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Nobara Kugisaki has been a central part of the Jujutsu Kaisen series, being one of the main trio of characters alongside Yuji Itadori and Megumi Fushiguro. Although she has been a focal part of the story so far in the anime, her character has taken a backseat in the manga, with her fate left ambiguous.
For many, Kugisaki has been an irreplaceable presence in the show so far. Despite coming off as cold and arrogant at first, she eventually bonded with her fellow teammates and genuinely cared about them. However, she hasn't been seen in the manga for a long time now, leaving some fans to wonder if her character got replaced with the new cast of characters introduced in the recent arc of the series.
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Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for Jujutsu Kaisen manga and season 2 of the anime. Reader's discretion is advised.
Exploring Nobara Kugisaki's current status in Jujutsu Kaisen manga: Did she get replaced?
Unfortunately for her fans, Nobara Kugisaki met her shocking end at the hands of Mahito at the Shibuya Incident. Despite putting up a valiant effort, she made the fatal mistake of letting her guard down, which allowed Mahito to touch a part of her face. It resulted in half of her face being blown up, which seemingly spelled the end for her character.
Although it was said at the time that she still had a chance at surviving, it was later implied by Megumi Fushiguro that she met her end as a result of the attack. Since then, there have rarely been any mentions of Kugisaki in the Jujutsu Kaisen manga, as the mangaka seemingly left her fate ambiguous. Despite several rumors and speculations over the years, it seems unlikely that the story would focus on her return anytime soon, given the current narrative of the manga.
Following the conclusion of the Shibuya arc, several new characters were introduced to the series. The Culling Games arc saw the return of the fan-favorite Yuta Okkotsu and the introduction of new faces such as Hajime Kashimo, Kinji Hakari, Hiromi Higuruma, and Hana Kurusu, who many fans made out to be Nobara's potential replacement.
Similar to Yuji Itadori, Hana shares her body with Angel, a reincarnated ancient sorcerer from the Heian Era. Her main motive for participating in the Culling Games was to allow Angel to hunt down and kill Sukuna. Hana also shares a deep connection with Fushiguro, who once saved her life when she was being held hostage by a curse many years ago.
In chapter 210 of the manga, however, Itadori behaved rather coldly toward Hana, which didn't go unnoticed by Fushiguro. When asked why he was acting strangely, Itadori mentioned that the thought of Hana replacing Kugisaki scared him. While it made for a touching moment that reflected how deeply Itadori valued Kugisaki's friendship, her status in the manga remains unsure.
Although the Culling Games arc introduced several new and memorable characters to the story, it's safe to say that none of them are meant to be a replacement for Kugisaki. She was one of the first main characters of Jujutsu Kaisen and has created an unforgettable impact on the story as well as the viewers.
Final Thoughts
Nobara Kugisaki's death left an indelible mark on the series. Fans of her character will get to see her on-screen for one last time in Episode 19 of Jujutsu Kaisen season 2, which bids farewell to the beloved character.
