Exploring Romance in Jujutsu Kaisen: The Case of Satoru Gojo and Riko Amanai

The Relationship Between Satoru Gojo and Riko Amanai

Jujutsu Kaisen is a series with plenty of virtues, but romance is an angle that has rarely been explored in the story, if at all. While there have been some signs, like Yorozu being in love with Ryomen Sukuna, or the feelings that Yuta Okkotsu and Maki Zen'in developed in volume 0, this series doesn't have much romance in its plot. Many fans have wondered if Satoru Gojo had feelings for Riko Amanai, the girl meant to be the next Star Plasma Vessel for Master Tengen, and whom Satoru and Suguru Geto had to protect during the Hidden Inventory arc.

Satoru Gojo and Riko Amanai in the anime (Image via MAPPA).

Satoru Gojo and Riko Amanai didn't start their connection on the best of terms during the Jujutsu Kaisen flashback arc, Hidden Inventory, but they grew closer. And once Riko died, it seemed Gojo felt like he had lost a good friend. However, taking all things into account, there's no major sign that Gojo had romantic feelings for Riko before or after her death. The two characters did get along well and their personalities were fun to watch, but Gojo has never been the type to show romantic feelings, despite being shipped with the likes of Utahime, Shoko, Riko, and even Suguru Geto and Mei Mei.

Gojo's empathy for Riko's situation seemed to increase as she was going to die and become a part of Mr. Tengen, which is difficult for a teenage girl: to sacrifice her life for something she probably doesn't fully understand. In that regard, Riko Amanai is important because is the first time (chronologically) that Satoru Gojo showed care and empathy towards another person.

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Should Jujutsu Kaisen Have Romance?

There is a strong argument to be made that Jujutsu Kaisen doesn't need romance considering the story's structure. This is a fast-paced series with characters dying, which is something that doesn't give a lot of room to develop any significant romance in the cast. While author Gege Akutami has been criticized for not giving major characters the development they need to grow and reach a satisfying conclusion in their respective arcs, the story is probably better off without romance as the author was able to focus on his strengths. Romance is prominent in anime and the fandom has a lot of people who enjoy shipping characters, but Akutami probably made the right decision by not adding more ideas to what was already a story filled with them.

Final Thoughts

Satoru Gojo did show care and friendship towards Riko Amanai but there is no evidence in the Jujutsu Kaisen series that he had romantic feelings for her. Furthermore, Gojo has never been shown to have feelings of that ilk towards anyone in the cast.