Jujutsu Kaisen stands as one of the most popular modern shōnen series, best known for its intense battles and dark narrative. Among its cast, Satoru Gojo is the number one fan-favorite by a significant margin, with the fourth global popularity poll showing he had more than twice as many points as the runner-up, Yuji Itadori, the series’ protagonist.

Gojo stands out among the cast for his unmatched skill, with his presence alone reshaping the world of jujutsu sorcerers. From the moment he was born, there was a major shift in the balance of power, and it forced the evolution of curses and curse users. Yet, despite his popularity and overwhelming power, Gojo became one of Jujutsu Kaisen’s biggest failures.

Satoru Gojo’s Greatest Strength Is Also His Greatest Weakness

Satoru Gojo was born with two of the most powerful abilities, Limitless Cursed Technique and Six Eyes. Together, they allow Gojo to manipulate the space around him, both defensively and offensively, and grant him enhanced perception to the point of instantly processing information, including the nature of other cursed techniques.

Paired with his mastery of the Imaginary Technique, Hollow Purple, and driving the evolution of more powerful curses and sorcerers, Gojo has effectively cemented himself as Jujutsu Kaisen’s most fearsome and revered character. His existence alone completely alters the balance of the universe, acting as a deterrent for curses while he actively defies the jujutsu hierarchy.

Yet that strength and power complicate his role in the narrative. His near-invincibility takes away suspense and stakes from the series, as every conflict he finds himself in feels predetermined to end in his favor. While Gojo is a thrilling character, his immense power allows for nearly any problem to be resolved with minimal effort.

Due to this, he overshadows every other character in the series, including its protagonist, by a significant margin. Even in absence, his character possesses immense influence over Jujutsu Kaisen, to the point that he continues to shape the story by leaving behind a power vacuum. Yet this power adds weight to the narrative, dragging the series rather than enhancing it.

Gojo’s Absence Makes Jujutsu Kaisen Stronger

The moment Gojo was removed from the story, the narrative shifted immediately and drastically. Without Gojo on the battlefield, every fight carried significantly more tension and suspense as there was no longer a safety net to rely on. Sealing him made the stakes feel more urgent and injected a sense of unpredictability and consequence into the story.

For Gojo to leave behind such a massive void, whether he is present in the series or not, shows just how far his shadow was cast over the story. His existence was so absolute that he stifled the story’s growth until he was sealed, creating a sense of imbalance that was never rectified, and this is reflected in the main character.

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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.

Without Gojo in the story, Yuji Itadori can fully step into his role as the series’ protagonist, discovering his own potential and limits. Yuji’s ratings increased after Gojo’s sealing, yet they never surpassed Gojo’s, other than in the very first poll, proving that Gojo had left an unfilled void both in story and among fans.

While Satoru Gojo remains a fan-favorite for good reasons, his immense power and influence define the world of Jujutsu Kaisen to the point of disrupting the story and the protagonist’s growth. By removing him from the story, the series regained tension and offered room for its other characters to grow.

Release Date

October 3, 2020

Network

TBS, MBS, CBC, Tulip Television, BSN, tys, NBC, HBC, RKK, i-Television, SBS, IBC, BSS, MRO, OBS, TUF, RSK, TUY, tbc, RKB, SBC, KUTV, RBC, UTY, RCC, MRT, atv, MBC

Directors

Ryohei Takeshita, Masataka Akai, Chie Nishizawa, Daisuke Tsukushi, Tomomi Kamiya, Kakushi Ifuku, Ken Takahashi

Writers

Hiroshi Seko

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  Yuichi Nakamura

  Satoru Gojo