Nanami Kento is one of the most unique and interesting characters in shounen anime. In a world of the bizarre and supernatural, we don’t always encounter characters with ordinary backgrounds like Nanami. What makes him so interesting is that he is just a regular salaryman who also happens to fight curses and dislikes working overtime. No wonder he is one of the most popular characters in Jujutsu Kaisen, ranking 5th in the first and second popularity polls organized by Shonen Jump.
If you’re interested in knowing more about this ex-salaryman, we’ve got you covered. Here, we’ll answer questions like, “where is Nanami Kento from?” and other curiosities.
Nanami Kento: The Ex-Salaryman Turned Sorcerer
Nanami is a grade 1 jujutsu sorcerer known as the seven three (7:3) sorcerer because of his ratio technique. He served as Yuji Itadori’s close mentor after Gojo entrusted the young sorcerer to him. He is also a former student of Tokyo Jujutsu High where he used to be Gojo and Geto’s junior while in high school. Yes, it may not look like it, but he is actually younger than Gojo.
After he graduated from Tokyo Jujutsu High, Nanami did not proceed to become a sorcerer and instead worked as a regular salaryman. But four years later, he had a change of heart and started working as a jujutsu sorcerer.
Nanami Kento’s Personality
If you haven’t noticed already, Nanami’s personality is quite similar to Megumi’s since they both share the same MBTI personality type (ISTJ). Just like Megumi, Nanami is someone who is outwardly stoic, calm, and aloof. Just like a typical salaryman, he tends to be rational and straightforward. Compared to Gojo, who is more easygoing, he also takes his work very seriously.
Nanami is the type to get easily annoyed and is quick to express his irritation and impatience through his facial expressions and words. Like most of us, he despises the mundane routine in his office job where he feels dissatisfied and unfulfilled. Understandably, he hates working overtime and adamantly refuses to go beyond the time that is required of him.
Unlike Gojo, who has a penchant for sending his students to dangerous missions, Nanami has a strong sense of responsibility as an adult and believes that it is his duty to prioritize the student’s safety over his own.
“The accumulation of little despairs… that’s what makes people adults.”
What makes Nanami so realistic and relatable to the audience is that he is the embodiment of a burned-out adult. As a salaryman, he was constantly weighed down by the futility of being a cog in the machine called society. Hence, he decided to become a jujutsu sorcerer as he deemed it more fulfilling than his former profession.
Nanami Kento’s Relationships
Gojo Satoru
Nanami and Gojo’s relationship is built on mutual trust. Gojo believes that there are a lot of deceitful sorcerers out there, but he considers Nanami as one of the very few trustworthy and reliable ones. When Gojo had an urgent business to attend to, he entrusted Yuji to Nanami and asked him to assist the young sorcerer on a mission. Despite having different approaches to mentoring, both Gojo and Nanami have a similar goal to prioritize the students’ well-being.
Yuji Itadori
Beneath the tough exterior, Nanami actually cares a lot about Yuji. He is well aware of the brutality of a sorcerer’s life, thus, he feels a strong urge to protect Yuji from it. Nanami doesn’t want him to abandon his youth for the sake of being a sorcerer. Yuji initially felt like he was being treated like a child, but eventually, he could prove himself to Nanami and receive his acknowledgement.
Yu Haibara
Yu was Nanami’s only classmate while he was in Tokyo Jujutsu High. They were often sent on a mission together since they were the only students in their class. In contrast to Nanami, Yu is an optimistic and cheerful young man who takes pride and joy in being a sorcerer. Despite their contrasting personalities, the two get along really well. When Yu died tragically on a mission, Nanami was utterly devastated. He hated the fact that it was Yu who was sent to such a dangerous mission instead of a special grade sorcerer. After graduation, Nanami decided to quit being a sorcerer mainly because of that incident.
Nanami Kento’s Abilities
Nanami is a grade 1 sorcerer capable of fighting on par with special grade cursed spirits such as Mahito. Even Mahito himself considers Nanami a remarkably strong and worthy opponent, one that is stronger than an average sorcerer.
Ratio Technique
Nanami’s innate technique divides his target using ten lines and creates a weak spot with a ratio of seven to three. He can choose which part of the target’s body to divide including their head, torso, arms, and legs. This technique can also be applied to non-living objects.
Binding Vow: Overtime
Nanami’s binding vow with himself limits the amount of cursed energy that he can use to 80-90% while working on the clock for Tokyo Jujutsu High. Once his shift ends and he starts working overtime, Nanami’s cursed energy increases drastically. It can increase up to 110-120% when using Overtime.
Expert Swordsman
Nanami skillfully uses a blunt sword in battle. When combined with his cursed technique, he can cut through literally anything including an opponent who’s defending themselves using cursed energy. He wields his blade with dexterity and balance, striking with extreme speed and accuracy.
Hand-to-Hand Combat
Aside from being an expert at wielding weapons, Nanami is also extremely adept at hand-to-hand combat. He could easily overpower his opponents with powerful punches that could send them flying across the room.
Tactical Intellect
Nanami’s tactical intellect allows him to defeat stronger opponents by simply analyzing the best course of action in battle. He moves rationally and strategically instead of recklessly charging at his opponents. Even though Mahito was superior in terms of raw cursed energy, Nanami managed to overwhelm him multiple times thanks to his quick thinking and skillful execution.
Curious Facts About Nanami Kento
Where is Nanami Kento From?
Since Nanami looks a bit like a foreigner compared to other characters, newer fans often ask where Nanami is from. Just like most of the characters in Jujutsu Kaisen, Nanami grew up in Japan. However, his maternal grandfather is Danish, so he is part Japanese and part Danish.
Why Does Nanami Wrap His Tie Around His Fist?
Nanami wraps his patterned tie around his fist every time he initiates his binding vow, so the most probable reason is that he does this in order to activate Overtime.
Why Do They Call Nanami Nanamin?
Nanami refused to be called “sensei” so Yuji came up with “Nanamin” instead, which is a playful yet still respectful version of Nanami’s name. Gojo sometimes calls him using this nickname as well.
Why Does Nanami Cover His Eyes?
Wearing sunglasses allows sorcerers to covertly observe curses. This is important since curses can be aggressive when they know they’re being watched. Nanami wears his signature sunglasses for this same reason.