Gege Akutami’s Jujutsu Kaisen is undeniably one of the most successful Shōnen Jump series, renowned for its jaw-dropping action sequences. Its heavily action-driven narrative thrives on the presence of strong and charismatic characters. However, the series primarily focuses on male-driven action, making it susceptible to one of the most common criticisms of shōnen: the lack of significant representation of female strength.

That said, Jujutsu Kaisen boasts an exceptional lineup of female characters, with Maki Zenin and Yuki Tsukumo standing out as some of the strongest characters within Jujutsu Kaisen and arguably across the entire anime and manga industry. However, this alone isn’t enough to overlook the absence of a well-developed female lead. Nobara Kugisaki’s portrayal has been a major point of contention, highlighting the series’ struggle in this area. While Jujutsu Kaisen has faced criticism on multiple fronts for its female cast, one defining aspect of its female characters sets them apart, even compared to legendary series like One Piece, Bleach, and many other shōnen titles.

Except for Mei Mei, Jujutsu Kaisen Never Portrays Its Female Characters Seductively

Anime has long been criticized for its portrayal of female characters in the shōnen genre. Among the most obvious critiques is how they are often crafted as tools for seduction. Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece is one of the most frequently cited examples, as Oda consistently designs female characters with exaggerated proportions, to the point where fans can hardly imagine new female characters being depicted otherwise. Similarly, Bleach and Naruto are no strangers to this criticism, often using such caricatures as recurring gags throughout their narratives.

However, Jujutsu Kaisen has rarely portrayed its female characters seductively, with the exception of one controversial and arguably unnecessary scene involving Mei Mei during the Shibuya arc. Gege Akutami notably refrains from drawing the female cast in revealing outfits without purpose, setting the series apart from its contemporaries. Instead, the series emphasizes the strength of its female characters, highlighting their resilience in a brutal world where only the powerful can survive. Maki Zenin stands as the clearest embodiment of this approach.

Maki’s character development reflects the harsh reality of the jujutsu world, showcasing how those who do not fit traditional molds face immense struggles. Therefore, her achievements feel genuinely inspiring, reinforcing the core shōnen themes of resilience and determination, qualities that are often reserved for male leads in most other series.

This is what makes the female cast of Akutami’s Jujutsu Kaisen so respectable. It proves that shōnen anime do not need to sexualize female characters to make them compelling. While this is one of the defining strengths of Jujutsu Kaisen’s female cast, the series has had many other opportunities that could have also elevated their presence in other ways, particularly with characters like Nobara and Kasumi Miwa, who had the most potential.

Jujutsu Kaisen Had Many Other Opportunities To Elevate the Presence of the Female Cast

Kasumi Miwa, Among Other Female Characters, Held the Most Potential

Another criticism of Jujutsu Kaisen regarding its female characters is the lack of compelling character arcs, aside from Maki. This is especially disappointing given the series’ diverse female cast and their immense potential. Nobara, for instance, could have greatly benefited from clearer character development, perhaps by avoiding the ambiguity surrounding her death and allowing her to solidify her role as a key player in defeating Sukuna through training or other means. Likewise, Kasumi Miwa is another female character brimming with untapped potential.

Miwa is portrayed as notably weak, emphasized by her lack of an innate curse technique. However, she dedicated herself to mastering a single ability: the Simple Domain technique, an essential counter to other sorcerers’ domains. Her commitment to refining this one skill serves as a life lesson in Jujutsu Kaisen, illustrating how mastery of a single craft can lead to exceptional success.

Related

Even Jujutsu Kaisen Misunderstood Why Yuji Is One of Shonen Jump’s Greatest Heroes

Jujutsu Kaisen’s protagonist Itadori Yuji has been criticized from every which way, but creator Gege Akutami might be the most surprising.

With further development of the Simple Domain technique, Miwa could have played a pivotal role in the final battle, perhaps even countering Sukuna’s domain, which led to devastating consequences. However, the series abruptly sidelines her, seemingly to reinforce the harsh reality that weaker characters have no place in the jujutsu world. By fully exploring Miwa’s potential, along with that of other female characters, Jujutsu Kaisen could have elevated its female cast to an entirely new level, directly challenging the shōnen genre’s long-standing criticism of underdeveloped female leads.

Jujutsu Kaisen

Jujutsu Kaisen is a Japanese anime and manga series created by Gege Akutami. The story is set in a world where Cursed Spirits, born from negative human emotions, prey on humanity. It follows high school student Yuji Itadori as he becomes entangled in the world of Jujutsu Sorcery after swallowing a cursed talisman—Ryomen Sukuna’s finger—and becomes the host for one of the most powerful curses. Yuji joins the Tokyo Metropolitan Magic Technical College to learn how to combat curses while searching for the remaining fingers of Sukuna to exorcise him permanently.

Created by

Gege Akutami

First Episode Air Date

October 3, 2020

Cast

Junya Enoki, Yuma Uchida, Asami Seto, Yuichi Nakamura

Character(s)

Yuji Itadori, Megumi Fushiguro, Nobara Kugisaki, Satoru Gojo, Sukuna, Maki Zenin, Toge Inumaki, Panda