The new MAPPA anime Jujutsu Kaisen was a hit right from the start of Season 1, capturing new fans with its incredible animation, compelling story, and comedic scenes. However, the character who stole fans' hearts wasn't protagonist Yuji Itadori, but rather his powerful teacher Satoru Gojo. Gojo is a special-grade Jujutsu sorcerer who teaches for the Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical College -- and one of the most powerful sorcerers in the world.
But it's not just Gojo's technical power to exorcise curses that makes him a fan favorite. It's the combination of his personality, jujutsu abilities, and casual kindness that allows him to take over whatever scene he's in, despite the other great characters alongside him.
When we first meet Satoru Gojo, he seems ultra-intimidating as he tells Yuji that he will be executed in Jujutsu Kaisen's very first scene. But from that point onwards, Gojo becomes much more approachable and even likable. It doesn't help that he usually wears a blindfold over his eyes, creating a mysterious aura that never fully disappears. Only when this blindfold is removed do we see his piercing blue eyes -- and learn he's about to quickly win a battle. But outside those combat scenes, Gojo seems to be an entirely different person.
Gojo has a unique duality that no other character in Jujutsu Kaisen shares with him. He is friendly, playful, and super nonchalant with colleagues, students and friends, but as soon as he's faced with curses, enemies, or Principal Gakuganji, his other side comes out. Gojo becomes arrogant, blunt and unafraid to say exactly what's on his mind. While this isn't altogether a negative attribute, that arrogance sometimes gets the best of him. He knows he's super powerful, arguably stronger than everyone around him, but this can impede his judgments of others. If the people around him are weak with no viable potential, Gojo is very dismissive. So why does he command the screen so often?
This duality allows him to be extremely relatable at times. Around his fellow colleagues, Gojo's rude arrogance disappears and he becomes playful and aloof. In a scene at the end of Season 1, Episode 15, Gojo is asked who his type of girl is. Instead of giving a name, he bumbles around and says it's "that girl who seemed nice," with the "notable bangs." While this entire scene is meant to be funny, Gojo supplies most of the comedy with his simple reaction. He doesn't even know the girl's name but stumbles around a way to describe her. It helps that when he's presented in a silly way, his animation style changes as well. Gojo is normally drawn as perfectly angular to appear powerful or domineering, but in comedic scenes, he's drawn with more curves and other typical anime comedy design tropes, becoming small and chibi.
Gojo's jujutsu abilities are also very cool, especially compared to other characters. His excessive combat knowledge aids his strength, speed, and tactical performance. Gojo also has an incredible amount of cursed energy, which he can deftly control and manipulate to his will. One of his most useful techniques, Infinity, allows him to control the minute space between himself and other objects, be it people or inanimate objects. In this tiny space, he can gradually slow things down to the point that eventually, nothing can get any closer to him. This is the key defensive tactic that allows him to attack more freely. Gojo's Limitless ability also allows almost absolute control over the space around him, giving him access to manipulation on an atomic level.
Gojo's power, combined with his hilarious antics, makes him the most entertaining character to watch in Jujutsu Kaisen. This duality, which makes him relevant in every scene, is perfect for the shonen-style anime. Whether he's exorcising a near-impossible curse or simply hanging around with his students, Gojo steals the show time after time. His character design and animation style constantly command attention. Additionally, his pure-heartedness toward his students and the community's well-being always poses him in a positive light, so even when's acting arrogant, it's easy to forgive him.
While Season 1 of Jujutsu Kaisen is at its end, we'll probaby see more of Satoru Gojo in the prequel movie slated for release in Japan in late 2021.
