Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2.
This is one of the first things you learn when you are introduced toGege Akutami’sJujutsu Kaisenanime and manga franchise:Satoru Gojo is the strongest. From his powers to his look to his persona, the fans have grown to adore Satoru Gojo, and he is a big part of what madeJujutsu Kaisensuch amassively popular global franchise. Currently, in its second season, the anime series has had thirty-five episodes so far, as well as a prequel movie calledJujutsu Kaisen 0that made quite a splash at the box office. Gojo is featured significantly through most of both the show and the movie, so it’s understandable if you were to think that he is the most important figure inJujutsu Kaisen. But that’s where you would be wrong. For all his power and personality,Jujutsu Kaisenis not all about Satoru Gojo, and this is about to become abundantly clear as the show’s second season is currently in the middle of the infamousShibuya Incident arc. In this chapter, Satoru Gojo is sealed within the Prison Realm, effectively removing him from the plot for the foreseeable future.
We’re also shown the consequences of this incident, which sends shockwaves through the world of the franchise. InJujutsu KaisenEpisode 35, we learn that even as a child, Gojo’s sheer aura was enough to terrify experienced Curse Users and send them into hiding. The episode also makes an interesting analogy, with Gojo’s birth likened to an athlete breaking a world record. Just like how in sports there are athletes who raise the bar for the field as a whole, Gojo has raised the bar for the world ofJujutsu Kaisen, leading to stronger Curses but also stronger Jujutsu Sorcerers. This, while making Gojo soundeven coolerthan he already did, also reveals exactly why he isn’t the focus of the story.
‘Jujutsu Kaisen’s Hidden Inventory / Premature Death Arc Reveals Gojo’s Real Mission
If you look closely at Gojo’s appearances in the franchise so far, he usually plays the mentor role. That’s only to be expected as he is a teacher at Tokyo Jujutsu High. The only time we see Gojo as a primary protagonist is in theHidden Inventory / Premature Death Arc, adapted as the first five episodes ofJujutsu KaisenSeason 2. Set during the character’s high school years, these episodes deeply dissect the idea of Gojo being “the strongest”, through the eyes of his best friend and eventual nemesis Suguru Geto. The experiences that Gojo has during this arc are what give him the convictions that carry him through his present-day stories. Seeing his friend become a villain convinces Gojo that it isn’t enough to just be the strongest.
Premature Death ends with Gojo meeting a young Megumi Fushiguro (the secondary protagonist of the series). In this scene, Gojo tells Fushiguro “You better get strong, don’t get left behind.” From that moment on, Gojo’s mission is to help bring about a new generation that’s just as powerful as he is, if not more. So no, Gojo isn’t the most important character inJujutsu Kaisen. He isn’t the hero of this story. But he is exactly what he set out to be. Satoru Gojo is the catalyst for the growth of a whole generation of young Jujutsu Sorcerers. If Gojo getting sealed made you wonder if the show might lose appeal, rest assured that that’s not the case, because he was just the beginning.
The 10 Best Fights From ‘Jujutsu Kaisen’ Season One
Punch really fast!
‘Jujutsu Kaisen’ Is Moving on From Satoru Gojo — And That’s Okay
AsJujutsu Kaisenproceeds further, it will be characters like Yuji Itadori and Megumi Fushiguro who become the big players. We’ve already seen both of them begin to break their limits, learning new ways to use their abilities. From just an unusually strong boy, Itadori has grown into a practically superhuman fighter. Megumi Fushiguro, who is almost a protégé to Gojo, has shown the ability to use an incomplete version of Domain Expansion, one of the most difficult and powerful techniques in the world ofJujutsu Kaisen. It’s not just them either, as we’ve only scratched the surface with most of the show’s younger characters. The third-year Jujutsu High student Maki Zenin is a key example. The character is already a force to be reckoned with, and she still has further to go. And then there’sYuta Okkotsu, the protagonist ofJujutsu Kaisen 0who is set to appear in the show in upcoming episodes.
In the world ofJujutsu Kaisen, the characters are divided into grades based on their level of power and skill. Gojo and Okkotsu are among the select few who hold power beyond normal classification, which marks them out as Special Grades.Jujutsu Kaisen 0shows Okkotsu at the start of his life as a Jujutsu Sorcerer. At that point, he barely understands what he can do. By the time he appears in the series, Okkotsu will be better trained and significantly more skillful, with fighting skills to rival Gojo. Another upcoming character to be excited about is Kinji Hakari, a third-year Jujutsu High student who is currently on suspension. Hakari possesses a unique Cursed Technique that makes him an outlier among Jujutsu Sorcerers. Modeled after a giant pachinko machine, just the visual aspect of this technique alone would be quite interesting to see on screen. While he might not pelay as big a role in the show as Okkotsu, Itadori, or Fushiguro, he’s still a fan favorite who brings some unique flavor to the table.
Withso many great characters to work with, focusing on just Satoru Gojo would be a waste. Yes, he may be the biggest draw of the series, but Gojo’s real significance is that he’s the herald of a new world for Jujutsu Sorcerers. He made that possible not just by being the strongest, but by also training a generation to succeed him. His mission, the role he chose as a mentor, is far more important than the character himself. And that’s exactly as it should be.
New episodes ofJujutsu KaisenSeason 2 are released every Thursday on Crunchyroll. Viewers in the US can watch the new episodes at 10:00 AM Pacific/1:00 PM Eastern.
