Gege Akutami s Jujutsu Kaisen is one of the most revolutionary Shunen series ever created, primarily due to its unique approach to character development. The series showcases a wide range of characters with compelling stories and fighting sequences Jujutsu Kaisen The most enjoyed battle manga of the Shounen genre. While elements like the distinctive protagonist and the ever-popular Gojo are celebrated, Jujutsu Kaisen Stumbles in an area where many Shawn series have criticism: the portrayal of its female characters.
Jujutsu KaisenMuch like other shonen series, struggles to present fully realized female characters. Although the series features several women, only Maki Zenin seems to have the space to shine, often overshadowing Nobara Kugisaki, the supposed female lead. Nobara’s fate, which was left uncertain after the Shibuya incident, suggested a significant twist, but the ambiguity surrounding her character felt more like a narrative misstep.
Jujutsu Kaisen has a great female chest… and Nobara’s first image in the series proves it
Nobara’s first picture in Jujutsu Kaisen Sets her apart as the most unique female lead in a ShoNen series
Recent developments leading up to Jujutsu Kaisen’s The ending, including Nobara’s unexpected return during the final battle against Tsukuna, may have thrilled the fans, but the handling of her character arc left much to be desired. While it was necessary to keep Nobara’s fate ambiguous for larger purposes, the series could have handled it much better. Unfortunately, Nobara is not alone, like some other female characters in Jujutsu Kaisen Share a similar lack of meaningful development, representing a missed opportunity for the series.
From the beginning, Gege Akutami’s manga has been on a different path, especially with a large female cast, despite often being compared to Naruto Due to clear narrative parallels. The series introduced Nobara Kugisaki as the female lead alongside two male leads, distinguishing herself from the start, especially in contrast to her counterpart, Sakura of Narutowhose portrayal has been widely criticized. Where Sakura often felt like a typical supporting character, lacking a meaningful impact on the story, Nobara defied these tropes with a much more assertive and independent role.
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Born in a remote village, Nobara’s upbringing was shaped by her surroundings, especially in how outsiders were treated. This is exemplified by her connection with Saori, an outsider who inspired Nobara to break away from the limitations of the village. Nobara chooses to be a sorcerer, despite realizing its harsh reality. Therefore, her alleged death during the Shibuya incident arc even serves very well by highlighting how Nobara died without any regrets, having lived according to her own will. But Akutami’s decision to bring Nobara back unexpectedly undermined this strong narrative, while there were plenty of opportunities to do it right.
Jujutsu Kaisen’s Nobara return could have been a big moment but missed the mark
Nobara’s Return in Jujutsu Kaisen Could have been much more impactful and not a bizarre twist
Chapter #267 of Jujutsu KaisenIn a shocking twist, it is revealed that Nobara Kugisaki is still alive, despite her absence from the story for a significant portion of the series. Before Nobara strikes out the last of Tsukona’s fingers with her cursed technique, it is even explained that she woke up only an hour ago, adding to the impression that her return was not part of the author’s original plan but was introduced to generate buzz Among fans. Had her return been carefully foreshadowed, the series could have woven in hints earlier or developed a parallel story centered on Nobara.
Leaving the fate of Jujutsu Kaisens female lead in limbo for so long was a missed opportunity. Acknowledging Nobara’s earlier survival could have opened up a parallel storyline, which could have helped address fans’ concerns about the series feeling rushed or condensed. This alternate arc could have delved into the strategies of the other witches in their battle against Sukuna, with Nobara training in the background for a dramatic and timely return, solidifying her position as the female lead of the series. Unfortunately, the series missed this opportunity, as it did with other moments where the female characters could have been given more depth and development.
Jujutsu Kaisen’s female characters all amount to missed opportunities
The series fails to portray compelling female characters despite many opportunities to do so
In addition to Nobara, many other female characters in Jujutsu Kaisen Could have been developed more effectively, filling a critical gap that prevents the series from standing even more in the Shaun genre. Kasumi Miwa, for example, is barely noticed in the story, and it wouldn’t be surprising if she was one of the first characters that fans forgot about. Despite her hard work, Miwa’s efforts ultimately amounted to nothing when Kenjaku effortlessly shattered her sword during the final moments of the Shibuya Incident arc—even after she had used a binding vow to deal a devastating blow.
Although it is arguable that her character is used to convey the harsh realities of the jujutsu world, Miwa has the potential to impart more meaningful life lessons to the audience. Born without an innate curse technique, she worked tirelessly to master the Simple Domain technique, which, as the series revealed, is one of the most significant techniques a sorcerer can learn because it helps counter domains. With this technique alone, Miwa could have emerged as the ultimate heroine in the final arc, playing a key role in assisting and rescuing magicians from Sukuna’s powerful field, which had already resulted in the deaths of several characters.
Beyond Miwa, Utahime Iori also has great potential that the series could have used to address another issue: the lack of romance. Utahime could be portrayed as the love interest of Gojo Satoru, and as fans have often shipped the two characters, this may have made them one of the most iconic couples in the Shonen genre. All these reasons emphasize that Jujutsu Kaisen had a lot of opportunities to extend his short story and to use female characters to do so, incidentally would have addressed the broader issue of the lack of compelling female characters, a problem not only in the series but in the Shaun genre as a whole.