It may not be obvious in their interactions, but Gojo Satoru and Megumi Fushiguro actually go back a long way. They are not the most affectionate people, so I won’t blame you if you think that they’re nothing more than a teacher and a student. In fact, many fans think that the author did not highlight their relationship that much in the series. Many are asking, what is Gojo and Megumi’s relationship? So, in this article, we will take a closer look into Gojo and Megumi’s history, as well as their significant interactions in Jujutsu Kaisen.
How Did Megumi Meet Gojo?
Star Plasma Incident
The story begins during the Hidden Inventory Arc when Gojo was unexpectedly attacked by Toji Fushiguro, also known as the Sorcerer Killer. While Gojo was recovering from the ambush of multiple sorcerers, a sword suddenly pierced through his chest from behind. Gojo was surprised to see Toji as it is his first time seeing the Sorcerer Killer. Apart from that, he was totally caught off-guard since Toji did not have a cursed energy that would allow Gojo to detect his presence. Toji also revealed that he was the one who put a bounty on Gojo’s head so that sorcerers will attack him and eventually wear him down.
During their fight, Gojo was surprised that Toji evaded all his attacks. Aside from having zero cursed energy, Toji also has superior physical prowess which makes it even more difficult for Gojo to read his moves. Gojo was obviously at a disadvantage and sure enough, their fight ended with Gojo lying in a pool of his own blood.
At that moment, Gojo learned how to use the Reverse Cursed Technique for the first time which he used to heal himself. However, overusing the Six Eyes and Reverse Cursed Technique made him delirious with a crazed demeanor. When Gojo found Toji again, he did not waste any time and unleashed one strong attack from another which eventually dealt a fatal wound to the Sorcerer Killer.
Before Toji died, Gojo asked for his last words. Toji suddenly remembered his son and told Gojo that young Megumi is going to be sold to the Zenin Clan in two or three years and that he should do whatever he wants with that information.
After the Star Plasma Incident
Sometime after the Star Plasma Incident, Gojo went out to look for the son that Toji mentioned before he died. That’s when Gojo met Megumi who was in first grade of elementary school at the time. He tried to tell Megumi about Toji’s death, but Megumi quickly dismissed Gojo and told him that he doesn’t care about his father’s whereabouts.
Gojo proceeded to ask Megumi if he wants to join the Zenin Clan, but Megumi told him that his answer will depend on whether Tsumiki will be happy with his choice. Gojo replied that there is no way Tsumiki would be happy if he chose the Zenin Clan. And with that, Megumi chose to become a student at Tokyo Jujutsu High instead. Gojo served as Megumi and Tsumiki’s benefactor; he provided them with financial assistance and in exchange, Megumi will train as a jujutsu sorcerer. Gojo practically raised Megumi which is why many fans are hoping that the author would actually show how deep their bond is.
What is Gojo and Megumi’s Relationship?
Personally, I think Gojo is more like an annoying older brother to Megumi. They have an amusing dynamic consisting of a perpetually annoyed student and a goofy teacher. Their personalities are the total opposite so most of the time it’s just Megumi getting annoyed at Gojo’s antics. Most importantly, despite Megumi being the younger one, he acts more mature than his teacher which is why these two are such an interesting pair.
But even though Megumi always seems to be annoyed at his childish teacher, it’s obvious that he still sees Gojo as a respectable mentor, someone he could ask for help when necessary. This was shown in Episode 23 when Megumi asked Gojo to help him with training. Even Gojo himself was surprised since Megumi rarely asks him for this kind of favor.
Introduction Arc
Megumi and Gojo’s interesting dynamic has been evident since the beginning of the series. In Episode 1, we witnessed their phone call banter over the details of the mission. When Megumi told Gojo that he cannot find the special grade cursed object that he should look for, Gojo only replied that it was hilarious and that “maybe it took a nighttime stroll”. Out of annoyance, Megumi threatened to punch him. After hanging up, Megumi adds, “I’m seriously going to punch him next time”.
Later on, when Megumi was about to exorcise Yuji after swallowing Sukuna’s finger, Gojo suddenly appeared. When asked why he was there, Gojo said that he didn’t originally plan on coming, but the higher-ups kept on bugging him about retrieving the cursed object. Gojo then took out his phone and actively took photos of the wounded Megumi so he could show it to the second-year students (and obviously make fun of him).
Before Gojo went to fight Sukuna who was possessing Yuji’s body, he threw a bag of Kikufuku mochi to Megumi. The young sorcerer was astounded that his teacher even bought some souvenirs while he was out there fighting for his life to retrieve the cursed object.
It was also evident from this episode that Gojo values Megumi as a student. During the fight, Gojo told Sukuna that he is going to show off a little since his student is watching. Later on, when Megumi asked him to keep Yuji safe, Gojo referred to it as “a request from a precious student”.
Gojo may not openly express his affection for his students, especially Megumi, but there are some instances where his concern for them was evident through the small things. In Episode 3, as they were going home from a mission, you can see that Gojo was initially walking beside Yuji while Megumi was walking a few steps behind. However, in the next sequence, it was shown that Gojo noticeably slowed down to match Megumi’s pace and walk closer to his side.
Death Painting Arc
When Megumi lost consciousness during his fight with the Finger Bearer, he had a momentary flashback of his training with Gojo. According to Gojo, it was unusual for Megumi to ask for his help with training. He assumed that Megumi was probably afraid that Yuji might surpass him; hence, he was eager to train and improve his skills.
Gojo then begins to give him a piece of advice: Megumi has more skills and potential than Yuji, but the problem with Megumi is his mindset. He tends to underestimate his strength which is why he fails to bring out the best in him. Gojo adds, “Dying to win and risking death to win are two completely different things. Give it your best, be greedier.” These words are what motivated Megumi to go beyond his limits so when he regained consciousness, he decided to activate his Domain Expansion in order to defeat the Finger Bearer.
Gojo’s Past Arc
At the end of the arc, Gojo appeared to be woken up by his students after presumably dreaming or reminiscing about the past. Megumi scolded him for dozing off when he was the one who called for them in the first place. Gojo lifted his blindfold and smiled at his students. In the next panel, it was shown that Gojo was still smiling and looking at Megumi. When Megumi asked him “What are you smiling about?”, Gojo only replied, “Oh, it’s nothing”. However, it was implied that Gojo was probably smiling at Megumi because he remembered how they first met 11 years ago.
Present Arc
In the present arc, we may not see a lot of interaction between Gojo and Megumi since Gojo was currently sealed in the Prison Realm. But what’s important is that we know how much they mean to each other especially since they go back a long way. After all, Gojo was the one who took in Megumi so he would not be sold off to the Zenin Clan.