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Jujutsu Kaisenhas become a classic namein the shonen landscape, and this success can be partly attributed to author Gege’s excellent character designs and characterizations. This is further evident from the roster of well-liked characters withinJujutsu Kaisen. Toji Fushiguro is a prime example of this phenomenon, as he is arguably one of the most popular faces in the series, despite being a good-for-nothing criminal and a major antagonistic threat.
Introduced in the second season ofJujutsu Kaisen, Toji Fushiguro didn’t have much going for him initially, yet he became a precursor to several ofJujutsu Kaisen’smajor events. Even with no redemption for his character, Toji somehow became one of the most popular names in the series' roster, a phenomenon that is certainly odd yet intriguing. With layers to his persona, coupled with a simple yet magnetic visual design,Toji Fushiguro’s characterizationis the perfect formula to become a beloved antagonist.
Air Date
June 02, 2025
In any kind of media form, whether it’s anime, films, or live-actions, a character’s visual appearance plays a major role in making or breaking their popularity.Jujutsu Kaisenalso plays into this aspect of character design, which is evident from a number of striking characters in the series' roster, whether it’s Gojo Satoru or Sukuna himself. Toji’s case is quite similar, as his appearance lends him a considerable chunk of his popularity. Despite wearing simple clothes, Toji’s appearance is well-lauded within the community. From his muscular and broad build, to his star-laden face, Toji’s visual appeal has fans raving over him.
However, the surprising aspect of Toji’s appearance is that his popularity never seems to wane, despite his heinous crimes against Jujutsu sorcerers. Fromkilling the Star Plasma vesselto almost ending Gojo Satoru’s life, Toji’s crimes are no joke. However, it seems that his appearance has led to all of his crimes being absolved, at least within theJujutsu Kaisencommunity. However, his visual appearance isn’t the only thing that plays a key role in this, as Toji’s characterization has several key aspects that set him apart from the rest, in turn making him such a likeable character.
The Underdog Within the World Of Jujutsu Sorcery
Toji Possessed Zero Cursed Energy
The anime community loves to root for the underdog,especially in battle shonen anime, where anyone defying the status quo is lauded as a hero. This is evident from Rock Lee’s case, an oddball character who was known for his inability to use ninjutsu altogether. His underdog status and his ability to defy all expectations was one of the main reasons behind his popularity. Toji Fushiguro is in a similar boat, as he entirely lacks cursed energy. In a series where cursed energy forms the basis of the entire power system, possessing not even a sliver of it would deem Toji useless altogether.
But you guys, with all your blessed talents, lost to a monkey like me who can’t even use jujutsu. Don’t you dare forget that if you wanna live a long life.
However, he defies expectations by earning the title of Sorcerer Killer, and even taking onGojo Satoru and Geto, two Jujutsu sorcerer prodigies that were known to be the strongest of their time. These feats certainly deem the hype behind his character valid. As an individual with zero cursed energy, taking on two of the strongest sorcerers of their time without breaking a sweat is certainly a feat that deserves respect.
Moreover, Toji is known to be a nonchalant character, yet he goes all out in his battles. This deems him an intriguing character for viewers, as he fights his opponents for the thrill of the battle. Furthermore, this adds on to the hype around his character and his power levels, considering he is an anomaly in the system, since he was born without any cursed energy. With such a disadvantage in a worldfull of Jujutsu sorcerers, Toji’s dominance over sorcerers such as Gojo and Geto, coupled with his nonchalant attitude, make him a considerably likable character in the viewers’ eyes.
A Central Role in the Narrative
Toji’s Actions Played a Major Role in Jujutsu Kaisen’s Overall Narrative
While this aspect of Toji’s character might have played less of a role in his overall popularity, it’s still pertinent to note that he is one of the most important characters inJujutsu Kaisen. His significance becomes even more intriguing after considering the fact that he was only in the series for one arc, and his second appearance was that of a resurrected puppetin the Shibuya Incident. Despite such a short-lived presence in the series, the impact of his role goes much deeper. Toji arguably shaped much of the premise, considering his actions pushed Geto towards hating non-sorcerers and mankind as a whole.
It’s safe to say that Toji has alsoshaped Megumi’s persona, considering many of the young sorcerer’s personality traits and issues arise from his absent father, and the fact that he was left to live on his own with his sister. It’s safe to say that Toji influenced a number of characters in the series, whether it’s his own son, or Gojo and Geto’s perspective of the Jujutsu world.
Toji is even more significant considering he was the first character ever to show in the Jujutsu Kaisen series to actually go toe-to-toe with Gojo and Geto. The only reason he lost to Gojo was due to the lattermastering Reversed Cursed Techniqueand Purple Hollow on the brink of death, in-turn killing Toji with just one blow.
An Overall Likable Persona
Toji’s Character Differs From Most Antagonists
A likable personality goes a long way in making a character popular, and this is especially true for antagonists. However, Toji’s persona lending him his popularity is quite surprising, considering he was initially shown to be nothing more than a deadbeat father and a lazy assassin who barely even had time to shower. His appearance further backed this image of him, as he wore the same simple clothes with an overall basic appearance. However, his actual persona shines through by theend of the Hidden Inventory Arc, where it becomes evident that there’s much more than meets the eye to Toji’s character.
As nonchalant as he may be, he is shown to be rather serious about his line of work. It’s also worth noting that Toji Fushiguro is a man of his words, an attribute that deems him a much more likable antagonist. Whilecharacters such as Mahitoare able to resort to any means possible to achieve their goals and survive, Toji is known to never back down. This is also evident in his fights, as he refuses to back down from a battle and run away.
A clear example of this aspect of his persona was visible during his fight against Gojo Satoru, where he realized that he would not survive afterGojo had attained Purple Hollow. However, he faced death right in the eye instead of running away to save his life. This aspect of his personality further makes him a likable character, as he never goes back on what he believes, making him a much more popular antagonist.
