Is Nobara Dead or Alive in Jujutsu Kaisen? Explained

Without a strong female character, the protagonist trio in every Shonen anime is incomplete. The magnificent Nobara Kugisaki in Jujutsu Kaisen only serves as more evidence of it. She attracted a sizable following after her debut and even took home the “Best Female Character” award at the 2022 Crunchyroll Anime Awards. Kugisaki quickly rose to prominence as one of the top female characters in Jujutsu Kaisen as well as in the history of anime. However, Nobara’s story had a tragic outcome in the Shibuya Incident arc. Every single fan, including me, was heartbroken by this incident. But there is still a big mystery around Nobara’s death in JJK. So, to learn whether Nobara Kugisaki is dead or alive in Jujutsu Kaisen, read on.

Spoilers Warning: This article includes spoilers for Nobara Kugisaki’s character in Jujutsu Kaisen. We suggest you watch the anime and read the manga to avoid ruining the intended experience.

Who Is Nobara Kugisaki in Jujutsu Kaisen?

Nobara Kugisaki is one of the supporting characters in the Jujutsu Kaisen, serving as the tritagonist. Nobara was introduced as a first-year student at Tokyo Jujutsu High and began working as a Grade 3 jujutsu sorcerer. She is also a part of the protagonist trio along with Itadori Yuji and Megumi Fushiguro and plays a vital role in the series.

Nobara was shaping up to be a stronger character in the series. And as a testament to that, she truly unleashed her potential and showed it on numerous occasions. Just when we thought she was starting to achieve peaks in her Jujutsu, she was met with tragedy.

Was Nobara Killed in Jujutsu Kaisen?

Nobara’s death was not at all imminent and happened all of a sudden. So let’s take a look at how really things went down leading to her death:

The Shibuya Incident arc turned out to be a massive battle royale-like incident, as we can see all the characters battling out for their lives and the greater good. On October 31st, 2023, this is when the dreadful battle between Nobara and Mahito begins. Nobara Kugisaki really wanted to knock Mahito out of the park as it would serve as a big W to the sorcerers.

When the battle kickstarted, Nobara put on a stellar performance against Mahito and caused several fatal injuries to him. Nobara hugely succeeded in injuring his soul, which made him pull back from the battle against Yuji.

Mahito realized the bloody potential of Nobara and her techniques and there was only one way he could emerge as the winner in this fight. And that was to perform a sneaky move and outplay her, which led to Nobara’s death eventually.

Who Killed Nobara Kugisaki in Jujutsu Kaisen?

Even when Itadori realized this move and warned Nobara to run away, it was already late. Mahito successfully pulled off his sneak attack by switching places with his double and catching her off-guard. Since Nobara badly wanted to defeat Mahito, she let her guard down and never knew the double was the original body. Mahito instantly utilized this opening and landed a blow (based on Idle Transfiguration) to Nobara’s face. Nobara Kugisaki became a bit overconfident, which ultimately led to her getting killed by Mahito in Jujutsu Kaisen manga chapter 124 and episode 43 in JJK anime.

There is a popular saying or belief that on the brink of one’s death, one will experience their life’s moments flashing before their eyes. It was the same here as upon receiving a brutal hit to the face, Kugisaki recalled her past favorite memories on the edge of death. Her last words were “Tell everyone it wasn’t so bad” to Itadori. And these last words can be taken as a huge confirmation of Nobara’s status in JJK.

These last words during Nobara’s death were so painful and crushing that they offered a bittersweet moment from nowhere. In chapter 126 of Jujutsu Kaisen, we see Nobara lying on the floor with half of her face disfigured by Mahito’s bloody attack. Honestly, this wound looked like there was no coming back from that. Itadori stood there frozen looking upon his best friend’s death, and well, our reaction was just the same.

Nobara’s Current Status in Jujutsu Kaisen

Even though it looks like Nobara Kugisaki is now dead in Jujutsu Kaisen, in reality, it has not been confirmed. The last time fans ever saw her was in manga chapter 126, which makes us ponder whether Nobara is dead or alive. In the next chapter, Nobara’s death is mentioned again along with Kento Nanami’s by Aratta Nitto. This is because both the loss of Nobara and Nanami occurred at the hands of Mahito.

Fast forward to chapter 144 in Itadori’s Extermination arc, Yuji asks Megumi about Nobara’s status. To which, Megumi reacts in silence and the focus and sad reaction of Itadori also acts as an indirect confirmation of Nobara Kugisaki’s death in JJK. Furthermore, he clenches his fist and says “I get it,” which is basically accepting the loss.

No Mention of Nobara’s Death in JJK Manga

While this could be the confirmation we were waiting for, the silence could also mean her status remains critical or unknown. There is no direct mention or official confirmation regarding whether is Nobara dead or alive in the manga so far. Additionally, the Jujutsu Kaisen fandom website also mentions Nobara’s current status as “Unknown“. This led to the fans believing Nobara is still somewhere alive and there are many theories out there now.

Before Nobara’s fight begins with Mahito, it is mentioned that she can feel the core of cursed energy. If you are wondering why I’m mentioning this now, it’s because it’s the same as how Gojo felt on the brink of death and was able to come back from the grave. He used the reverse cursed technique to heal himself and cheated death. That could happen here as well, and Nobara Kugisaki could make a great comeback to the series.

Our Prediction of Nobara’s Status in JJK

After summarizing all the info we have regarding Nobara’s fight, death, and the conversations afterward, we can conclude that her current status is unknown. There have been plenty of indirect confirmations of Kugisaki’s death, the most prominent being Yuji seeing her lying on the floor all cold and distant. but nothing has been directly mentioned or officially confirmed as of now. So, stay tuned as we hope to see Nobara coming back. In the meantime, what do you think about Nobara’s current status in JJK, share your theories in the comment section below.