I really don't understand what people expect from battle shounen these days. The story has a lot of criticism here saying that it lacks "substance" and "The characters lack personality and development". But at the same time, I have seen these same criticisms in manga/animes like Naruto, HxH, BNHA but reversed; that is: "it's slow, they take a long time to move the plot, and drag the characters development, etc." And I just don't understand people and what they want from a BATTLE SHOUNEN. If it has good battles, lore, and characters what more do you want? Deepness? Well, not every story needs that, not every story is an Evangelion or Stein's Gates. Different genres, different goals. Akutami seems to just want to tell a good battle shounen, with some subtle comments on society, spirituality, and the meaning of death here and there.
That said, I like good characters and well-developed backstories like everyone else, but in recent mangas, I feel like it's more like: "which one is sadder than the other" just to make you empathize with the characters as fast ( KNY is an example). It's a trope of the genre and Jujutsu also has it, but in my opinion, it's not forced, it's realistic, not that sad, BUT BELIEVABLE, it makes sense in the world of JJK and the "realistic" vibe of the manga; which is refreshing. Even with it's tropes (the battle shounen ones), JJK KNOWS how to develop it's cliches, making it not "annoying" as others have said. That's what makes a good story these days, because, nowadays, almost all the stories have already been written, all the philosophies tested, what remains is a repetition of what works plus your own taste, and if you identify with the narrative, themes and characters, if they make you feel something. Do you ever felt that all Marvel movies are the same in their essence? Rom Coms? Slice of Lifes? BECAUSE THEY ARE, but do you know the difference between a good and a bad movie/series/anime of the same genre? The execution of its elements. And JJK does it exceptionally. The author isn't afraid to use the tropes and that's what I like the most!
The manga is fast pace, but it gives you enough information for you to understand, and then in the later chapters it gives a few more pieces, and you see everything falling into place, it's beautiful. When you think it has a plot hole, the author writes a 180 and you realize that everything was planned.
I LOVE the characters, we have little moments with them, but I felt attached, they grow so fast on you. Itadori is the first protagonist I like in a while and Nobara and Fushiguro are such good deuteragonists!
I REALLY don't understand people calling this shounen "average". WHAT THE HELL IS A "GOOD" SHOUNEN TODAY SO? Y'all only talk about the old ones (which are good, don't get me wrong). But just because today's ones aren't so "original" or "groundbreaking" and uses some of the same elements as other mangas, DOESN'T mean they're "average". Honestly, if I could call a shounen average, it would be (forgive me) Dr.Stone and Black Clover, I think they are good stories, but they do nothing with the troupes, they just use them in an "acceptable" way (5-6-7). JJK at least has good writing and a different take/spin around the tropes, and just for that, it's more than "average". And just because I'm a bad bitch I'll give this one a 9, not an 8 like I thought previously.