. Maybe if he knew, that binding vow would've included himself. I still don't think so, considering how suicidal he was afterwards.

And because he didn't think to defend himself from Sukuna, the worst thing imaginable in that moment happens, and the vessel transfers over to his best friend. Obviously deep down Sukuna knew the plan would work. He waited for the right moment after all, but I think after spending a few months in the kid's body and seeing how he treats himself, it's no wonder he was a cocky little bastard about it. He knew Itadori would not care enough to protect himself.

And this is why this panel is one of the most heartbreaking in the manga:

Yeah sure. That's fine. Whatever. I already knew that he'd give his life up for anyone else anyway. Of course he wouldn't include himself in the "anyone" because he doesn't care if Sukuna hurts him at all. And yet because he didn't protect himself, the people he loved suffered. OKAY. SURE HOPE THIS'LL MAKE HIM LOOK OUT FOR HIMSELF MORE. (Spoiler Alert! NO)

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Okay. Here's how itafushi works in my dumb stupid brain okay:

Fushiguro falls first, and it's a gradual descent. After Itadori dies, I imagine he realises he caught feelings, but he can compartmentalise and tell himself that it wouldn't go anywhere because Itadori was doomed to die anyway. Doesn't make him any less miserable, but he's good at ignoring it.

Itadori on the other hand, has No Fucking Idea what he's feeling, because to me I think it will take him some time to figure out, what with his comphet-ness and all (Fushiguro got the perks of knowing you're bisexual.)

When Itadori returns from the "dead", Fushiguro has compartmentalised too close to the sun and has to tell himself (again) that Itadori is fated to die whether he likes it or not, so there's no use in persueing anything. So everything is normal for a while. I think the most you'd get out of them is Itadori going "oh well. Fushiguro and Kugisaki are my best friends but it feels different for each of them. Oh well anyway!"

So Fushiguro's putting his feelings to one side, Itadori's being comphet. Etc etc. And Then There's Culling Games.

With everyone dying or... being sealed, and leaving them the only two constants in each other's lives does something to Itadori. Culling Games to me is when he realises that oh wait nope I'm just in love with him. Okay. Like he feels normal about it one day and then the next he's diving deep into that feeling. And they can't do anything about it because they're in a life or death situation and trying to save Tsumiki. No time to unpack that one he just has to accept it and not dwell on it.

AND WHAT DO YOU KNOW IT ITADORI WANTS TO SACRIFICE HIMSELF AGAIN. Sure hope Fushiguro doesn't keep compartmentalising. Sure hope he stays by his side anyway.

I sure hope this doesn't lead to anything tragic. (Ch212 looming ominously in the background)

Well. After that. Mess. (And Ch266 things), there's no way they don't get together (in my opinion) until post-canon. But even then, I think both of them still have a lot to deal with. Itadori and Fushiguro both need to come to terms with Itadori NOT being executed for sport by the higher ups now that Sukuna is gone and they both need to process their feelings (old and new) for each other. Gotta get on that situationship grind!

But at the end of the day. They love each other so dearly, and I think it'll take them a little while but I know they'd eventually end up together and happy. Nothing a few terrifying life or death experiences can't change to make you realise that even if he wasn't being executed, you still could die young. And let's be happy before then!

They're always soulmate grinding. I know they'll be fine. ❤️💙

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It's super fucked up that Itadori's kindness is one of the sweetest things about him, but his excess kindness (leading into the saviour complex) is his biggest weakness, especially in a place like Jujutsu Tech, where you cannot afford to save everyone.

Itadori wears his heart on his sleeve, and he feels his emotions strongly, so everyone can take advantage of it. Genuinely, the things they say about Gojo (how he fights better alone, and how it's better to leave him to his own devices) applies to Itadori too.

The worst part is it's not like it's his biggest strength and biggest weakness. It's simply a hindrance, because the rage he feels after anyone is killed is followed by despair (and he says himself after Nanami dies that he 'lost' himself to anger). That poor boy's heart of gold is his biggest downfall, and God do they exploit the fuck out of it.

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itafushi are surprisingly hard to put into some aus because theyre so unsubtle they are SO openly in love those kids could NEVER fake disinterest

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Wow these cards are so cute look they're connected to each other! You can see Gojo in Itadori's on the floor below him and... oh? What's that in Gojo's???

I'm gonna start crying.

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I remember when I first started watching JJK (before episode 5, because that shit is just peak homosexuality) that I thought "Huh, Yuji and Megumi would be kinda cute together, I wonder if anyone else has thought of it." and then they turned out to be the second biggest ship on ao3.

That was a beautiful day

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I wrote like a million words of Culling Games but I don't know how to format things on tumblr and it was also a few months ago and I don't like my characterisation FROWN. Well I don't. Hate it. But I would do it differently next time 😔

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Culling Games itfs are so criminally slept on I love those crazy bitches so much.