On the surface, Jujutsu Kaisen comes off as another mainstream shounen titan, but beyond its archetypal appeal, it defies some of anime’s worst main character tropes. With a no holds barred approach toward violence and the grotesque, Jujutsu Kaisen delves into the world of curses, sorcery, and human malice. While at it, it uses typical shounen-esque comedy and teenage high-school shenanigans to lighten up its otherwise dark themes. Similar to most other renowned shounen anime, Jujutsu Kaisen never leaves a dull moment with its brilliant visuals, slam-bang action scenes, and fluid character power-ups. However, more than that, it’s the anime’s well-written characters that make it all the more entertaining.
Although, for the most part, Jujutsu Kaisen adopts a predictable monster-of-the-week storyline, its narrative depth comes from the backstories, rivalries, and relationships of its characters. Its main character, Yuji Itadori, might have a lot in common with most other shounen protagonists, but what makes him unique is his motivation to be a sorcerer and his bittersweet relationships with Ryomen Sukuna. In a similar way, Jujutsu Kaisen creates a sense of mystery and intrigue surrounding Megumi’s characterization through his stoic demeanor and secretive past.
Despite having limited screentime in Jujutsu Kaisen season 1, the third main character, Nobara, leaves her mark by going against some of the most incredibly common female character tropes in anime. Instead of being portrayed as a tsundere who only initially acts tough but later gives in to her love for one of the male protagonists or as an underpowered damsel in distress, Nobara is always as competent during battles as her male counterparts. Jujutsu Kaisen never uses her as a source of fan service nor does it reduce her storyline to trite romantic love triangles or other similar tropes. Instead, it emphasizes how Nobara is not a mere narrative device for cheap gimmicks, but an essential part of the overarching premise.
Nobara’s backstory reveals that ever since she was a child, she had a hard time conforming to societal standards and was deadset upon preserving her identity. That’s the reason why she escaped her village to join Jujutsu High, despite knowing all about the dangers that exist in the world of sorcerers. These little details in her origin story establish how carefully Gege Akutami has crafted her character. Without giving her the limelight, the mangaka shows that she is built differently and her self-belief is her biggest strength. When compared with Itadori, Nobara’s motives and aspirations may seem less significant. However, the fact that she treads her own path, without being influenced by the romantic banalities of the shounen genre, makes her one of the most likable characters in shounen.
Not just Nobara but almost every female character in Jujutsu Kaisen is brash, headstrong, and widely divergent from anime’s common tropes. Maki Zenin is another female lead who, despite her inability to manifest large amounts of cursed energy, uses her physical prowess to overpower supernatural humans and curses. No wonder Nobara can’t help but look up to her and admire her for fighting all the oppression she faces due to her limitations. Overall, Nobara may still have a long way to go to reach her full potential, especially in the anime. However, it’s still exciting to see how, time and again, she takes the center stage and proves that the best characters are the ones that dare to be different.
