Why Toji Fushiguro is MAPPA’s trump card in Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2

Toji Fushiguro and Satoru Gojo in Jujutsu Kaisen (Image via Sportskeeda)
Toji Fushiguro and Satoru Gojo in Jujutsu Kaisen (Image via Sportskeeda)

Jujutsu Kaisen confirmed a consecutive 2-cour broadcast for the anime’s second season in 2023 and released two new key visuals. The first visual features Satoru Gojo, Suguru Geto, and Shoko Ieri as students at Tokyo Jujutsu High, referencing Gojo’s Past arc. The second showcases Gojo as the teacher with the three current first-years, who are set to appear again during the Shibuya Incident arc.

In the midst of all this, fans have noticed the absence of Toji Fushiguro, despite him being a significant character in the Gojo’s Past arc. This article analyzes Toji’s importance in the arcs to be adapted in Season 2 to determine why Studio MAPPA has been keeping Toji under wraps.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the Jujutsu Kaisen manga. All external media in this article are the property of their respective owners.


Toji’s role in Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 makes him the ace up Studio MAPPA’s sleeve

Toji Fushiguro as a trigger for Gojo’s awakening

Gojo uses Hollow Purple for the first time (Image via Gege Akutami/Shueisha)
Gojo uses Hollow Purple for the first time (Image via Gege Akutami/Shueisha)

The Gojo’s Past arc of Jujutsu Kaisen revolves around Gojo’s days as a student at Jujutsu High and the traumatic assassination of the Star Plasma Vessel, Riko Amanai. The arc not only explains Geto’s defection from Jujutsu society and his intense hatred for non-sorcerers but also chronicles Gojo’s rise to power and his obsession with strength.

Despite being a second-year at the time, Gojo was already classified as a special-grade sorcerer, but his power level was nowhere near his current level in the anime. It was only when Toji Fushiguro was contracted to kill Amanai that Gojo and Geto found themselves struggling and failing due to Tojo’s superhuman physical abilities and lack of any cursed energy.

During their initial fight, Toji almost killed Gojo, causing the latter to realize the full potential of his Cursed Technique, coupled with his Six Eyes. He essentially resurrected himself and managed to kill the “Sorcerer-Killer,” but failed to protect Amanai from being assassinated.

Major characters at Shibuya after Gojo is sealed (Image via Gege Akutami/Shueisha)
Major characters at Shibuya after Gojo is sealed (Image via Gege Akutami/Shueisha)

Gojo became obsessed with getting stronger since he concluded that strength alone would allow him to save innocent lives like Amanai’s. He ultimately earned the title of the “strongest sorcerer alive.” This is directly related to the events of Shibuya on October 31, where the cursed spirits went above and beyond to seal Gojo, sacrificing hundreds of civilians in the process.


How Toji’s presence affects Megumi and Maki

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Toji’s significance in Jujutsu Kaisen extends beyond his role as a catalyst for Gojo becoming the strongest sorcerer alive. During his final moments, he confessed that he sold his son, Megumi Fushiguro, to the Zenin clan in exchange for his freedom and told Gojo to do whatever he saw fit. Gojo tracked Megumi down and gave him a choice to either stay with the Zenin clan or become a sorcerer under Tokyo Jujutsu High.

Megumi chose the latter after learning that his sister Tsumiki would not be happy in the Zenin clan. Jujutsu Kaisen Season 1 revealed that much of Megumi’s beliefs were influenced by Gojo, including his preference to save only those who he deemed worthy and who themselves wish to be saved, and Toji’s appearance in Season 2 will explain to the viewers why.

Maki and Toji using Playful Cloud (Image via Sportskeeda)
Maki and Toji using Playful Cloud (Image via Sportskeeda)

Toji played an even greater role in Maki’s life because they shared the same Heavenly Restriction. Jujutsu Kaisen had repeatedly set Toji up as a standard that Maki had to reach to force the Zenin clan to acknowledge her. Toji functions as a foil for Maki, which was most evident during the fight inside Dagon’s domain during the Shibuya Incident arc.

The special-grade cursed tool, Playful Cloud, was extremely powerful in Maki’s hands but proved deadly when wielded by Toji. The parallels between Toji and Maki became increasingly common in recent chapters of the Jujutsu Kaisen manga, and the latest chapter finally showed Maki achieving the same level of lethality that Toji once possessed. Season 2 of the anime will establish Toji as that standard for the first time, enlightening viewers about Maki’s true potential.


MAPPA’s attempt to keep Toji a mystery

Toji Fushiguro is slated to be the primary antagonist of the Gojo’s Past arc, the first arc to be adapted in Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2. While most of the major characters in this arc have already been introduced in the series, Toji remains a mystery. Fans have noticed that he has not appeared in any of the key visuals released so far, and there has been no announcement regarding the voice actor who will lend their voice to the famed “Sorcerer-Killer.”

It is still unconfirmed whether the entire Shibuya Incident arc will be adapted in Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2, so much of the show’s ratings currently depend on Toji’s reception by viewers. The fight between Toji and Gojo will inevitably become one of the highlights of cour 1 of the upcoming season. So MAPPA’s decision to keep Toji a mystery builds up the viewers’ anticipation to deliver the maximum impact possible when Toji is finally introduced in the anime.