WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Episode 15 of Jujutsu Kaisen, "Kyoto Sister School Exchange Event - Group Battle 1," now streaming on Crunchyroll.
Many anime tend to have running gags in some form or fashion, like the bookstore employees in Lucky Star, Edward being sat on by big dogs in Full Metal Alchemist and Kakashi reading pervy books in Naruto. Jujutsu Kaisen is no exception to this light-hearted trope either, with protagonist Itadori's love for the actress Jennifer Lawrence on full display. And this isn't just a one-time deal either -- it's referenced multiple times in the series with or without Itadori being asked.
The first time it's brought up is when Itadori meets the Principal of Tokyo Jujutsu Tech, Masamichi Yaga. While the act of appreciating Jennifer Lawrence isn't in itself funny, it's the way Itadori brings it up without prompting and the way he claims she's his type. Jennifer Lawrence was the leading actress from The Hunger Games series and the psychological thriller Mother!. So, a solid case could be made that these movies are canon in Jujutsu Kaisen's universe.
In Episode 15, Itadori brings Lawrence up yet again in his fight against Todo during the Exchange Event's group battle after being asked what his type is. Itadori responds with, "Tall girls with big butts... like Jennifer Lawrence." This confession seems to trigger something in Todo, and his mind escapes to a slice-of-life fantasy of him and Itadori as best friends.
In the fantasy, they are on a school's roof reading manga but then realize they are late for class. Todo then confesses his feelings to Takada-Chan -- an in-universe pop idol he's a massive fan of -- who rips his letter in half and says she doesn't feel the same way before casually walking away. The fake memory ends as the two walk home, with Todo sulking the whole time before Itadori places a supportive hand on his back. As Todo snaps back to reality, tears stream down his face since he's found a friend who isn't "boring."
The fact that Itadori's obsession with Jennifer Lawrence triggered such a reaction cements it as one of the best running gags in an anime. The reference initially appeared in the manga, making its inclusion in the anime all the more significant. It also seems that he isn't the only one interested in a Western actor, either. During the after-credits "Juju Stroll" at the end of the episode, the women are asked their type. While some answers are just "strong" and other vague adjectives, Nishimiya Momo is seen drooling while answering "Sebastian Stan" and scrolling through her phone, presumably on his Instagram or other social media.
Hopefully, we'll see a similar scenario with Nishimiya's obsession with the actor in the future. We also look forward to seeing more of Itadori's Jennifer Lawrence love play out, and maybe an unlikely chance encounter between them. Regardless, as Itadori dreams of the actress, we can hope it plays a part in future shenanigans.
