The Jujutsu Kaisen anime season 2 is generating immense hype with the unfolding Shibuya Incident arc. However, recent events in the anime, particularly theories about Nobara’s fate, have reignited the debate surrounding mangaka Gege Akutami’s portrayal of the female characters in the series.
The show has constantly remained in the spotlight within the anime and manga community since season 1, elevating fan expectations. As such, the allegations regarding the handling of the female characters in the Jujutsu Kaisen anime demand a closer examination and explanation.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from Jujutsu Kaisen manga.
Jujutsu Kaisen anime’s episode 17 raises concerns about Nobara’s fate
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Gege Akutami, writer and illustrator of Jujutsu Kaisen anime, is known for their well-written characters with impressive designs and powers. Despite that, the plot of the series often tends to take a disappointing turn for most female characters.
Notably, speculations surrounding Nobara’s fate in episode 17 of season 2 have led to claims such as “Gege hates women,” sparking important discussions and valid concerns within the fanbase.
Followers of the manga are already aware of the fate that awaits several female characters in the series, including Nobara Kugisaki, Yuki Tsukomo, Yorozu, and Tsumiki Fushiguro. In the latest episode, Nobara engages in a showdown with one of the show’s most detested antagonists, the special grade curse Mahito.
Earlier in the same episode, the death of one of the fandom’s beloved sorcerers, Nanami Kento, at the hands of Mahito was revealed. This development sparks fear among fans that Yuji and Fushiguro’s peer, Nobara Kugisaki, might face a similar end. Her fate remains uncertain, with the ambiguity surrounding her death in the manga. In fact, similar tragic fates await other female characters, too.
The special grade sorcerer, Yuki’s sacrificial death against Kenjaku (in Geto’s body), unfortunately proved pointless. Despite her efforts, Kenjaku emerges unscathed in the aftermath of the battle, as depicted in chapter 208.
Megumi’s step-sister, Tsumiki Fushiguro, met her end after her body was taken over by the Heian period sorcerer Yorozu during the culling game. Despite being one of the strongest female characters introduced in the series, Yorozu also met her demise at the hands of the King of Curses, Sukuna.
Some fans claim that Gege doesn’t give sufficient spotlight to other potentially powerful female characters, namely Shoko Ieiri, Utahime Iori, and Kasumi Miwa.
A large portion of the fanbase is expressing their dissatisfaction with Gege Akutami’s treatment of female characters in the series. Fans are voicing their opinions with claims like “Gege hates women” on social platforms such as X, formerly known as Twitter.
While some fans truly desire more character development and plot focusing on the female characters, others are seen taking a more lighthearted approach, creating humorous jokes and memes regarding the subject within the community. Fans’ responses may be diverse, but their sentiments in regards to better portrayal of female characters remain the same.
A section of the fandom claims that Gege gave some spotlight to Maki, a female character. However, others argue that this came at the cost of Maki losing her femininity, citing her new character design as evidence.
Doubts have also been raised about the extent of time she actually spent in the limelight, stating that her presence was limited during the fight with Naoya's curse, where she also didn’t fight alone either. Similarly, her time against Sukuna was also limited to a few punches, and since then, Maki's minimal appearances have been limited to the background.
Final thoughts
Considering the fact that despite Nobara’s fate seemed to have brought her to her demise, the series has not officially confirmed her death yet. This lack of confirmation has fueled speculation in the community about a potential grand comeback for her sometime soon in the series.
Currently, there is hope that the mangaka will respond to these claims and that the community’s wish for more spotlight on the female characters will be fulfilled.
