Jujutsu Kaisen’sGojo Satoru is one of the mosticonic characters in anime history,and most people recognize him easily, whether they are an anime fan or not. AmongJujutsu Kaisen’scast, he is one of the most prominent, influential figures, and the dark fantasy shonen certainly would not be the same without the strongest sorcerer, regardless of author Gege Akutami’s outspoken dislike of him.
Gojo is known for his astounding strength and ability to accomplish feats like annihilating hundreds of curses within seconds. His status asJujutsu Kaisen’smightiest character makes him admirable and a worthy protector of the innocent people cursed spirits prey on. But, although Gojo is one of my favorite characters and has a lot of positive attributes,Gojo’s boundless power is a double-edged sword, both his greatest strength and his greatest flaw at once.
Gojo Satoru’s Power Is Both a Strength and a Weakness at Once
Because He Is So Innately Powerful, Gojo Faces Few Major Challenges While Fighting Enemies
Often, what makes an anime character so relatable and well-written is their ability to overcome a seemingly insurmountable obstacle, whether it is an external or internal issue. Watching a character who is absolutely perfect, or nearly perfect, and never faces adversity leaves viewers with a feeling of dissatisfaction, since the character ultimately did not grow in any significant way. Unfortunately, although Gojo is not fully without flaws and has experienced some hardships during his life,he does fit somewhat into this category of characters who are almost too perfect to be believed.
At Last, I Have Figured Out the One Thing Holding Jujutsu Kaisen Back
Jujutsu Kaisen is held back by is its lack of world-building about the sorcerers, cursed energy, and much more.
Since his birth, Gojo was “the honored one,“coming from a renowned clan. He has remarkable innate abilities, including Limitless, Six Eyes, Infinity, and his Domain Expansion, Unlimited Void, making him a difficult opponent to beat. Even before he attended Jujutsu High and was formally trained to be a jujutsu sorcerer, Gojo was always exceptional. For years, few people or cursed spirits even considered challenging Gojo, because no one could beat him, or come anywhere close. Although this may make him effective in battle, in my opinion, it makes him less effective from a character development standpoint.
Gojo’s Most Meaningful Arc Was the Gojo’s Past Arc
This Is One of the Only Jujutsu Kaisen Arcs That Really Illustrates Gojo’s Internal Growth
Gojo’s life was not completely without struggle, as he did suffer traumatic events, like the destruction of his friendship with Geto Suguru when he turned to evil. His job as a jujutsu sorcerer also took a tremendous toll physically and mentally, and since Gojo was always regarded as a beacon of strength and protection in society,he did not have much freedom to show weakness, even if he wanted to.His selflessness in devoting his life to saving others and passing down his knowledge to his students is commendable. However, despite these respectable attributes, something is still lacking for me in Gojo’s character journey.
Gojo’s best and most detailed arc was definitelyinJujutsu Kaisenseason two,during the Gojo’s Past Arc, which reflected on his school days and friendship with Geto. Although it started out as a fairly lighthearted, happy arc, it turned dark rapidly when Geto grew frustrated with jujutsu society and lashed out, choosing an evil path instead.Gojo was forced to turn against Geto, his previous best friend, and stick to his morals, proving his commitment to becoming a jujutsu sorcerer, but making for a heartbreaking scene in the story, since he lost one of his dearest relationships in the process.
Gojo’s Strength Never Wavered, Leaving Him No Room to Grow
Since He Is a Character Who Is Already Virtually Perfect, Gojo’s Character Development Is Almost Nonexistent
Unfortunately, the rest ofJujutsu Kaisenfocused primarily on Gojo’s physical power and his jaw-dropping accomplishments on the battlefield. I found myself wishing that more chapters of the story would have delved into his emotional state and life experiences outside of fighting,like the Gojo’s Past Arcaccomplished so thoughtfully.Although Gojo is a strong fighter, that is not all he is,and giving his character more complexity and obstacles to overcome would have made him a far more dynamic and understandable hero who is defined by more than just his sorcery techniques and muscles.
20 Best Gojo Quotes in Jujutsu Kaisen
Never at a loss for words, Jujutsu Kaisen’s Gojo had an exceptional gift of gab. It wasn’t all braggadocio, though, much was quite profound.
Never losing a fight, until his clash with Sukuna, made Gojo a true powerhouse, but it did not do his character any favors on a deeper level. Had Gojo lost a battle prior to this moment, or even faced an enemy that he could not immediately vanquish, that would have been beneficial for his growth, likely causing him to reflect on himself and his powers. As it stands, Gojo’s skills as a sorcerer were perfect, and he was virtually untouchable, so in this aspect of his life,Gojo never had any room to grow or self-reflect, making his journey as a sorcerer too linear and uncomplicated.
Gojo’s Death Felt Hollow and Unearned Due to His Lack Of Challenges in the Story
Glimpses of Gojo’s Past Prove He’s More Than Just a Powerhouse, but Jujutsu Kaisen Didn’t Always Make That Clear
For me,Gojo’s death was also one ofJujutsu Kaisen’smost unsatisfying and ill-timed moments. Even Sukuna was astounded by the sorcerer and praised his technique, so even as he took his last breath, Gojo’s skills were never called into question. Had Gojo experienced more growth and additional challenges prior to this last scene, his death would have felt more comprehensible in the context ofJujutsu Kaisen’sstory, but as it stands,it felt as if Gojo was just simply written out of the story so Yuji could carry on the torchand claim the final victory over Sukuna.
Wait, Did Jujutsu Kaisen Pull Gojo Satoru’s Character From a ’00s Manga?!
Gojo Satoru and Myoujin from Mieru Hito are strikingly similar, raising the question of if Gege Akutami took inspiration from Toshiaki Iwashiro.
Many fans did not even believe Gojo had died, refusing to accept that the series' strongest character could be defeated.Adding more character development for Gojo prior to this moment would have afforded the sorcerer a more understandable, realistic death, as well as improving his role in the story and giving him a greater identity beyond just being a tremendous source of power. Make no mistake,Gojo Satoruis one ofJujutsu Kaisen’sbest characters by far, and he is at the center of the series' best moments, but with a few tweaks to his character arc, he could have been even better.
