Nami from One Piece, Mikasa Ackerman from Attack on Titan, and Winry Rockbell from Full Metal Alchemist—what do they all have in common? They’re all badass shonen female characters, and it’s about time we added Jujutsu Kaisen‘s very own Nobara Kugisaki to the list. Not your typical female protagonist that shonen is particularly defamed for, she is a fearless, abrasive, independent, and compassionate character who stands for what she believes in.
From the moment Nobara was introduced in Jujutsu Kaisen, people already had a taste of her level of conviction—oozing confidence and charisma. Despite being below Yuji and Megumi in rankings, she consistently exceeds expectations in combat thanks to her craftiness, confidence, and unbeatable resolve (see JJK 267 for proof). While there are many reasons to love Gojo, Yuji, and Megumi, she most definitely deserves her flowers. From being the sorcerer they can rely on to being the friend they can lean on, Nobara truly is the best girl.
10. She Is Unapologetically Charismatic
One of the more obvious reasons why Nobara is the best girl is her charisma. Not many female protagonists, let alone characters, exude this much charm. Since the start, her fiery passion and expressive nature has piqued many fans’ interest.
In chapter 4 of the manga and episode 3 of the anime, Nobara is introduced by insisting herself to a modeling scout. “You’re looking for models, right? I’m asking about myself,” she says. She gets turned down (probably because of her attitude, definitely not her face) and immediately reveals an assertive attitude—asking the scout not to run away and say something.
These little nuances and scenes allow fans to see the true nature of Nobara’s character. If she wants something, she asks for it. If she can’t get it, she tries her hardest to achieve it, even if she has to chase her dreams like a madwoman. This is why so many fans love her character in the first place, and deservingly so! She’s a confident diamond, she can still be rough around the edges—and that’s fine.
9. She Has the Determination to Defy All Odds
Nobara Kugisaki’s resolve alone could rival the strongest curse. If there’s anything to remember Nobara by, it is her unyielding spirit and unwavering determination to overcome obstacles. She has an unbelievable amount of drive to prove her worth on the battlefield.
Though she may not be the best combatant or possess the most overpowered techniques, Nobara cancels it out with incredible grit. She has consistently proven she can fight against stronger and more experienced sorcerers through her wit and resolve. For example, her fight alongside Yuji against Eso and Kechizu (Choso’s brothers) involved using Resonance on herself to inflict massive damage on the brothers. She stabbed herself with nails constantly and activated Resonance—all while losing some life to poison damage. Yeah, I don’t know what to say! That’s just badass!
A Jujutsu Kaisen fan tweeted out: “I’d like to remind ppl that Nobara was 16 years old and chose to go up against Special Grade Mahito while there were grown adults in Shibuya who were avoiding battle. She is not the fodder you like to mischaracterise her as and her CT has so much utility. She’s not a quitter.“
8. She Lives for Herself
One of the reasons why Nobara has become one of Jujutsu Kaisen‘s most popular characters is because she values authenticity. She values standing up for yourself and doing what you love. She carries herself confidently without trying to impress anyone. No character exudes more self-confidence in the series than Gojo, but Nobara is a very close second. She’s a no bullsh*t character, through and through!
During the Goodwill Event arc, Nobara was seen fighting against Kyoto Jujutsu High’s Momo Nishimiya. During the battle, the two talked about what it meant to be a woman in the Jujutsu world. Momo asserted that women Jujutsu sorcerers must be cute, skilled, and perfect. This rubbed Nobara the wrong way, saying that life isn’t a job!
She then added that only she decides how she wants to live her life. She can shop pretty dresses whenever she wants to do it and she can battle the strongest of curses whenever she wants to do it! She lives her life for herself not for anyone else, so these pointless thoughts on how-a-woman-should-be have no place in her mind. People can take a page or two out of Nobara’s book and learn what it means to be true to yourself and be confident in your abilities.
7. Nobara Is a Girl’s Girl
A “girl’s girl” is a woman supporting other women, and Nobara is the biggest girl’s girl in Jujutsu Kaisen. Well, she could even be the biggest girl’s girl in all of anime! During her childhood, Nobara and her friend, Fumi, met a girl named Saori from Tokyo who recently moved to their hometown. Saori was seven years older than Nobara and Fumi, so the former saw her as a cool big sister. Nobara hated village life, so seeing someone from Tokyo made her really excited. She tried to enact everything Saori did, even how she talked.
That wasn’t until Saori and her family were driven out of the village because they were from Tokyo. Deeply saddened, Nobara used this as motivation to leave her judgemental hometown hoping to see her friend in the city. Saori embodied the exciting life Nobara had always wanted, looking up to her and catching on to some of her mannerisms. In the end, Saori had some influence on Nobara, leading her to become the character fans all know and love today.
6. She Has Main Character Energy
Nobara Kugisaki can get the spotlight whenever she wants. She might not be the main protagonist like Yuji, a once-in-a-lifetime talent like Megumi, or the most powerful sorcerer like Gojo, but she still manages to steal the show whenever she wants. In the recent JJK 267 leaks, she comes back to the battlefield only 30 minutes after waking up, shakes off the rust, and uses Resonance on Sukuna’s last finger—all in a span of one page. Now, that’s main character energy.
“I love dressing up and looking beautiful! I love being strong!” Nobara doesn’t have to be the protagonist of Jujutsu Kaisen; she’s already the main character of her own story. She’s unapologetically herself and does things in her style. For instance, during the missions of the trio, Yuji and Megumi would often clash heads. But Nobara mediates that, taking charge whenever she needs to hop in.
