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exo-raskreia · 5 months

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Thoughts & Speculations On Utahime In The Shinjuku Showdown Arc

WARNING: MANGA SPOILERS & HIGH LEVELS OF COPIUM

There are theories going around about Gojo's potential revival & subsequent defeat of Sukuna. Several are interesting & seemingly possible. However, I've hardly seen any involving Utahime & her potential role in all this. While I shouldn't be hoping for anything in this manga 😩, I couldn't help but get some ideas.

With some of the theories out there, I wouldn't want Gojo to sacrifice part of his power in order to come back. But who knows at this rate...? Would Gege let him come back even more powerful? Or only temporarily before losing all, half, or some of his power? I don't want him to lose an eye or something like that... 😮‍💨

Once he returns, what will be the next step to defeat Sukuna? Gojo may get a new power-up or even has something else up his sleeve that he hasn't revealed yet.

This is why I wonder if Utahime could still have a role to play in this arc. She's the only character involved who hasn't gotten a flashback yet with, or in regards to, Gojo. She hasn't even spoken a word! Does this mean anything? Is Gege withholding something important? Will it come into play at all?

She's barely had any screen/panel time & was absent for 3 arcs spanning several chapters since Shibuya. Gege finally revealed her CT for the biggest fight of Gojo's life against the King of Curses. She helped Gojo achieve 200% Hollow Purple along with Gakuganji, while Ijichi hid them from Sukuna's view with a barrier.

They really come in a set, don't they? Every one of her appearances is related to Gojo. She is bound to him. So you see, we may next see her whenever Gojo is about to, or has already, returned.

Neither her, Gakuganji or Ijichi have reappeared since.

It's been 20+ chapters now & we know nothing of their status. Is this the last time we'll see them, especially Utahime, in action? Do they still have another role to play? They have not been shown to be back with the others at HQ, which implies they're still out on the battlefield.

What have they been doing all this time? Watching the fight unfold? Is it just taking them a while to head back to HQ? Or could it be that they're potentially doing something important?

Chapter 244 showcased a flashback scene with the other characters having a meeting before the fight regarding the possibilities of Gojo's defeat. Neither GojoHime, Gakuganji or Ijichi were seemingly present.

Unless the two people behind Shoko here could be either of them? The one in black could be Gojo & next to him is Utahime, or could it be Gakuganji?

If not, this could imply they were doing planning of their own, maybe in a separate room. That planning is the key.

Clearly, GojoHime (& maybe Gakuganji) must've practiced the Hollow Purple throughout the weeks-long timeskip since Gojo's unsealing. But is that all they did? Is there something else that they planned? The fact they're not back at HQ could imply this. It almost seems deliberate that there's no involvement of them with the others... unless Gege really doesn't care.

Gojo told Sukuna at the beginning of their fight that he did some "special training."

What could this special training be? It hasn't been brought up again. Did it involve Utahime & maybe Gakuganji? This further showcases that Gojo's role isn't over yet.

Now, there are theories that Shoko may heal Gojo with her RCT. If so, could Uta help by buffing her to make it quicker & more effective?

We know so little about Uta's CT. Gege stated singing is a big part of it (unless it's just the chanting?). Could it be used for healing (kinda like Rapunzel from Tangled, lol)? What about offensive abilities? How else would she be a Semi-Grade 1 sorcerer if she can't fight on her own? Is it possible, though? We know she has good reflexes based on her encounter with Haruta at the Goodwill Event. Maybe she's good at hand-to-hand combat & wielding weapons? Heck, can she weaponize her voice like a siren?

When Uta buffs someone, does her cursed energy cover them like a blanket? Does it feel a certain way? Is it visible to other sorcerers or does it become one with the buffed person's own CE so that it's undetectable?

If her CE is visible, wouldn't Sukuna (especially as powerful as he is) have sensed it enmeshed with Gojo's? Instead, he thought Gojo's initial HP was a lot stronger than usual due to a Binding Vow (which we know Gojo didn't make) in chapter 234.

