Highlights
- Nobara never gave up on her dreams, leaving her village to pursue a career in Jujutsu and meet new friends in Tokyo.
- Not only did Nobara fight cursed spirits, but she also faced off against fellow students, showcasing her determination and strength.
- Despite her tragic death, Nobara's selflessness and bravery in the face of danger left a lasting impact on fans and her fellow protagonists.
Nobara Kugisaki is a member of the main trio in the first half of Jujutsu Kaisen, along with Yuji Itadori and Fushiguro Megumi. Like Yuji, Nobara can be very expressive and emotional during times of levity, but she is quick to adopt Megumi’s approach of serious pragmatism and occasional ruthlessness when dealing with her enemies or when her friends are in danger, which made Nobara a popular and beloved character in the fanbase.
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Nobara’s tragic death during the Shibuya incident left many people heartbroken. Despite her demise midway through the manga, there were multiple instances where Nobara was able to stand out and make an impression upon readers and viewers of Jujutsu Kaisen. This made her passing all the more devastating to the audience, as Nobara’s loss is always felt by the protagonists, who have lost a powerful ally and a good friend.
6 Settled in Tokyo
Never abandoned her ambitions
Nobara was born and raised in a village away from any city, but ever since childhood, she has wanted more. She disliked the villagers and felt like she didn’t fit in, sticking to only a few of her friends. She opened Jujutsu for herself when her grandmother taught Her the Straw Doll Technique, which would become key to much of Nobara’s tactics later.
Her grandmother wished Nobara to continue studying with her, allowing her a stable and quiet life with family in the village. Still, Nobara’s aspirations and dislike for her home pushed her to new achievements. The young sorceress had high hopes and desires to become a part of Tokyo’s Jujutsu High, making her leave her hometown and settle in the capital, where she would soon meet her new friends.
5 Fought Against Tokyo curses
Had to adapt to new surroundings
As a recruit from outside of Tokyo, with no notable heritage or ties to sorcerer families, Nobara had a lot to prove, especially after becoming the student of Satoru Gojo, the strongest sorcerer of the time. Nobara displayed her passion and dedication for Jujutsu sorcery by immediately taking up fighting cursed spirits.
She began demonstrating her dedication as early as episode 3, which is also the one in which she appeared for the first time. Nobara bravely takes on a cursed spirit and easily corners. Despite an unexpected surprise in the form of this curse possessing intelligence, Nobara remained determined and steadfast in her fight and didn’t give in to the curse.
4 Fought Back Against Momo
Surpassed her fellow student
Cursed spirits are not the only opponents Nobara triumphed over; she has also battled with other Jujutsu students. Most notably, during the Kyoto Goodwill arc, Nobara encountered Momo during the clash between student groups. Momo was quite an experienced sorceress, and the battle proved challenging, but Nobara held her ground nonetheless.
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This encounter also allowed Nobara to display her personality and outlook on life before her fellow students. She displayed her belief that coming from a certain background, no matter how difficult it might have been, does not excuse being cruel to others or keeping an arrogant, mean-spirited attitude. This encounter allowed Nobara to develop more as a character and display her magical powers.
3 Won Against Eso and Kechizu
Eliminated powerful opponents
One of Nobara’s most notable accomplishments is her triumph over Eso and Kechizu, cursed womb death paintings, which, along with Choso, were among the most formidable opponents Nobara has ever faced, being more advanced than regular cursed spirits. The Death paintings attempted to trick the students and lure them into their trap.
However, along with Yuji’s help, Nobara was able to turn the tide of this battle in their favor by using her own cursed technique. This came at the cost of injuring herself, but Nobara was able to resist the two younger cursed wombs, force them into retreat, and later kill them. Despite Yuji questioning Nobara's cruelty, this battle remained a notable
2 Did Her Best to Save People in Shibuya
Demonstrated her selflessness
Like many other characters, Nobara faced one of the most dramatic and difficult moments in her life as the Shibuya Incident unfolded. Nobara had to witness countless deaths and face off against different opponents, both sorcerers and curses. This led to one of her less bright moments as she lost to Haruta and had to be saved by Nanami Kento.
This wounded Nobara’s pride, but it didn’t deprive her of determination, as she still wished to continue the battle. She knew about countless innocents caught in Shibuya and their need for the sorcerers to help them. This caused Nobara to charge back into the incident zone, demonstrating her simultaneous bravery and relative recklessness.
1 Went Toe-to-toe with Mahito
Proved to be a formidable opponent
Out of all the special-grade cursed spirits active during the first seasons of Jujutsu Kaisen, one of the most dangerous is undoubtedly Mahito, the embodiment of human hatred. During the Shibuya Incident, he faced multiple opponents, with Nobara being one of them. She encountered his double on her way deeper into Shibuya, which kicked off a battle.
Despite this being a weakened version of Mahito that could not use idle transfiguration, he still retained all other skills and powers the spirit had, as well as incredible agility. Nobara masterfully used her technique to wound Mahito and force him to resort to trickery and lure her back to Yuji so his real self could finish the job.