A fan tweeted out about Nobara saying: “Nobara was/did whatever she wanted unapologetically. Without giving into established or societal pressures. She felt like a real & relatable person. Not just someone secondary & intended to prop up the MC or serve a specific plot point.“
5. She Is a Genuine, Compassionate Friend
Nobara is known for her strong and abrasive qualities, maybe that is why most people fail to notice her sincerity towards others. Behind the tough personality is a compassionate girl who understands everyone’s emotions and struggles. Nobara might be the best girl in the series, but she’s an even better friend to her peers.
After the fight against the two cursed womb brothers, Yuji asked her how she felt after killing two part-human curses. She answers the question genuinely, “As Jujutsu Sorcerers, these kinds of things happen.” This reassures a distressed Yuji, guaranteeing him that this is what must be done. Killing curses, especially part-humans, is no easy feat mentally. This is especially true for Yuji who, at that point, still believed in succeeding without killing. How Nobara responds perfectly to the question shows how strongly she can sense others’ emotions.
Her hiding her emotions when Yuji temporarily died in the beginning of the story and her rooting for Maki, grasping all the struggles that she has faced being a part of such a sexist clan, are also examples of her just being a friend that everyone would just love to have IRL!
4. Nobara Is Incredibly Relatable
Excluding the cursed technique, Nobara is one of the most relatable characters in Jujutsu Kaisen. She’s not destined to eat the fingers of the King of Curses nor responsible for a whole clan. She goes on shopping sprees, pokes fun at her classmates (and teachers), and tries a lot of good food. That’s you on the weekends, maybe minus the classmates part. Nobara would just have the best Instagram feed if she existed in real life! Kidding aside, she is as genuine as genuine gets.
During episode three of the anime, a cursed spirit took a boy hostage. In a pinch, Nobara had to think fast about whether to flee to increase her chances of survival or save the boy and die in the process. Considering fleeing, she puts her hammer and nails down anyway and says, “Let the kid go. I got nothing.” As if not having thought of fleeing seconds ago, she willingly sacrifices her weapons and herself for the sake of the kid’s safety. It’s hard not to be helpful, isn’t it, Nobara? Being a good person is such a pain sometimes!
A fan on X said: “Nobara is the relatable, ‘realistic girl’ that Sakura failed to be.” Shots were fired and all of them hit.
3. She Opens Herself up to the Right People
Unsurprisingly, Nobara Kugisaki is a dependable ally—and that’s one of her core attributes. However, knowing who to depend on is as crucial as being reliable. Nobara has always been vocal about those who can sway her heart, and that people must first earn her trust. At the end of the Origins of Blind Obedience arc, Nobara tells Yuji, “There are only so many seats open in my life, and I don’t want to let my heart be swayed by anyone who’s not sitting in one of them.”
Limited seats mean smaller circles and smaller circles mean bigger trust. Choosing who deserves those seats is a responsibility she must bear to live with no regrets. It may seem invalidating, but it’s a real dilemma for real people. She tells Yuji that some willingly bring their chairs and sit down—Yuji being one of them. While full of grit, determination, and independence, Nobara still opens herself up to others in hopes of creating healthy relationships. She picks the right people!
This could also be said about Maki who Nobara treats as her mentor and a big sister. After Maki mentions the story of her unfortunate relationship with her family, Nobara confidently says that Maki’s cool. This sparks a new and wholesome friendship between them!
2. She Is the Queen of Banter
Alongside the King of Banter, Yuji and Nobara often lighten the mood by teaming up against Megumi. Whenever she’s not in her usual sassy mood, she pokes fun with the trio and Gojo. This team has made millions of fans cry-laugh with a lot of small skits.
Their banter is a refreshing change of pace since Jujutsu Kaisen is often dark and moody with all the curses running around. If Nobara wakes up on the right side of the bed, she’s a little ball of sunshine ready to put a smile on the fans’ faces.
A lot of fans also think of Yuji and Nobara as the best duo, considering they know how to have fun and fight together rather flawlessly! That too, without any sort of twisted romantic interest in each other. Yuji and Nobara prove that amazing male-female friendships can exist in shonen as well!
After the leaks of JJK 267, one fan said this on X: “nobara expressing how much she isn’t interested in yuji will always be funny. not only did she immediately shut down the crush allegations from ozawa but the first time they met, she looked at yuji and sighed.”
1. Nobara Has a Strong Sense of Duty
Signing up for Jujutsu High is a commitment only a percentile of sorcerers get to enjoy. Thinking about it, “enjoy” might not be the best word to describe practicing sorcery. Nobara understands what she was walking into the moment she stepped foot in Tokyo—and that’s to eradicate curses. She had extensive knowledge about curses before studying in Tokyo thanks to the curses she eliminated in the outskirts.
Jujutsu sorcerers, by all means, don’t have it easy. They face the possibility of death in every mission, but still willingly go to the battlefield. Nobara is no exception—always showing off her skills as a prideful fighter in any way she can.
After being saved by Kento Nanami from the blade of Haruta Shigemo during the Shibuya Incident arc, Nobara wanted to offer help but was quickly shut down by Nanami. However, because of her strong sense of duty and pride as a sorcerer, she ignored Nanami’s denial and went straight to her allies. Constantly laying her life down for the cause, this is what it means to become a Jujutsu sorcerer.