Since Ijichi made a barrier that hid him & the others from view, Sukuna doesn't know about them. If he couldn't sense Uta's CE, that could also mean she might not have been buffing Gojo after the HP. How long is her full range anyway?

Speaking of Ijichi, Gojo told him he had a monumental task in chapter 222 before the timeskip.

As then shown in a flashback in 223, it seems it was just to put up the barrier to hide them, Uta & Gakuganji from Sukuna.

Does this mean that Gojo planned their team-up that early after he got unsealed? 🤔 The flashback here has Gojo in casual wear & the place looks similar to the inside of the Tokyo Tower. Could this mean they were headed to Shibuya Sky, the top of the tower, to practice or simply strategize, & maybe meet up with Uta & Gakuganji?

Still, why did Gojo place such importance to this task? Was it just to establish the trust he has for Ijichi despite his antics?

Was it to keep Utahime safe? Not just about the barrier?

So, I've been having these questions for a while now. Here's where my delulu really kicks in.

Absolute insanity mode. You've been WARNED.

There are theories discrediting the fact Sukuna doesn't know about Uta's CT, that it's NOT why he thinks Gojo made a Binding Vow to achieve 200% HP. I know I'm crazy, but I think him not knowing could come into play.

Other than potentially helping Shoko heal Gojo, could Utahime have a hand in bringing him back? Maybe she could even buff Gojo's own RCT, in the case it's still activated (since Gojo's head's still intact). If Gojo is meant to be truly enlightened upon his return, almost like a god, then wouldn't Uta being a shrine maiden mean something? Shrine maidens dance for the gods, communicate with them, summon them.

DELULU THEORY 1:

This scene in chapter 222 made me wonder if Ino told Gojo about him witnessing the summoning of a dead person (which we know is Toji) in Shibuya, as there's been no follow-up to it yet...

If it's about Toji, did Gojo get the idea that in the case of him "dying", then his soul could be summoned back into his body? And with no side effects as it's his own body, and/or that as long as it's done immediately upon "death"? Is this something that could have been researched?

Since Ino knows a form of necromancy, could he possibly have a role to play in this as well? With his help, could Uta along with Gakuganji do a similar ritual as the granny who summoned Toji in Shibuya?

If Uta sings or chants for the ritual, could Gojo hear her in the limbo & follow her voice or something? Could she guide him north towards enlightenment, make him remember (or realize) who he is & what he has to do, in the case he's temporarily forgotten? 🫢 (delulu, I know, I KNOW 😩)

There's a song called North Wing by Akina Nakamori, the artist who sang Kinku, which is the song that Uta's CT is based on. It was her 7th single released the year after Kinku (7?! A number associated with Gojo?!). It was then re-recorded years later on an album titled 'Utahime Double Decade' (Akina is nicknamed Utahime, meaning Diva in Japan). The lyrics talk about a woman who boards a plane to meet with her lover. Here's an excerpt:

Love Is The Mystery It calls me Love is a mystery With its mysterious power I’m an Airplane, throwing everything away Like a scene out of a movie North Wing I depart all alone tonight For where he is Someone I once gave up on Teardrops, my heart’s punctuation I watch the city lights from above As they get smaller and smaller I take a midnight flight, chasing the night through the fog As if I were wandering through a dream Love Is The Mystery I spread my wings And cross the shining seas. I’m a little nervous The date paints over yesterday Which was nothing but agonizing for you The foggy city you live in Awaits me beneath the clouds

Let's see. If we see it in Uta's POV, then she might've thought loving Gojo was not worth it (as loving someone like him wouldn't be easy), but something happened that changed her mind, maybe before/during the time-skip, or seeing his "death." She could be headed to meet him, meaning to help him? It says at midnight, so could Gojo be revived the following day on Christmas? It mentions yesterday was agonizing for him, meaning his "death" & the fact of whose body/vessel he's fighting?

