Jujutsu Kaisen: Why Does Satoru Gojo Cover His Eyes?

"Jujutsu Kaisen," one of the most popular current shonen action animes, is part of a recent trend of action shows with heavy horror vibes and influences. Based on the manga of the same name by Gege Akutami, the series takes place in a world where negative emotions create "cursed energy," a powerful energy source that births evil spirits called Curses. However, this universe is also home to Jujutsu Sorcerers, which are individuals who use the cursed energy within their own bodies to fight back against these Curses.

The show itself follows Yuji Itadori (Junya Enoki and Adam McArthur in the Japanese and English-language versions of the series, respectively), a young man who joins a secret school to learn the ways of the Jujutsu Sorcerers after becoming the host of a powerful Curse named Sukuna. "Jujutsu Kaisen," which has already given rise a very successful prequel movie titled "Jujutsu Kaisen 0," is full of memorable characters (many of which suffer horrific deaths over the course of the story), ranging from the Jujutsu Sorcerers that Yuji befriends (and then get horribly killed), to the many Curses they face off against. This helps to make the franchise's setting feel lived-in and fleshed-out.

Without a doubt, though, the standout character (and by far the most popular character Akutami ever created) is Satoru Gojo (who's voiced by different actors depending on his age), the charming and enigmatic mentor who always covers his eyes. But why, exactly, does he keep his eyes covered?

We meet Satoru Gojo in the very first episode of "Jujutsu Kaisen" when he saves Yuji from an attack by a Curse and invites him to join Tokyo Jujutsu High. Gojo then goes on to become a mentor to the young Jujutsu Sorcerer hopeful, vouching for him and even training him back to health after he gets temporarily killed.

Gojo is both the Gandalf-style mentor and father figure to Yuji and the show's other main characters, yet he also behaves a little like an older brother and constantly jokes around with them. Still, as funny and entertaining as Gojo is, it's made clear early on in the first season of the show that there's more to him than just good looks and being fun.

Indeed, it turns out Gojo is tormented by his dark and haunting past, which we get a glimpse of in both "Jujutsu Kaisen 0" and "Jujutsu Kaisen" Season 2. We also come to learn more about Gojo's relationship with Suguru Geto, a fellow Jujutsu Sorcerer who was also Gojo's best friend — that is, until, he eventually tried to take over Japan and kill all the Jujutsu Sorcerer, ultimately forcing Gojo to execute him.

The simplest answer is that Gojo is kind of like Cyclops in "X-Men," and covering his eyes lets him focus his powers and avoid exhaustion. The somewhat longer answer is that Gege Akutami was heavily inspired by "Naruto" and Gojo is a homage to Kakashi, Naruto's own mentor (who similarly has white hair and covers half his face).

The canonical answer, however, has to do with Gojo's specific powers. Every Jujutsu Sorcerer has a specific technique or ability that lets them channel their cursed energy. In Gojo's case, he inherited the special Six Eyes technique belonging to the Gojo clan. This technique gives Gojo extraordinary perception and allows him to see the flow of cursed energy. Through this, Gojo can also learn the cursed techniques used by those around him, which provides him with a huge advantage during combat.

Because Gojo has to process so much information with his eyes when he uses the Six Eyes technique, it leaves him (and anyone else capable of actually using the technique) exhausted. Hence, he elects to wear a headband or glasses to keep his eyes covered. That being said, not only can he still see even when he's blindfolded, but Gojo can also sense the flow of cursed energy around living beings and even inanimate objects.

Gojo is not just strong, he's also widely recognized in the world of "Jujutsu Kaisen" as the strongest living sorcerer. This is due to him having an extremely rare combination of abilities — namely, the Six Eyes technique mentioned earlier (which, again, allows him to perceive and control his cursed energy), as well as the Limitless technique, which lets Gojo manipulate and distort space at will, creating a void called "infinity." On top of all that, Gojo is the first person capable of using both techniques to be born in the last 400 years.

Such a powerful character is also rather difficult to write for in a compelling way, as Gojo can easily defeat any enemy he faces off against. This is why author Gege Akutami has repeatedly joked about hating Gojo and celebrating his misfortunes. At every opportunity, "Jujutsu Kaisen" tries to find a way to keep the character trapped or away from a big battle. Otherwise, he would defeat all the villains around him without even breaking a sweat.

"Jujutsu Kaisen" is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.