Where are the parents in Jujutsu Kaisen?

Summary

• JJK lacks parental figures; the current ones are toxic or deeply disturbing.
• Gojo mentors Itadori, Fushigo, and Okkotsu as a surrogate parent.
• The Jujutsu College guides students and helps them realize themselves.

Jujutsu Kaisen fans rarely meet the parents of Jujutsu High students. In addition, several of Jujutsu Kaisen parental figures are toxic and neglectful. This detail is ironic considering the emphasis on bloodline and inherited cursed techniques among the great three families.

Instead, the faculty of Jujutsu High noticeably fills the gaps left there by JJK's absent caretakers. This theme becomes especially relevant with regards to the first year students of Tokyo Jujutsu High who are either orphaned or estranged from their families. Witnessing the bonds formed between Jujutsu High students and faculty highlights the key role a teacher plays in the development of their students into adults.

Parents are mostly absent in Jujutsu Kaisen

The few current parents are bad role models

There are few parental figures in Jujutsu Kaisen. The few parents who are either off-screen or visible in minor roles. Yuji's grandfather, his primary caregiver, dies in the first episode of the anime. Dialogue mentions Nobara's grandmother, but she never appears.

Then there are the parents who are present, but not in a healthy way. The best example of a toxic parent figure in JJK is Toji Fushigoro, who abandons his two children and sells Megumi to the Zenin clan. As far as Megumi is concerned, Toji is a stranger.

The last group of parents present at JJK are troubled people who are trying their best. These characters have faults that might set off a beige flag, but they take care of their children as best they can. For example, Nagi Yoshino loves her son Junpei. She is really excited when Junpei brings new friend Yuji home for dinner. And Junpei confides in Yuji that he and his mother are close.

Unfortunately, Nagi is going through a rough divorce with Junpei's father. He copes by drinking, even passing out during dinner with Yuji. Furthermore, Nagi depends on Junpei, who carries much of the emotional burden in their relationship, to the point where he hides most of the bullying he endures to protect Nagi's feelings.

Gojo takes Itadori, Fushigoro and Okkotso

Behind closed doors, he vigorously defends them

Satoru Gojo plays a surprising role in the development of his students at Jujutsu High School in Tokyo. Despite his reputation for having a big ego and thinking selfishly, he steps in to fill in the gaps where several parents are missing. For all intents and purposes, Gojo adopts Yuji Itadori almost immediately after the youth's grandfather dies. Moreover, if not for the intervention of a powerful wizard, Itadori would have died at the hands of the jujutsu council.

And then there's Megumi. After killing Toji Fushigoro, Gojo regularly checks on the orphaned Megumi and Tsumiki and supports them financially. He also negotiates with the Zenin clan and voids their transaction with Toji for Megumi. Finally, there is Yuta Okkotsu. The troubled teenager was on the verge of suicide after meeting Gojo. Fortunately, Gojo helped Yuto find purpose by showing him how his curse could become a tool for good.

There are other moments where Gojo uses his natural parental instinct. The best example is the second day of the Kyoto Sister School Goodwill event. After a devastating first day interrupted by malevolent actors, the students of Jujutsu High School are physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausted. The supervising faculty almost canceled the event and the students' competition ended on a somber note. Gojo pressured Yaga and Gakuganji to continue the action, but the wily instructor planned a twist.

Traditionally, the second day of the Goodwill event offers various one-on-one witch battles – which is not a good idea, given the current situation. Luckily, Gojo steps in, grabs her hand and draws slips of paper from a jar filled with the next day's challenges. Which competition will be selected? Baseball. Is this a moment of Akutami fan service? Maybe, but it serves the plot well. This is where Goj's emotional intelligence and compassion shine. He knows their future will be bleak and gives them the opportunity to be children, at least for a day. There is a lot of moral ambiguity in the jujutsu world. A net positive result may justify harsh tactics or physical/emotional burnout that requires students to mature too quickly. Gojo wants more for its students, and that's huge.

Jujutsu High Teachers mentor and support their students

Their guidance enables students to realize themselves

High school is a crucial moment in a young person's life. Teenagers discover their values ​​and goals and how their actions affect the world around them—all while navigating the turbulent growing pains of puberty. They are incredibly vulnerable individuals and how adults interact with them can make or break their future. The faculty of Jujutsu High contains mysterious personalities. Some are rebellious weevils like Gojo. Others are more pragmatic, like Kento Nanami. Then there are qualified but ethically dubious teachers like Mei Mei. They are all flawed individuals, but they do what they can to develop the young minds of Jujutsu High into the guardians of the future.

Despite Megumi's disdain for Gojo, the feisty instructor positively influences the reserved prodigy. Gojo's conversation with Megumi, encouraging the confident wizard to allow himself to lose control, eventually results in a breakthrough that allows Megumi to carry out the domain expansion for the first time. Maki attends Jujutsu High while fighting against the negative prejudices the Zenin clan holds towards her. If it mattered to a more conservative wizard, the gifted fighter would be kept at 4th level indefinitely. Fortunately, Mei Mei, who has experienced the transformation of her undervalued Cursed Technique into a highly valued Tier 1 tool, recognizes Maki's potential and nominates her for promotion.

Kento Nanami sets an example for his students. Despite his distaste for the world of jujutsu and what it builds its wizards into, he still returns to practice out of a sense of duty to others. His strength of character inspires Yuji to never give up, even when Mahito and Sukuna push the tortured teenager to his limits during the Shibuya incident. The teachers of Jujutsu High do not sit on a pedestal. They are not objectively better parents than the blood relatives of their pupils. However, they show the importance of a good teacher for a student's development into adulthood. In some cases, a dedicated teacher can build the foundation of a found family for students who don't have a support system and initiate tremendous change.