What if we low-key see it in Gojo's POV? His love for his students (and Utahime?) will make him choose North to return to them. He'll leave his past behind, making peace with it, & depart all alone, as the others in the limbo are going South. He knows everyone must be sad over his "death" (the 'agonizing' part) but he's coming home.

There is also a sequel song to this called Dramatic Airport - North Wing Part II. The lyrics are about a (the same?) woman on her way to meet up with her man at the airport, reuniting with him at night. So, could we see it as Utahime heading towards Gojo to help him, to be there for him on his 2nd awakening?

(There's this amazing theory here, which talks about the possibility of Utahime helping Gojo reach true enlightenment like Buddha's wife did for him in Buddhist myths.)

DELULU THEORY 2:

If Gojo returns through some other means, then that gives us another possibility. He's the only one who knows the location of Sukuna's last finger. What if Gojo had told its location to Utahime & co. (maybe even Ino)? What if their absence in the flashbacks of everyone else making plans is because they were retrieving the finger? And what would they do with it, you ask?

Could it be they had planned & are currently making the preparations for a ritual like the one I mentioned, in which they'll summon Sukuna into another vessel by using the finger? Or simply give it to someone to swallow? And could that vessel possibly be Yuuji, as he's the only one who can really handle harboring Sukuna?

It's scary to think of what this could mean, though... 😥 I will not delve into that.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Anyway, I know I'm fully delulu & may be burning the kitchen, but I just wanted to get this out there. The theories and speculations are rampant these days so might as well add some more to the bunch.

I know for Utahime, a literal side character, to have a major role in the most important fight of Gojo's life, is too much to hope for. Gege also doesn't have a good streak with giving importance to his female characters (except Maki). Then again...no one expected Utahime, after a long absence, to finally reappear with Gojo the chapter after he got unsealed & having her CT finally revealed for him against Sukuna. Just what is Gege trying to say?

Whatever the outcome, I still have so many questions...

What was Utahime even doing during her long absence since Shibuya? As the main teacher of Kyoto, & all these crazy things happening to her students, not a single peep from her?! Was she training?! Put under protection because of her CT or cuz Gojo would have their heads if something happened to her? Buffing people secretly somehow?

How did she end up teaming up with Gojo? Did he ask for her help, like when he did to investigate the traitor? What did he say? Did he finally fess up & tell her what she means to him? Gakuganji & Ijichi got their flashbacks, Gojo showing them his true feelings/thoughts, so what could this mean for Utahime?! That he trusts her too? That he doesn't find her weak? Did he apologize for his constant teasing? Could he have said something more?

Did she offer to help him? Did he refuse & Uta insisted, giving a sort of speech that shut him up?

Just what happened between Gojo & Utahime during the time-skip?! 😫 Is the fact we haven't been shown yet deliberate?!

I wonder if Gege will ever give us this much, at least... 😮‍💨

While I'd like for her to do more, I just hope Uta will be safe. I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to her like nearly every other female character in this manga... 😥

LET'S HOPE FOR GOJO'S REVIVAL ✊️

#gojohime #iori utahime #gojo satoru #gojo and utahime #jjk spoilers #jjk theory #sorry if these don't make much sense 😅#reiapost

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yaboylevi · 4 years

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hi there! i've been reading your tumblr to be sure i wouldn't ask something you already talked about, if i missed something please let me know! i was wondering what was your opinion on isayama way of managing relationships in the manga? im ereri biased but i noticed how almost all the friendship i loved aren't there anymore, as if he doesn't know how to focus w more than one thing? and of course, especially with how eren and levi went from 10 to 0 real quick! :(

Hey!! I wish everyone was as considerate as you are XD But no problem in asking something I’ve already been asked about once or twice, I would just redirect you to that post - but really, I appreciate your thoughtfulness!

So anyway, I waited and waited, in the hopes to find a proper answer to your ask, but…my answer, in the end, is just based on feelings.

I feel like Isayama is good with the main relationships he wants to keep in the story, but with all the other ones he just focuses on them for a couple of instances and then leaves us with the assumption that we understand how those relationships go and if nothing relevant happens, then it’s not worth mentioning those relationships at all. And I guess it’s fine, though I don’t like it that much. The ensemble of characters is really big and the story is mostly plot-driven, in my opinion.

