Gege Akutami’s epic dark fantasy manga Jujutsu Kaisen ended in 2024 with the enthralling fight between Sukuna and Itadori. What made the manga captivating for fans was Gege’s incredible art and storytelling. Though the manga panels showcase his talent and mastery, all of Jujutsu Kaisen’s volume covers are no slouch either. They are further testament to his talent, with each JJK volume cover featuring our beloved character in unique poses and backdrops. So, with the final covers now out, I have compiled the best Jujutsu Kaisen manga covers drawn by Gege Akutami.
12. Volume 1 Puts Itadori in the Limelight
- Manga Chapters: 1-7
This is where it all began with the classic Volume 1 cover of Jujutsu Kaisen manga. Itadori Yuji, the protagonist of this series, gets the spotlight in volume 1, as one would expect. Yuji can be seen with his right hand up, featuring Sukuna’s terrifying mouth and tongue in his palm.
The King of Curses’ hand in the background not only signifies Yuki becoming Sukuna’s vessel, but it foreshadows the two characters who will fight against each other in the final battle. To this day, this cover is widely popular among fans and will continue to be so.
11. Volume 19 Marks the Arrival of an Enigmatic Lawyer
- Manga Chapters: 162-171
I would say Hiromi Higurumaa, the attorney in law is a distinct character with a bleak personality in JJK. He is featured on the volume 19 cover where Gege wonderfully depicts his dispirited and mysterious nature by highlighting his eyes.
Higuruma is seen with Gege’s frequent staring into your soul pose but since he is a lawyer, this pose suits him more than any other character on the Jujutsu Kaisen manga covers.
10. Volume 7 Depicts the Brotherhood of the Death Painting Siblings
- Manga Chapters: 53-61
As JJK fans might be aware, Choso was born a curse yet he deeply cared about his siblings and became a guardian brother figure for them. The Death Painting arc (check out Jujutsu Kaisen arcs in order) takes place in Volume 7 and is also when Choso is introduced in the story.
Thus, the JJK volume 7 cover features the cursed womb siblings with Choso in the center. He firmly holds his brothers Eso and Kechizu’s hands who are later eliminated in the same volume. Gege also depicted the death paintings inside the womb in the background of this cover, adding an extra layer of detail.
9. Volume 27 Highlights Takaba’s Goofy Charm
- Manga Chapters: 237-245
Fumihiko Takaba is a unique character created by Gege Akutami to show off his goofiness in Jujutsu Kaisen. We never anticipated Takaba to take on Kenjaku in the ultimate showdown at Shinjuku, but he did and this fight takes place in Volume 27.
As a result, Gege designed the volume 27 cover of the Jujutsu Kaisen manga with Takaba in a funny yet striking pose. Takaba points his fingers at the audience and the cover is decorated with Kenjaku emojis to highlight the humorous battle of the sorcerers. My favorite part of this cover is the smiling emojis in the background inspired by Kenjaku’s stitches design.
8. Volume 8 Introduces Megumi’s Menacing Father
- Manga Chapters: 62-70
Even though he appeared only for a short period in the manga, sorcerer killer, Toji Fushiguro, ranks high in every fan’s heart. Volume 8 marks the beginning of the Hidden Inventory arc, which tells the story of Gojo’s past and sees him take on Toji while protecting Rika Amanai, the Star Plasma Vessel.
Toji is the star of this volume, hence, it makes sense for Gege to make him the face of the Jujutsu Kaisen Volume 8 cover. In this cover, Toji is carrying his famous Inventory Curse on his shoulder in front of a gloomy background. He maintains his swag, wiping blood off his face as the sorcerer killer is always known for spilling blood everywhere he goes.
7. Volume 13 Showcases the Aura of the Reluctant Swordsman
- Manga Chapters: 107-115
Even though he is a Jujutsu sorcerer, Atsuya Kusakabe always puts his life first. But he is one of the strongest Grade 1 sorcerers as he is a highly skilled swordsman without an innate cursed technique.
