Jujutsu Kaisen didn't do right by Nobara like it did by Maki, and her return isn't enough to make up for it

Modified Aug 30, 2024 13:02 GMT

Jujutsu Kaisen: Maki is what Nobara could've been (Images via MAPPA)

Jujutsu Kaisen has been widely regarded as one of the more unique and well-written shonen series. Shonen series have been infamous for handling female characters, with many becoming redundant due to unexplored backstories and a lack of character development.

Throughout the early chapters and the first season of the anime, Jujutsu Kaisen garnered praise for handling female characters. Many fans commended the series for genuinely exploring characters like Nobara and Maki while depicting the struggles of female sorcerers in Jujutsu society. However, the stark difference in the development of these two characters has highlighted the series' successes as well as its failures.

Disclaimer- This article contains spoilers for the Jujutsu Kaisen series.

Jujutsu Kaisen: Maki is what Nobara could've been

Maki as shown in the anime (Image via MAPPA)

Jujutsu Kaisen's Nobara and Maki were some of the most prominent and well-received female characters within the shonen genre in recent times, standing out as characters who are not the romantic interests of the protagonist. The story, before the Shibuya Incident arc, mentioned that the Jujutsu society was rather hostile toward female sorcerers and that female sorcerers needed to surpass perfection to gain respect.

Many fans expected Nobara and Maki to overcome the obstacles and societal expectations by reaching their full potential as sorcerers. Although Maki was already being built up for an eventual power-up via the introduction of Toji in the Hidden Inventory arc, Nobara's character arc, along with her fights, remained subpar and nearly nonexistent.

Nobara as shown in the anime (Image via MAPPA)

Nobara's first serious fight was against Momo, who is widely considered to be the weakest sorcerer in the entire series. This was followed by Haruta somehow defeating Nobara in the Shibuya Incident arc. Although Nobara did face Eso and Kechizu, it was a joint effort by both her and Yuji, and her technique was a direct counter to both of them.

Nobara vs. Mahito was another fight that could have contributed to her growth, but this fight was mainly against a Mahito clone that couldn't use Idle Transfiguration. This was followed by the real Mahito injuring Nobara, leading to her being absent for over 140 chapters.

Sukuna as shown in the anime (Image via MAPPA)

In contrast, Maki received a considerable power-up, slaughtered the entire Zenin clan, and defeated the Special Grade Naoya cursed spirit. She then faced off against a 15-finger Meguna, injuring a full-powered Sukuna's heart, which has been one of the most impactful injuries Sukuna has sustained throughout the entire fight.

While Maki became a more rounded and well-explored character with multiple mini-arcs devoted to her, Nobara was absent from the story for over 140 chapters and made her sudden reappearance in the last five chapters. Although Nobara's return in Jujutsu Kaisen Chapter 267 was well received by the fandom, many have expressed that it could have been handled better.

Final Thoughts

Chapter 267 saw the sudden return of Nobara, where she used Resonance to remotely damage Sukuna. Although her absence for over 140 chapters might be somewhat explained in Chapter 268, the manga is set to end in Chapter 271, leaving no actual time for Nobara to reach the level of development that Maki has achieved. Jujutsu Kaisen Chapter 268 will be released on September 1, 2024.