Shingeki has really powerful character moments, in regards to both individuals and relationships. What I feel it lacks is a constant focus on these characters’ feelings and thoughts. They get their little spot in one arc and then it’s left up to the reader’s imagination and interpretation. It’s not necessarily bad, but I feel it’s not good either, sometimes. I talked a bit more about it here, though you sent this ask waaay before I ever received that other one linked there.

As for the friendships, in particular, I feel the focus of the story has simply shifted to the relations between Paradis and the world (so a world, existential conflict), and the more personal conflict between Eren, his friends’ morals, his own ideals, and the story’s themes.

Their friendship was already established in the past, so we are supposed to know of its existence, and keep it in mind. Since their world’s problems have become such that the 104th aren't emotionally on the same page, united against a common enemy anymore because of a divergence of opinions and set of morals, it is only natural that their friendship would suffer from this. And the conflict amongst them, as highlighted in chapter 108, for example, or 118, is most powerful and heartbreaking especially because we know what they went through together in the past and how much they care for one another.

I feel just a bit let down at the lack of individual focus on each character’s personal feelings, throughout the story but especially after the basement reveal. I know we can take a guess and put the pieces together most of the times, but I would prefer to see it in the story. Still, I am mostly okay with their portrayal as of now - I still found the fact that none of them realized Eren’s true feelings and did nothing to talk with him about his dissatisfaction, or mental health, or nervousness, until it was too late.

I particularly resent this moment in chapter 106, it feels like there is a rift between them, and Mikasa and Armin should’ve tried harder, since Eren was willing to talk.

We still don’t know how they feel about Historia et all that, and I understand it’s part of the “mystery”, but it still feels unrealistic.

Anyway, it was obvious in every moment shown in the timeskip that someone should have had an honest, firm talk with Eren, but nobody did, it seems. I was banking so hard on Levi, because he has been the one to have this type of chats with Eren previously, but…nope.

And there we go. It’s just so strange. Eren and Levi were constantly paralleled before, their actions, experiences, themes, dreams. I can understand why Levi was also paralleled to Mikasa - it was to highlight and hint at the fact that they’re both from the same lineage. But with Eren and Levi? Sure, Levi has had a sort of mentor role when it came to Eren, but it was different from that he had with the other people in the 104th. That was detached mentorship, I have always felt. But he seems to be genuinely, emotionally involved when it came to Eren.

And yet…all those parallels, and similarities, and recurrent moments with them? I didn’t see anything left of that after the basement reveal, aside from some brief moments showcasing Levi’s attachment to Eren as an individual, not a soldier or a weapon. It’s like Isayama nerfed their storyline together. He could’ve taken it to such interesting heights, but…nope, he threw it in the trash when he got Levi out of the story. So, yeah, I agree with you on this and I don’t know what to tell you. I have no words left to express my disappointment…

Maybe it’s my bias, and Levi has been depicted just like everyone else when it comes to Eren: present, but detached, unable to see past Eren’s facade or incapable of dealing with it. But I’ve always felt that their relationship was different from the one Eren had with his training class, that he was able to see deeply inside Eren in a more genuine way, so I expected a different treatment/exposition for his interactions with Eren in the timeskip as well.

And I have sensed a certain ill-concealed…almost anger at Levi from Eren’s part, and we know Levi has at least tried to talk to Eren about his behavior, but we haven’t been granted anything about it, and I doubt we will be getting anything related in the future (still hoping for a flashback/moment like that when Levi wakes up, but I think it’ll be focused on something else).

So yeah…I loved pre-爆発-Levi chapters a lot, because I was still hoping there was something more to it all. It doesn’t seem that way anymore and I have no idea how to explain such a change. Aside from Isayama being done with shippers, and eclipsing their relevance together out of spite, lol.

#Anonymous #snk spoilers #ereri #shingeki asks #salt

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