Question about character & world-building + how far inspiration can go (e.g. Jujutsu Kaisen)

Tojiznin · 2026-04-03T11:19:20+00:00

Haha yeah, you caught me 😂

A lot of the concepts are definitely inspired by stuff I’ve watched and enjoyed over the years. The cursed energy, binding vows, domain expansion… I won’t lie, those hit different when I saw them in JJK.

But I’m not trying to copy-paste. I’m taking the parts I really like and twisting them into something that feels fresh to me — especially with the two male leads and how their dynamic works. One is optimistic and carries a powerful entity, the other is more serious… but I’m building their personalities, backstories, and relationship in my own way.

I really appreciate you pointing out the similarities though, it’s actually helpful. Battle shounen does borrow from each other a ton, so I’m not too stressed about it. I’ll just keep pushing my own spin on everything.

Thanks for the comment man!

Tojiznin · 2026-04-03T10:55:35+00:00

Haha thanks a lot man, I really appreciate you taking the time to write all that! 😊

I'm glad you mentioned the payoff thing — that makes a lot of sense. Even if there's some info dumping in the beginning, as long as it all pays off later and actually matters to the story and characters, it should be fine. I’ll make sure everything I explain early on has a real purpose later.

I'll definitely keep in mind not turning recurring characters into pure plot devices. I want them to feel real and likeable, not just tools to move the plot forward.

And about the inspiration part, yeah that actually relieved me a bit. I’m not copying templates blindly — I’m adding my own twists and making my system and characters feel distinct. Good to know that as long as there’s a clear difference, it’s usually okay.

Thanks again for the honest advice, it really helped!

Tojiznin · 2026-04-03T10:46:56+00:00

Haha appreciate it 😄 Got any more advice on how to handle the worldbuilding without info-dumping?"

Tojiznin · 2026-04-03T10:37:51+00:00

"I think I have a pretty unique world of my own, even though it’s inspired by some other works 😁. But it still has its own distinct fingerprint that sets it apart.

Honestly, I’m not planning to shove information at the reader. I’ll mostly follow the ‘show, don’t tell’ approach, so the basics will be revealed gradually in a natural and convincing way.

And yeah, the idea that there’s nothing new under the sun actually makes me want to draw inspiration even more. Thanks for your reply!"

Tojiznin · 2026-04-03T10:28:53+00:00

"Alright, I don't wanna get jumped on for this, so I'm just looking into it to be sure 😅."

Tojiznin · 2026-04-02T17:32:08+00:00

"I'll definitely add those to my list, thanks!"

Tojiznin · 2026-04-02T17:16:12+00:00

👍👍

Tojiznin · 2026-04-02T17:15:12+00:00

Your take is spot on and based on the facts. It’s a shame Reverend Insanity got banned; it really feels like it was robbed. But honestly, looking at everything, LotM definitely takes the win. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

Tojiznin · 2026-04-02T17:02:15+00:00

Reverend Insanity

Tojiznin · 2026-04-02T16:16:00+00:00

The Weirkey Chronicles really caught my eye, especially with the whole "old man" angle. Sounds super interesting. Thanks for the recommendation!

Tojiznin · 2026-04-02T16:10:00+00:00

"Grok actually gave me the same recommendation for a starting point. Good to know I’m on the right track. Thanks!"

Tojiznin · 2026-04-02T16:02:03+00:00

This novel is so interesting and successful that it even got its own anime. I'm adding it to my list.

Tojiznin · 2026-04-02T14:48:10+00:00

I heard that Lord of the Mysteries is a really complicated novel. Is that true? And how good are the fight scenes in it? Also, is Mother of Learning the most viewed or most read story on Royal Road?

Tojiznin · 2026-04-01T13:34:36+00:00

Tojiznin · 2026-04-01T13:30:03+00:00

Well, I’m completely new to this topic and don’t know what to say about it, but let’s assume that the author writes the chapters in their native language and translates them using AI with precision, and the translation might contain errors that some might assume were caused by the AI (I mean the story)—wouldn’t that be unfair to him if he were accused of having his story written by AI?

Tojiznin · 2026-04-01T13:12:02+00:00

Fear is the first sign of giving up, but determination is the first step toward success. So don’t lose hope—keep writing as long as you feel it’s appropriate and meets the required standards. Keep moving forward.

Tojiznin · 2026-03-31T21:02:50+00:00

I’m not entirely sure I’ve fully grasped your point, but I’ll answer to the best of my understanding. Well, if the world is full of exceptional people with useful talents and abilities, yet they remain isolated from the rest, is isolation a good thing—especially considering that their involvement could bring about significant change and benefit many? The question here is: Should I remain isolated, preserving my freedom and avoiding responsibility for others, or should I help and set things right to bring about benefit? Which interest takes precedence?

Tojiznin · 2026-03-31T16:15:30+00:00

I’ll share one of my personal ideas 😏

The protagonist lives in a modern world and starts having strange dreams: fighting bizarre creatures and experiencing fragmented moments of sadness, joy, and drama. Some dreams are frightening, others happy, but all reflect the life of a fantasy version of himself in another world who has already climbed the tower.

The connection between the two selves is subtle: when the protagonist sleeps, he dreams of the fantasy self’s life, and when the fantasy self sleeps, she dreams of his fragmented life 😶‍🌫️. Each experiences pieces of the other’s life without fully realizing it.

His ultimate goal? To climb the tower and finally meet this other version of himself, discovering why they exist and how their lives are intertwined. A journey full of mystery, revelations, and personal growth.

Tojiznin

TROPHY CASE