Summary
Jujutsu Kaisenwas nothing if not for a series that emphasized the importance of friendship and the benefit of relying on others. This was the biggest point of fan-favorite character Gojo’s presence in the show, especially when it came time for his long-awaited showdown against Sukuna. These 2 represented opposing ideologies, where the former wanted to lift others so no one would be alone, while the latter only ever relied on himself.
So, seeing how the story ended, it’s clear that Gojo’s ideology was the superior one, and it showed how central the theme of support was forJujutsu Kaisen. In this vein, perhaps no character in the entire story served a more helpful and important role than the legendary Aoi Todo, who can be seen as the reason whyYuji was able to overcome his greatest obstacles! So, let’s see how indispensable Todo was in the story.
Story Arc
Fearsome Womb Arc
When Todo made his debut in the series, no one could have predicted the kind of story arc that would play out for him. He was introduced as a violent and quick-to-temper sorcererwho beat Megumi senselesslysimply for having a boring taste in women, the absurdity of which caught fans off-guard and quickly piqued their interest. During the Kyoto Goodwill Event, Todo was going to do the same thing with Yuji until he found out that their taste in women was the same, causing him to imagine an entire life with Yuji as his best friend.
After likening Yuji to his best friend and brother, Todo went on to become the greatest support character in the series. This was first seen in the same arc, where Jujutsu High was attacked by Hanami, a Special Grade Curse. While way above their pay grade, Yuji and Todo continued to beat the Cursed Spirit using both of their Cursed Techniques in perfect conjunction as they played off each other very well.
What can I swap within the range of my technique? Only living things? No! My technique works on Crused Corpses and inanimate objects as well!
However, as integral as he was in every single combat situation, Todo’s development truly shone in moments outside of battles. The first is during the fight against Hanami, where he sees Yuji lacking in the fight. With a stern talking-to and a slap across the face, he makes Yuji realize that he mustn’t get too angry, so they both lock-in and proceed to give Hanami the beating of a lifetime! The same is true for theend of the series battle against Sukuna, where Todo comes at the last moments to save everyone and help Yuji once more in his time of need.
However, the best example of Todo being the greatest supporting character is in Yuji’s battle against Mahito. Mahito was perhaps Yuji’s greatest foe in the story in the sense of how both of them were opposites who represented different ideologies, similar to Gojo and Sukuna. After Mahito killed so many people, including those Yuji held very dear, like Nobara and Junpei, he was at the lowest point of his life, so much so that he just gave up.
Without fighting back, he became easy pickings for Mahito to kill on the spot. However, it was here that Yuji was saved by Todo, who gave him a life-altering speech about the necessity of what they do and how Yuji now holds the wills of everyone he has lost, so he simply cannot give up. After Yuji rejoins the battle, he and Todo proceed to give Mahito one of the most satisfying beatings in the series, and even at the end, Todo willinglysacrifices his Cursed Techniqueso Yuji can eventually defeat Mahito for good.
Battle Support
Todo’s the perfect partner in crime
Other than just the plot and thematic importance of this character, he is also one of the strongest sorcerers in theJujutsu Kaisenuniverse and the perfect one to fight alongside! Todo’s Cursed Technique, Boogie Woogie, is one of the trickiest ones to deal with, as it allows him to change places withanything that has Cursed Energyby clapping his hands. While it sounds simple on the surface, Todo’s creativity and skill with his technique make it extremely disorienting for his opponents!
This was evidenced in every single fight he partook in, since even Sukuna, the strongest and most experienced sorcerer in history with the greatest knowledge of Cursed Energy, was having a difficult time keeping up with Todo’s masterful application of Boogie Woogie. The technique itself, coupled with his already superhuman strength, makes Todo an incredibly tricky opponent to face.
Is he swapping with me or Sukuna’s vessel? That split-second decision is making my thoughts falter!
Moreover, he is a selfless character who, despite his obvious talent and strength, seeks to make Yuji shine as much as possible. Due to the nature of Boogie Woogie, it’s theperfect ‘support’ kind of Cursed Techniquethat disorients the opponent and works perfectly in conjunction with another sorcerer, which was seen with how well Todo and Yuji fought together each time.
Also, Todo is incredibly crafty. After the integral role he played in helping Yuji defeat Mahito for good, it was shown that he seemingly lost his ability to perform his Cursed Technique. However, he made a surprise return against Sukuna with a vibraslap attached to his left arm which allowed him to execute Boogie Woogie at an even faster and more potent rate than ever before, making him indispensable in Sukuna’s eventual defeat and the saving of every other sorcerer from the range of Malevolent Shrine. It’s safe to say that if Todo wasn’t in the story,Jujutsu Kaisenwould have ended far earlier!
Jujutsu Kaisencan be streamed onAmazon PrimeandNetflix.
Jujutsu Kaisen
Based on Gege Akutami’s Jujutsu Kaisen manga, Mappa’s battle shonen anime envisions a world where Jujutsu Sorcerers battle against entities born out of Cursed Energy. One day, a teenager named Yuji Itadori is dragged into this conflict when he eats a possessed finger.
