female Gojo: Jujutsu Kaisen had a female Gojo all along but Akutami never gave her the deserving spotlight

Jujutsu Kaisen had a female Gojo all along but Akutami never gave her the deserving spotlight

Modified Nov 02, 2024 13:00 GMT

Akutami missed out on giving "female Gojo" the limelight (Image via Sportskeeda) — Akutami missed out on giving "female Gojo" the limelight (Image via MAPPA)

Gojo Satoru in Jujutsu Kaisen stands as one of the animanga's most widely recognized faces. In the series, he was the strongest sorcerer of the modern day, with a great reputation and a central influence on the story. But the manga cleverly slipped in another powerhouse similar to Gojo’s character, i.e., Yuki Tsukumo. Being one of just four Special Grade sorcerers speaks volumes of her strength.

However, unlike Gojo, who was a major character in the story, Yuki was not afforded much screen time, remaining shrouded in mystery and often sidelined. In a nutshell, her potential remained largely untapped.

Creator Gege Akutami knowingly or unknowingly made her a “female Gojo”, but did not give her a similar narrative focus or exploration. That is exactly what this article will explore.

Disclaimer: The article reflects the writer's opinion.

Jujutsu Kaisen: Akutami missed out on giving "female Gojo" the limelight

It is no surprise that Jujutsu Kaisen celebrates Gojo Satoru as the strongest modern-day sorcerer and a character central to the series. He possesses overwhelmingly powerful Jujutsu, has a major soft spot for young sorcerers, and attempts to use his overarching influence to change the jujutsu world. All this sounds akin to another name, i.e., Yuki Tsukumo.

Akutami introduced her as an addition to the story whose power, ideals, and distinct perspective made her something of a “female Gojo”. As mentioned, she was one of four Special Grade Jujutsu sorcerers, a rank which speaks of her immense strength and skill. She isn't as strong as Gojo, being a couple of rungs down the ladder. However, her ideals and motivations parallel Gojo’s.

Gojo and Yuki are similar in multiple ways that place her as his female counterpart. Both seem to have unconventional and rebellious outlooks on Jujutsu Society. For instance, Gojo boldly challenged authority and was against the age-old system. He dreamt of preparing a new generation who would reform Jujutsu Society.

Elsewhere, Yuki too criticized the existing system and wanted change through a more radical path. She desired a world devoid of Cursed Energy and sought to go straight for the source altogether. Such an ambition is a reflection of how deep and absolute her ideals were. They positioned her as a visionary, very much like the white-haired sorcerer.

On the battlefield, Gojo is obviously more powerful, as it was meant to be. But even so, Yuki resembles Gojo, and her Special Grade standing is no mere formality. Overall, she is an extremely skillful fighter, adept at hand-to-hand combat with great tactical intellect. Her Cursed Technique, Star Rage, greatly strengthens herself and her Shikigami, Garuda.

Again, she wasn't afraid to fight even when the odds were stacked against her. Her confidence and courage prove why she occupies a space in the upper echelons of power. Further, her character itself is akin to Gojo - bold, charming, and forward-thinking, embodying traits that would naturally bestow upon her a strong story presence. Yet, all this was insufficient to get her the limelight she deserved.

Final thoughts

By not delving much into Yuki’s character, a lack of intriguing information has been left unexplored about her. For instance, we are unaware of her origins and the valuable relationships that she forged on her journey. Gojo acts as a guide, symbol, and catalyst for the story’s events but Yuki's appearances are far and few. She is mostly a mysterious figure with brief encounters that hint at her potential.

In hindsight, Yuki could have been an interesting inverse to Gojo’s way of changing the future. Her approach likely would have provided an alternate path to reform. But she remains a supporting character, contributing to the overall picture and experiencing an unfortunate end while battling Kenjaku.

All in all, Yuki Tsukumo will be a missed opportunity for Jujutsu Kaisen. Everything about her was primed for her to be the “female Gojo”, equipped with the potential to argue and complement Gojo’s influence.