Both Jujutsu Kaisen and My Hero Academia made the controversial decision to resurrect a main character. However, while My Hero Academia effectively executed this move, Jujutsu Kaisen was unable to do so successfully.
Despite Jujutsu Kaisen being notorious for its frequent character deaths, it came as a shock to many when Gege Akutami chose to kill off a key character in the story so early on. In the Shibuya Incident Arc, Nobara Kugisaki was believed to have met her end at the hands of Mahito.
For almost 150 chapters, she had been missing from the story with no mention of her status. However, in Chapter 267, she unexpectedly reappeared to assist Yuji in defeating Sukuna.
To those who are unfamiliar, this may appear quite similar to Bakugo’s return towards the end of the Final War Arc in My Hero Academia. However, despite the similarities, the two events are actually very different.
Nobara and Bakugo’s comebacks look similar
Similarly to Nobara, Bakugo also ‘died’ during the final war at the hands of Shigaraki, which ultimately led to Deku’s determination to defeat the villains. Before delving into the differences between their revivals, let’s first discuss the similarities between the two. Both characters faced a tragic death in the midst of the intense battle.
On that fateful day, Nobara’s actions essentially sealed Yuji’s fate. Following the sealing of Gojo, Nanami’s death, and the mass slaughter that occurred, the protagonist was forced to endure yet another tragedy as he witnessed his friend’s death. This ultimately fueled his vengeful determination to annihilate Mahito in a cold and unrelenting rage.
Despite the similar impact of their ‘deaths’, Bakugo and Nobara also share a common role in their respective returns. Bakugo’s comeback occurred at a pivotal moment when All Might was in danger of being killed by All For One, mirroring Nobara’s return at the final moment to defeat Sukuna.
The impulsive protagonist not only rescued his role model, but also vanquished the primary antagonist of the franchise. As a result, this spared Deku from having to confront the foe himself (at least temporarily).
So, what sets apart these two events? The distinction lies in their execution and how it shapes the central narrative. In essence, it all boils down to the power of impactful storytelling.
Nobara’s return was too late
Despite the initial controversy, Bakugo’s return was both shocking and anticipated. It had the potential to become a chaotic event if it had not been timed appropriately. However, he reappeared at a crucial moment that kept us on the edge of our seats without overshadowing the protagonist.
Despite the protagonist not often being given the spotlight in Jujutsu Kaisen, Nobara returned just in time for Yuji to defeat the final villain of the series during the Shinjuku Showdown Arc. This was a rare occurrence, as Nobara had not been given much attention in the series prior.
As the spotlight finally shone on him, it should have been focused solely on Yuji and Sukuna. As the main character, it was his duty to take center stage, and we, the readers, had been eagerly anticipating this pivotal moment since the story began. The potential was immense, especially as Yuji had just revealed his domain expansion and made a bold threat to kill Sukuna unless he freed Megumi.
Despite experiencing that incredible moment and receiving Nobara’s help, the significance of it was ultimately diminished. Knowing what lies ahead, it is difficult to re-read Chapter 265 and view Yuji in the same light. After all, what’s the point when we are aware that he will require assistance to defeat Sukuna?
The idea of Bakugo remaining dead for most of the story and then suddenly returning just as Deku is about to defeat Shigaraki and All For One doesn’t seem very thrilling, does it?
Nobara’s Return: Uncovering the Plot Holes
Despite Nobara’s return, I still have a complaint about how unimportant it is to her overall character development. Aside from having ‘aura’, it only seemed to create inconsistencies in the plot. I question the necessity of hiding her status from Yuji, especially after Sukuna had already left his body.
It doesn’t make sense that Sukuna, who was aware of Nobara’s Resonance and fate, didn’t plan ahead to prevent this situation, especially if Yuta and the others were already aware of her existence and had accounted for her in their contingency plans. Keeping her existence a secret from Yuji would have been completely illogical.
Despite being able to effortlessly evade techniques such as Hollow Purple and Jacob’s Ladder, as well as utilize his convenient Binding Vows, the King of Curses was unexpectedly unable to avoid a technique from a relatively weak sorcerer.
Despite not knowing the answer to those questions, there is still one larger question that remains regarding Nobara’s comeback. I can’t help but wonder what Yuji would have done if she had not survived. He seemed so confident when he threatened Sukuna, so surely he must have had a plan. But without the aid of Resonance, was he simply bluffing? Unfortunately, we may never find out the answer.
Bakugo’s Comeback Contributed to His Character Arc
On the contrary, Bakugo was given preferential treatment. His return not only brought excitement but also contributed to his ongoing development as a character. We witnessed a conceited bully being slowly humbled until his untimely demise, dealing a final blow to his ego.
Someone else was the one who saved his life, someone who made great sacrifices to keep him alive. This experience revealed his powerlessness in the grand scheme of things and demonstrated his dependence on others to survive.
Therefore, when he resurfaced to rescue All Might and bravely confronted All For One, we could only watch with admiration as he admitted his own vulnerability and expressed his gratitude for the compassion he had been shown. However, this did not necessarily signify a complete transformation from the impulsive boy he once was.
Despite being humbled, Bakugo was still the same determined and confident person we knew as we watched him lock eyes with All For One and declare himself the final boss. His near-death experience did not alter his personality, but rather sparked personal and heroic growth. His “death”served as the catalyst for this development, as he learned a valuable lesson from it.
Nobara was quite different from the rest of us. We had very little knowledge about her from the start. She possessed a strong and admirable outlook on life. In a fight, Nobara was capable of holding her own and she definitely did not have any romantic feelings towards her teammates (thank goodness!). However, due to her early departure from the story, she did not receive much attention.
Despite our initial fondness for her, the length of her stay prevented us from truly getting to know and appreciate her character. Unfortunately, her untimely death and subsequent return felt more like a convenient plot device rather than genuine character development.
It is unfortunate that Nobara, a character with such depth and intrigue, was only brought back unexpectedly during the eleventh hour.
Another topic you may find interesting is our analysis of Dragon Ball’s key character and Yuta’s transformation into Gojo.
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