Nobara Kugisaki in Jujutsu Kaisen: 4 Anime resurrections done better than Nobara Kugisaki in Jujutsu Kaisen (& 4 that are equally bad)

Anime resurrections can either elevate a story to new heights if done right, or they can completely ruin both the story and the character(s) involved if not executed properly.

The practice of bringing back characters from the dead has become increasingly popular in recent years. Anime resurrections usually serve as a plot device to take the story in a new direction, whereas in some rare cases, it serves as an undoing of a past mistake.

Jujutsu Kaisen has gained the notoriety of being a show where not even the main characters are safe from the probability of being killed off in a worse manner than the villains. Although character revivals aren't really as common as character death in the series, the recent resurrection of Nobara Kugisaki resulted in a massive controversy among the fans, who were not entirely happy with how the character's return was handled.

With that in mind, let us look at four anime resurrections that were done better than Nobara Kugisaki and four that were executed in an equally bad manner.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the opinions of the author. Reader's discretion is advised.

4 anime resurrections that were executed better than Nobara Kugisaki's in Jujutsu Kaisen

1) Yusuke Urameshi (Yu Yu Hakusho)

Anime resurrections done better than Nobara Kugisaki in Jujutsu Kaisen - Yusuke Urameshi (Image via Pierrot)

Yu Yu Hakusho is one of the few anime series that killed off its main character right off the bat. That said, his death was necessary for the plot to progress, and his character arc throughout the series made his imminent resurrection one of the most iconic and well-executed in anime history.

After dying unexpectedly, Yusuke Urameshi was greeted by the Grim Reaper, who informed him that since no one in the Spirit World had expected him to die a heroic death by saving a child, he would be given a chance to return to the human world by becoming a Spirit Detective.

The series of trials that Yusuke goes throughout the series to prove his character made his revival meaningful and deserved, unlike Nobara's return in Jujutsu Kaisen, which fans deem to have no prior buildup or any meaning.

2) Eren Yeager (Attack on Titan)

Anime resurrections done better than Nobara Kugisaki in Jujutsu Kaisen - Eren Yeager (Image via MAPPA)

Similar to Yusuke, Attack on Titan's Eren Yeager met a grisly and expected end at the early stages of the story as well, albeit the latter's resurrection proved to be more than a plot device.

After being eaten alive by a Titan right in front of Armin Artlert's eyes, Eren's eventual return was both shocking and enthralling due to the revelation of his Titan-shifting ability, which became a major turning point in the story.

It wasn't just about Eren somehow coming back to life, but rather about revealing a major twist that introduced the new threat of Titan-shifters, in addition to the present threat of the Titans.

3) Subaru Natsuki (Re:Zero)

Anime resurrections done better than Nobara Kugisaki in Jujutsu Kaisen - Subaru Natsuki (Image via KADOKAWA)

In Re:Zero, Subaru Natsuki's "Return By Death" ability is mostly seen as a curse for him, given that no matter how many times he dies, he always returns to a certain point in time before his demise. The ability can also be interpreted as a narrative tool that explored the psychological toll of dying repeatedly, especially in Subaru's case, since his deaths got progressively worse and more gruesome.

Every single one of Subaru's deaths had severe consequences for him, both mentally and emotionally, which made his subsequent returns harrowing rather than triumphant.

That said, Subaru does manage to turn things around after a series of repeated failures, which made some of his revivals feel truly deserved and meaningful, unlike Nobara's resurrection, which lacked the same level of emotional depth.

4) The entire Higurashi cast (Higurashi: When They Cry)

Anime resurrections done better than Nobara Kugisaki in Jujutsu Kaisen - The entire Higurashi cast (Image via Passione)

The first part of the Higurashi: When They Cry anime series did a stellar job of building up suspense and curiosity among viewers. It left them wondering about the reason behind the repeated deaths and tragedies that kept occurring in the seemingly peaceful village of Hinamizawa in 1983.

Fortunately, the second season of the anime intricately explained the reason behind the repeated deaths and subsequent resurrections. The reason was that the characters were all a part of a twisted time loop, or rather, it was Rika Furude who got sent to hundreds of worlds and timelines after her death, where Rika and her friends were fated to die from the very beginning.

Although Rika and her friends kept on repeating their collective demises over and over again throughout the series, they eventually managed to break free from the tragic cycle of death by the end of the second season, which made their victory feel all the more earned and meaningful.

4 anime resurrections that are just as bad as Nobara Kugisaki's in Jujutsu Kaisen

1) Katsuki Bakugo (My Hero Academia)

Anime resurrections that are as bad as Nobara Kugisaki in Jujutsu Kaisen - Katsuki Bakugo (Image via Bones)

The death of Katsuki Bakugo was arguably My Hero Academia's most monumental and emotional character death, as it quite literally caused an uproar on the Internet when it happened. However, his immediate resurrection felt somewhat unearned and rushed, which undermined the emotional weight of his death.

It also mirrored the unsatisfactory nature of Nobara's return, seeing as to how it was basically an immediate reversal of one of the series' most gut-wrenching moments, which completely lacked any meaningful impact.

2) Lelouch Lamperouge (Code Geass: Lelouch of the Re;surrection)

Anime resurrections that are as bad as Nobara Kugisaki in Jujutsu Kaisen - Lelouch Lamperouge (Image via Sunrise)

Lelouch's resurrection in the Code Geass: Lelouch of the Re;surrection movie is often universally frowned upon since it completely undid the perfect ending of the Code Geass anime. His death was a master stroke that provided the perfect closure to his character arc, which saw him willingly portray himself as a villain and subsequently sacrifice himself to unite the world against him.

Bringing him back only cheapened his death at the end of the anime's second season, as it felt like an unnecessary continuation that severely undermined the narrative and emotional weight of his sacrifice.

3) The entire Tokyo Revengers cast (Tokyo Revengers)

Anime resurrections that are as bad as Nobara Kugisaki in Jujutsu Kaisen - Tokyo Revengers cast (Image via Kodansha)

In Tokyo Revengers, character revivals became a repetitive plot device that completely nullified the emotional impact of their deaths. Takemichi Hanagaki going back in time and undoing everyone's deaths is basically the main plot point of the entire series.

However, one cannot deny that the constant revivals did make some of the character deaths feel a bit inconsequential, especially at the end of the series, where practically every character got revived and lived happily ever after.

4) The entire Dragon Ball cast (Dragon Ball)

Anime resurrections that are as bad as Nobara Kugisaki in Jujutsu Kaisen - Everyone from Dragon Ball (Image via Toei Animation)

The Dragon Ball franchise has gained notoriety for its casual approach to major character deaths and revivals, primarily by using the Dragon Balls. Given the ease with which major characters like Goku and Vegeta are killed off and subsequently resurrected, their deaths are robbed of any significant emotional impact.

What's worse, characters die and return so frequently in Dragon Ball, that it eventually became a running gag among the fans, instead of being moments of genuine loss that would heavily impact the narrative.