This Forgotten Naruto Character Inspired Satoru Gojo (And It’s Not Kakashi)

As a modern anime, Jujutsu Kaisen naturally takes cues from classic shonen series that came before it. The fight scenes in both the manga and anime share similarities with those in Naruto and Bleach. The character designs also show these influences – Nobara Kugisaki feels like a new version of Sakura Haruno, and Yuji Itadori combines traits of both Naruto Uzumaki and Ichigo Kurosaki. This leads to an interesting question: who inspired the creation of Satoru Gojo, and the answer might surprise you.

When I first saw Satoru Gojo, with his white hair and blindfold, my immediate thought – and the thought of many anime fans, I suspect – was ‘upside down Kakashi’ from Naruto. He’s a powerful fighter in his twenties who guides a group of young heroes, and the covered eye just sealed the deal. But as Kakashi himself would advise, you have to look deeper. While Jujutsu Kaisen‘s author, Gege Akutami, clearly drew inspiration from Naruto on multiple occasions, the connection to Gojo isn’t just about Kakashi. It turns out Gojo’s design is actually a tribute to a much more obscure Naruto character – one that even the original author, Masashi Kishimoto, apparently forgot: Tonbo Tobitake.

Satoru Gojo’s Inspiration Came Out of Left Field in the Chunin Exam Arc

Even Minor Characters Like Tonbo May Spark an Author’s Imagination

Image via Pierrot.

It’s common for popular manga and anime to share similar ideas and character styles. However, it’s unusual for a creator like Gege Akutami to base a compelling new character on someone as minor as Tonbo Tobitake. Tonbo was one of the proctors overseeing the Chunin Exams in the original Naruto anime, appearing alongside characters like Hayate Gekko and Ibiki Morino. He had a memorable moment when he dramatically stopped a young ninja, explaining how carefully the proctors watched for cheating. This scene effectively showed just how difficult the Chunin Exams were for the students.

Tonbo was a minor character in Naruto, easily forgotten even by dedicated fans. However, his unusual design – a chunin with bandages and a forehead protector covering his eyes – caught the attention of Gege Akutami and left a lasting impression. It’s interesting how something seemingly small can inspire a creator, as inspiration is so personal. That’s why fans of both Naruto and Jujutsu Kaisen might be surprised to learn that Satoru Gojo appears to be inspired by Tonbo Tobitake.

There’s an interesting, though subtle, link between the characters Satoru and Tonbo in how they fight. While Tonbo isn’t nearly as overwhelmingly powerful or playful as Satoru, his personality influenced Satoru’s creation. Both characters initially appear calm and harmless, but they become incredibly dominant and fierce when provoked. This sudden burst of power is a key similarity. Satoru Gojo in Jujutsu Kaisen takes this idea and elevates it; instead of simply catching cheaters like the chunin Tonbo, Satoru is the strongest sorcerer around, easily defeating powerful curses while remaining relaxed and joking. Unlike many anime characters who flaunt their strength, Satoru—and the chunin who inspired him—doesn’t need to advertise his power.

Subtler Design Inspirations Are Better Than Goku Clones

Gege Akutami Took Advantage of Anime’s Creative Potential

Image via MAPPA.

It’s common for manga and anime artists to build on each other’s successful ideas, often adopting designs that have proven popular. When something truly groundbreaking or iconic emerges, subsequent artists naturally want to capture that same energy in their own work. This is why we’ve seen so many characters similar to Goku, like the fire wizard Natsu Dragneel, the stretchy pirate Monkey D. Luffy, and the mischievous ninja Naruto Uzumaki. The team dynamic of Naruto’s Team 7 also became a recurring pattern in later anime, establishing the idea of a three-person team. However, simply copying elements from the past isn’t the only way – or even the best way – for modern anime like Jujutsu Kaisen to pay tribute to what came before.

The ‘strong but naive’ hero archetype, as famously embodied by Goku, works well, but it’s become predictable, especially since many new action anime heroes clearly try to imitate him. Relying on this same formula limits the potential of the shonen genre. To create something truly new, creators could look to less prominent or unusual characters for inspiration – just as Jujutsu Kaisen‘s popular character Satoru Gojo was surprisingly designed based on a minor character from Naruto. Once creators move beyond simply copying Goku, they unlock countless possibilities. That’s not to say influences from iconic characters in Bleach and Naruto shouldn’t be used at all – Satoru’s design benefited from those inspirations too.

Kakashi and Kisuke Found Their Way Into Satoru’s Final Design

Jujutsu Kaisen is the Next Bleach in Many Ways

Fans are praising Gege Akutami for cleverly creating the character Satoru Gojo, drawing inspiration from a lesser-known character in Naruto and making it work brilliantly. It’s common for newer anime series to borrow ideas from older ones, and that’s perfectly fine. While it’s good for creators to look at many different sources for inspiration, a few recognizable nods to past works are okay too, as long as the series also offers plenty of original content. Jujutsu Kaisen does this well, clearly building on the legacies of Naruto and especially Bleach.

Yuji Itadori’s story shares similarities with Naruto, particularly in how his team is structured and the presence of Ryomen Sukuna, a monster within him, which is reminiscent of Kurama. However, many fans believe Jujutsu Kaisen draws more heavily from Bleach, with Yuji embodying a similar role to Ichigo Kurosaki – a strong high schooler who gains powers after a supernatural encounter. Satoru Gojo’s character also seems inspired by Tonbo Tobitake from Naruto, but takes the concept much further.

Satoru’s character design and personality seem to draw inspiration from several sources. While Tonbo lacked hair, Satoru, like Kakashi, is known for his striking white hair and mask. However, Satoru’s playful, mischievous behavior is most strongly influenced by Kisuke Urahara from Bleach. Like Tonbo in early Naruto, Satoru can quickly shift from calm to energetic, but he truly embodies Kisuke’s goofy, prankster side, which provides a nice contrast to his immense power. Both characters are surprisingly strong despite their silly demeanor, and both have a serious, even intimidating, side. Satoru, like Kisuke, balances lightheartedness with the darker elements of his series, effectively carrying on the legacy of Kisuke as a powerful mentor figure.

2026-01-09 22:35