Shonen anime Jujutsu Kaisen is full of well-written women, but no character slays like Nobara Kugisaki. Brimming with confidence, Nobara knows exactly who she is and refuses to back down from a challenge. The hotshot Jujutsu sorcerer proves time and again she's not one to be trifled with. She’s not only a remarkable fighter and student, but a true friend and ally.
Moving from the countryside, Nobara brings her A-game to Tokyo Jujutsu High with her elite skills in curse energy. She fights with a hammer and a set of nails that pierces and pins down any enemy who crosses her path. Her unique cursed energy technique also utilizes voodoo-like straw dolls which can deftly destroy a target. Throughout Jujutsu Kaisen, Nobara shows off her stuff in style, constantly stealing the show with total badass moments.
Nobara's Entrance As One Third of the Jujutsu Kaisen Trio
When Itadori and Megumi were first introduced to Nobara, she gave them an intense glare and sized them up immediately. Though it was only internal dialogue, she dished out some hilarious jabs at them, calling Itadori a “potato” who probably ate his boogers as a kid and Megumi a “high-and-mighty dude” who probably “likes setting oil-slicked gulls on fire.”
Of Jujutsu High’s three first-year students, Nobara represents the sole woman in the mix. Well aware of this, she introduced herself quite aptly, saying, “You should be honored, boys. I’m your group’s girl.” Her self-aware ownership of her role in the group is powerful and she quickly distinguishes herself as a strong, independent woman who has to deal with these goofy classmate boys.
Nobara Pushed Yuji Itadori To Toughen Up
During her first mission to exercise some cursed spirits alongside Itadori, Nobara approached the situation with confidence and suggested they split up to handle it quickly. When Itadori tested her by saying it might be too dangerous, she smacked him and said, “I don't wanna hear it from someone who last week was a clueless normie.”
While Nobara may be an admirable character in many ways, she’s not always the nicest person on the block. A part of this grit makes her strong, and for the nervous novice Itadori, her hardass attitude may have been what he needed to shape up for the dangerous challenges of being a Jujutsu sorcerer.
If Nobara’s words didn’t push Itadori, she certainly demonstrated her advanced techniques in front of him, piercing a cursed spirit’s arm with her nail to activate her Straw Doll technique and obliterate the enemy.
Nobara's Self-Love Is More Important Than Meeting Expectations
Nobara may be a fashionable woman who loves to shop and get gussied up, but by no means does she behave a certain way to please anyone but herself. During the Kyoto Goodwill Event Arc, Nobara got the opportunity to nail down her beliefs about beauty standards for women -- quite literally!
In the midst of a battle, third-year sorcerer Momo Nishimiya riled Nobara up by lamenting high expectations for female sorcerers. Nobara was having none of that, responding, “What makes us obligated to meet such perfection or such absurd standards?” Used to being tossed around in battle, she wasn’t going to take a slight about being disheveled, nor was she going to let a third-year preach.
All while sending her nails flying and activating her straw doll technique, Norobara cried, “I don't give a damn about 'men' this and 'women' that. You can keep that shit to yourselves! I love myself when I’m pretty and all dressed up! And I love myself when I’m being strong!” This triumphant line is one of the most iconic moments throughout all of Jujutsu Kaisen Season 1.
Nobara's Deadly Game Of Chicken With The Cursed Brothers
In the last few episodes of Jujutsu Kaisen Season 1, Nobara, Itadori, and Megumi tracked down the cursed spirits and engaged with the powerful brothers Eso and Kechizu. During this fight, the brothers used their Rot Technique Decay -- which triggers a decomposition poison to slowly eat away at enemies until they’re nothing -- on Itadori and Nobara. The skill seems pretty unnerving until Nobara starts maniacally laughing, having the perfect counter up her sleeve.
Nobara wickedly activates her Straw Doll technique, Resonance, by stabbing her infected arm with a nail, thus inflicting Decay back on the brothers and delivering searing pain to both parties. Unfazed by the pain herself, Nobara continues to drive nails through her arm not once but three times to sway her opponents. The unhinged sorcerer also delivered the finishing strike on Kechizu with a nail through the head. Her dangerous game of chicken truly showed off how terrifying her abilities are.
Nobara Flaunted Her Skills In Super Smash Bros.
Nobara’s skills as a sorcerer aren’t the only impressive tricks she holds in Jujutsu Kaisen. She also plays a mean game of Super Smash Bros. When wondering about the Kyoto Goodwill Event, Nobara asks, “What do you do at this event? Smash Bros?” The idea seemed to please her, an opportunity to improve her video game prowess. “I won’t lose if it’s the Wii version,” she declares.
Smash Bros. doesn’t seem to be the only game she’s a pro at. Nobara also faced off against Itadori in a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors. To psych him out she told him, “I’m going with paper” and then proceeded to go with rock in order to counter his move which, of course, he gullibly chooses to be scissors. That girl is too smart for her own good.
