Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3: Who Is Naoya Zenin and the Voice Actor Behind the Character

After making us wait for a long time, Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 has finally arrived on Crunchyroll and Netflix for the global fandom and took us back into Gege Akutami’s brutal world. The early moments of the new season introduced us to a brand-new character, Naoya Zenin, and he didn’t take time to grab attention. It’s obvious that anime-only fans are curious to know who this character is and what role he’ll play going forward. Here’s all you need to know.

Spoiler Alert:

This post contains heavy spoilers from Jujutsu Kaisen manga. So, be cautious when you read.

Who Is Naoya Zenin in Jujutsu Kaisen?

Naoya Zenin was born to the former head of the Zenin Clan, Naobito Zenin. At a very early age, he drew immense attention by showcasing his raw brilliance in everything he did. Despite being the youngest son of the family, he became everyone’s favourite for being a prodigy. He inherited the most deadly, cursed technique of his father, ‘Projection Sorcery’. So, eventually, Naoya came to see every other sibling as inferior, believing that no one could stand up to him, and that he was destined to be the rightful heir to the clan after Naobito.

Naoya belonged to a power-hungry and misogynistic family, so how could he be any different from his ancestors? His childhood shaped his youth, and he developed a mindset that those he believed are weaker than him didn’t deserve respect, particularly women. Sometime in childhood, he heard about his cousin, Toji, who didn’t harbour any cursed energy. So, he went to meet him with the intent to mock him, but when he returned, his ideology had changed. Toji made him realize that those with zero cursed energy are not truly weak; they just don’t know how to use their raw strength. From that day on, Naoya developed a deep respect for Toji.

From childhood, the senior clan members and every other member praised him, and that’s why he grew up to become someone who lacked basic decency and empathy. All the praise and favouritism basically fed his ego. In fact, when Naobito Zenin was lying on his deathbed, Naoya didn’t show any concern. That’s because his upbringing shaped him into someone for whom family bonds meant nothing.

Naoya Zenin’s Death Sequence in Jujutsu Kaisen Manga Explained

Naoya always wanted to become the successor of the Zenin clan, and he was somewhat overconfident about it. However, when Naoya learned that Naobito had chosen Megumi as the heir, he became enraged because Toji’s son was never a part of the plan. Moreover, Megumi was raised outside the clan, so Naobito’s decision blew Naoya’s pride. He also learned that there are several members within the clan who preferred Megumi over him, but that didn’t bother Naoya much. He began planning to kill Megumi and claim the position he had greatly desired since childhood.

Naoya was frustrated with Megumi, so when Maki reentered the Zenin estate, he started mocking her. After Mai sacrificed herself to allow Maki to have all the powers by herself in the Jujutsu world, Naoya, even though impressed by her newfound strength and abilities, refused to praise her. Well, he was someone who saw women as the weakest beings in existence. Mai’s sacrifice made Maki reach Toji’s level, but Naoya still mocked her. Maki overwhelmed him in the duel and eventually left him with severe wounds, but Naoya still made fun of her as she didn’t kill him outright.

When Naoya lay on the ground injured, his death came through Maki’s mother, who stabbed him in the back. However, his arrogance didn’t fade until his last breath.

Naoya Zenin’s Return as a Vengeful Spirit in JJK

Even after death, Naoya didn’t leave the world. He returned as a caterpillar-like, cursed womb at first, and later transformed into a more powerful, skull-faced, cursed spirit who blamed Maki Zenin for his downfall. Unlike most of the curses, whose human lives blur or fade, Naoya stands apart; he remembers everything, including his ego and arrogance. His motive also remained intact: to prove to the world that not Maki, but he, was worthy of being called equivalent to Toji Fushiguro.

He was strong in his human form, and after becoming a curse, his powers amplified. He retained ‘Projection Sorcery.’ Besides that, he gained supersonic speed, making him faster than everyone around him. In his fully realized cursed state, Naoya became devastating enough to overwhelm even Maki’s hardened body. Above everything else, Naoya Zenin’s cursed form also has a domain expansion called ‘Time Cell Moon Palace,’ which allows him to give damage to his targets or kill them instantly by injecting film strips into their cells to follow the 24 frames-per-second movement rule. Those who fail to follow get immobilized and vulnerable to Naoya’s high-speed attacks.

Who Is the Naoya Zenin Voice Actor in Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3?

Naoya Zenin has been voiced by Kōji Yusa in the Japanese version and Alan Lee in the JJK Season 3 English Dub. You might have heard Yusa in Bleach as Gin Ichimaru, Blue Exorcist as Renzou Shima, and in some more critically acclaimed projects. Alan Lee has also lent his voice to some fantastic characters, including Tomo-Omi Oda in Code Geass: Roze of the Recapture, Fiddich in The Seven Deadly Sins: Four Knights of the Apocalypse, and many more.