Jujutsu Kaisen: Was Nobara’s Return A Good Writing Decision?

Jujutsu Kaisen: Was Nobara's Return A Good Writing Decision?

Key Takeaways

  • Nobara Kugisaki returns in JJK chapter 267, shocking fans and joining the fight against Sukuna with a powerful Resonance technique.
  • Nobara’s previous “death” in the Shibuya Incident Arc was a fake-out, setting the stage for her comeback in the Shinjuku Showdown.
  • While Nobara’s return was necessary for the story, the execution raises questions about the author’s decision-making and character development.

As a long-time fan of Jujutsu Kaisen, I must say that Nobara’s return was a bittersweet moment for me. On one hand, I’m thrilled to see one of my favorite characters back in action. Nobara is a powerhouse with an unique cursed technique and a fierce spirit, qualities that always make her scenes exciting to read.


This article contains spoilers from Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 267.

Currently, Nobara Kugisaki is generating a lot of buzz among fans due to her recent reappearance in the storyline. She’s the leading character from JJK, a figure cherished by many who have grown fond of her over time. Regrettably, Nobara was absent from the narrative for quite some duration, as it was widely speculated that she perished during the Shibuya Incident Arc, a fact familiar to both viewers and readers.

Despite the unexpected twists in the manga, Nobara has miraculously made a comeback. It’s now official that she is not only alive but will also play a crucial part in the climax of the Shinjuku Showdown arc. Of course, her return brings much excitement, but whether this decision by the author is well-executed or poorly handled remains to be seen.

How Nobara “Died” In Jujutsu Kaisen In the Shibuya Arc

In the Shibuya Incident storyline, Nobara Kugisaki met her end. Prior to this event, Nobara had been an intriguing character and played a significant role in almost every crucial plot twist within Jujutsu Kaisen. She engaged in battles against powerful curses and finger bearers that were initially presented, and later on, she even confronted the Death Paintings. Her strength was evident as she demonstrated her potential to become one of the most formidable sorcerers in the series.

Despite the vast potential shown by Nobara earlier in the Shibuya Incident Arc, it seemed the author deliberately ruined this for a dramatic impact. In her fight with Mahito, Nobara found herself in an extremely tough predicament as he employed Idle Transfiguration on her, resulting in a significant portion of her face being obliterated, seemingly ending her life. Many viewers assumed that Nobara was no more and wouldn’t reappear in the narrative. However, the author cleverly left room for doubt by suggesting Nobara wasn’t technically dead at that moment.

Hey Itadori! Tell everyone that it wasn’t so bad! – Nobara

In simpler terms, the author used the character Nitta to convey that while Nobara’s chances of surviving were slim, they weren’t completely impossible. This gave Yuji reason to keep hoping. This hope helped Yuji to combat Mahito and ultimately defeat him. Following the Shibuya Incident Arc, Yuji spoke with Megumi about Nobara. Megumi remained quiet, suggesting that Nobara had likely passed away. Essentially, the author wanted to create a sense of uncertainty around Nobara’s status, possibly setting up a surprising return or twist in the storyline.

Nobara Kugisaki’s Return In Shinjuku Showdown

Nobara Returned In JJK 267

Nobara Joins The Fight Against Sukuna

In the Shinjuku Showdown storyline of Jujutsu Kaisen, long-absent characters made their comeback, such as Todo who put up an impressive fight against the Curse King. More recently, in chapter 267, Nobara has officially reappeared in the series, surprising many readers. In the same chapter, Sukuna’s finger was shown inside a shrine, suspended by cords, suggesting that a ritual involving it was imminent.

Simultaneously in the intense fight in Shinjuku, Sukuna spotted Yuji’s fingers for the first time, and he suddenly understood that the finger Rika had eaten wasn’t Sukuna’s but rather Yuji’s. Since Rika doesn’t strictly need a piece of Sukuna to use his technique, this strategy proved successful. By consuming Yuji’s fingers and potentially making a Binding Vow, Yuta managed to access Sukuna’s technique, with Rika playing a pivotal role. At the same time, Sukuna was completely deceived into believing that his finger had already been eaten.

In chapter 267 of Jujutsu Kaisen, Nobara awoke from her long slumber. Almost immediately upon waking, she chose to join the battle against Sukuna, focusing on his indestructible finger. Although Sukuna’s fingers are invulnerable, damage can still be inflicted upon him using the Resonance technique. Due to a Binding Vow and the nature of Resonance dealing exclusive damage, Nobara was able to directly harm Sukuna with her Resonance ability. The fact that he appeared to stagger suggested that Nobara had significantly improved her skills in this confrontation.

Currently, Nobara Kugisaki has officially rejoined the team with Yuji Itadori and Megumi Fushiguro. Their mission: to vanquish the Cursed King once and for all. The story is about to get thrilling, and fans are eagerly anticipating more of Nobara’s appearances. However, while everyone is thrilled about the narrative’s culmination, some may question whether her return was adequately portrayed.

Was Nobara’s Return A Good Writing Decision?

Nobara Definitely Deserved To Return To Jujutsu Kaisen

The debate over whether or not the way Nobara’s comeback was managed in the story is satisfactory can be quite intricate. To fully grasp this question, we must break it down into two aspects. Firstly, it is essential for Nobara to reappear in the plotline for coherence; if the author had maintained her as dead and then instilled false hope among fans in Shibuya while also keeping her fate uncertain without providing a definitive answer, it would have been a questionable narrative choice. By hinting at her return, the author was suggesting that Nobara would play an important role later on. In this regard, Nobara’s comeback can be deemed as a clever writing decision. However, it is the execution of this concept that falls short and disappoints both the series and the character of Nobara entirely.

This is the girl’s cursed technique! This is bad! I cannot open my domain! – Sukuna

Fans who enjoy action over narrative will undoubtedly find this satisfying as another exciting installment in the series. However, the criticism lies in Nobara’s limited involvement throughout most of the story, appearing only four chapters before its conclusion. To a discerning reader, it seems that the author may have run out of ideas for her character, leaving her out of the main narrative and reintroducing her at the last minute with minimal effort to salvage a mediocre ending for her storyline. Despite Nobara’s popularity, her portrayal in this work has been poorly executed by the author, making her late arrival in the story insignificant to its overall impact.

To fully develop and highlight Nobara’s unique personality and ensure her character aligns well with the established plot, it would have been more effective to introduce her earlier in the narrative. This could potentially be at the start of either the Shinjuku Showdown or during the Culling Game.

You can find the popular manga “Jujutsu Kaisen” through Viz Media. Fans have the chance to read it officially and for free on both Shonen Jump and Manga Plus apps. Mark your calendars as the next chapter, Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 268, is scheduled for release on September 1, 2024.

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2024-08-28 00:04