To showcase his incredible swordsmanship, Gege put Kusakabe on the cover of volume 13 with his katana. He holds his katana to hide half of his face behind it, which makes it one of the coolest JJK manga covers. I’m not going to lie; this cover gives me a Kagurabachi-esque vibe.
6. Volume 17 Depicts Naoya Zenin’s Bloodlust
- Manga Chapters: 143-152
In case you are an anime-only fan, Naoya is the son of Naobito Zenin and is the head of the Hei unit of the Zenin clan. Naoya Zenin is one of the most hated JJK characters yet Gege Akutami created an extraordinary manga cover featuring him.
A bloodthirsty Naoya appears on the volume 17 cover with him clasping his hands together to make the blood drip all over his face. Naoya then sticks his tongue out as if tasting the blood in a dramatic pose.
5. Volume 22 Captures the Rebirth of Maki Zenin
- Manga Chapters: 191-199
Fans certainly didn’t expect Maki Zenin’s transformation, making her the female equivalent of Toji Fushiguro. Ever since that transformation, Maki’s demeanor and vibes were totally different than before but fans (including me) rocked with her new look.
The Jujutsu Kaisen manga cover for volume 22 features Maki Zenin lying down with the Split Soul Katana by her side. If you look closely, she is making a pinky promise with a mysterious character, who is most probably her younger twin sister — Mai Zenin. She is indeed the Female Toji and this cover art showcases her brand-new and terrifying design from Gege.
4. Volume 11 Defines Nanami’s Fierce Presence
- Manga Chapters: 89-97
Nanamin will always be one of the beloved sensei from Jujutsu Kaisen. Although he appears to be composed and enigmatic in most situations, he gets serious when it’s time to fight. Jujutsu Kaisen manga volume 11 cover perfectly captures this aura with Nanami adjusting his goggles and staring right into our souls
The background includes the 7:3 line he pictures in his mind while performing his Ratio Technique. Volume 11’s cover with Nanami will be remembered as one of the most impactful JJK manga covers.
3. Volume 30 Highlights Yuji’s Phenomenal Evolution
- Manga Chapters: 264-271
Itadori Yuji is the face of Jujutsu Kaisen and the first volume cover featuring him is still popular among fans today. Now, to conclude the series, Gege has come up with an insane cover for the final volume that will be adored by fans equally.
This cover has Yuji performing his domain expansion in a stone-cold pose. Yuji’s face on the Volume 30 cover reminds me of the time he menacingly stared at Mahito before killing him in JJK Season 2 during the Shibuya Incident. Moreover, while you’re here, check out the ending of Jujutsu Kaisen to learn what went down in the final few chapters.
2. Volume 4 Shows off Gojo’s Chaotic Charm
- Manga Chapters: 26-34
Gojo Satoru, the gifted Six Eyes sorcerer, has the highest stardom compared to any other character from JJK. Though Gege might have fumbled the story during the Sukuna vs Gojo fight, he pays his regards to Gojo on the Volume 26 cover. It’s a beautiful cover, but it isn’t my favorite.
The cover of one of the earliest volumes, Volume 4, showcases the deranged Gojo. Gojo can be seen taking off his blindfold to show his legendary Six Eyes while sticking his tongue out. The bright blue background matches the color of his Six Eyes, thus, making this one of the most memorable Jujutsu Kaisen covers.
1. Volume 14 Presents a Maniacal Ryomen Sukuna
- Manga Chapters: 116-124
It seems Gege Akutami loves Ryomen Sukuna more than anybody else. Be it the manga covers and artwork featuring Sukuna, the creator always delivers. Therefore, the best-ever JJK manga cover is the Volume 14 one with Sukuna on the front.
In a Hollow Purple-like background, Sukuna is seen covering his face and has his iconic devilish laugh on his face. He was sure having fun posing like this, similar to how he had fun slaughtering people during the Shibuya Incident.
So, these are our top 12 picks out of the 30 JJK manga covers. I have always loved Gege Akutami’s art style and his manga covers are inviting for every manga reader. Having said that, which is your favorite Jujutsu Kaisen cover? Let us know in the comments below.
