Since the very beginning of Jujutsu Kaisen, Nobara and Yuji have been shipped by many viewers.
Though they have a lot of differences, starting from their personalities, perspectives, and choices, they indeed form a great duo when it comes to missions.
But does that necessarily mean that they are compatible romantically?
Gege Akutami has never explicitly mentioned or pointed out Nobara’s romantic feelings for Yuji. They might be compatible and reliable while going on missions, but that is limited to their very exciting friendship and nothing beyond that.
Though they are, for the most part, loggerheads due to their clashing ideas, they are loyal to the friendship that they share.
They can be called the Tom and Jerry of Jujutsu Kaisen, considering how they bicker around while at the same time having each other’s backs in times of crisis.
Is Nobara in Love With Yuji? Who is Nobara’s love interest?
While debating whether Nobara has feelings for Itadori, Gege Akutami smashes all our confusion just by introducing one new character.
Coming from the past, Yuko Ozawa was one of Yuji’s classmates who had a crush on him. She was that one girl in the class—the chubby one—who never had any friends. But she liked Yuji more than anyone else because he was the one who saw a different side of her when no one else did.
Within half a year, she went through a drastic glow-up, and now she is a tall and beautiful woman. After seeing Yuji again, her feelings have rekindled. She thinks that she might have a chance with him when she sees Yuji after so many months.
She asks Nobara if she is the one who was with Yuji earlier when she saw them together from across the road.
Nobara is the one who takes the initiative to inform Yuko more about Yuji to confirm the chances of her dating him. She voluntarily helps her set her up with Yuji.
When asked if she had any feelings for Yuji, she had a clear answer ready. A big, blatant no. But after saying it, she felt an ache in her heart.
Does that mean that Nobara is oblivious to her growing feelings for Itadori?
Later, Nobara realised that it would upset her if Itadori got a girlfriend before she found a girlfriend for herself. It has nothing to do with any romantic feelings for Itadori.
They might not have clicked immediately, but with time, their friendship grew stronger.
Despite their early differences, the couple usually react similarly to news and events. Both of them were ecstatic about the possibility of exploring Tokyo, had a crush on Megumi’s mystical shikigami canines, and mocked Megumi for his childhood altercation with some bullies.
They enjoy the pleasures of life and regularly enjoy each other’s presence, frequently echoing one another’s excitement levels.
Beginning with the first mission in Roppongi, they were a chaotic duo. But as they started spending more and more time together, going on missions together, their bond solidified.
It cannot be unseen that Nobara treats Yuji as her half-boyfriend by making him hold the shopping bags every time. She gets highly bothered when Yuji does not share details about his whereabouts. We see both bickering and fighting like cats for the silliest reasons.
Amidst their shared enjoyment, Kugisaki occasionally resorts to unconventional methods when Yuji manages to irk or upset her, often employing a rather hands-on approach with a well-placed punch.
However, Yuji’s response is far from antagonistic; instead, he usually finds himself overcome by regret for accidentally setting her off or puzzled about the reason for her irritation.
We have seen that Yuji always gives Nobara credit and compliments her for figuring things out. Nobara loves it when people compliment her intellect and jujutsu skills.
But we have also seen both of them get highly worried for each other when either of them is in danger.
She mourned Itadori’s death and teared up when he was brought back to life. Seeing Nobara cry is so out of character. This showed how deeply she valued Itadori’s presence and existence.
A touching incident occurred when Nobara unexpectedly experienced a flashback of Yuji during her intense exchange with Momo Nishimiya. In the manga, Yuji is depicted amusingly, conveying a sense of humour.
This portrayal, however, underwent a subtle change in the anime adaptation, presenting Yuji in a happier light, probably reflecting Nobara’s viewpoint, where he seemed to radiate happiness.
When Momo Nishimiya and the other members of the Kyoto Class were still pursuing Yuji, Nobara confronted them and asked, “Have you guys ever stopped to consider the person behind the curse which you have condemned?”
Over time, Kugisaki’s scepticism gradually transformed into a genuine acceptance of Yuji as a trusted comrade, and she found herself placing unwavering trust in his capacity to combat malevolent curse spirits.
Their camaraderie reached its zenith during a pivotal showdown against two formidable special-grade curses in the Death Painting Arc. Together, they emerged as a formidable and harmonious duo.
Yuji effortlessly scooped her into his arms and sprinted to safety with astonishing speed, leaving Kugisaki astounded by his extraordinary swiftness.
Kugisaki stands out for her profound admiration and unwavering confidence in Yuji’s ability to endure the excruciating pain inflicted by the special-grade curses.
Is Nobara in Love With Yuji? Who is Nobara’s love interest? In the wake of their triumph, Kugisaki extended a comforting hand to Yuji, who wrestled with a profound sense of discontent over the necessity of killing those curses rather than exorcising them.
She gently reminded him that, regrettably, they were not endowed with the capacity to save every tormented soul and were, therefore, not equipped to do so.
Later, when Megumi deduced that the recent surge in malevolent spirits claiming innocent lives was linked to Yuji’s consumption of Sukuna’s cursed finger, Kugisaki kept this unsettling revelation to herself.
She understood all too well the emotional turmoil it would stir within Yuji, and her decision to shield him from this knowledge underscored her growing concern for his well-being.
In a candid moment, Kugisaki subtly unveiled the depths of her attachment, revealing that only a limited number of seats in her heart were reserved for those she genuinely cared about.
She confessed that she was wary of her emotions being swayed by individuals who didn’t occupy these cherished seats. Yet, when she told Yuji that he had brought his own seat to sit upon, it became clear that she had unequivocally embraced him as an integral part of her life.
Towards the end of the Shibuya Arc, the manga readers know what will happen. Mahito disfigures Nobara, and Itadori suffers a major setback after this.
“Itadori. Tell everyone… it wasn’t so bad!”
Nobara before she is disfigured. Is Nobara in Love With Yuji? Who is Nobara’s love interest
Nobara has no romantic feelings for Yuji, but the ingenuity of their friendship surpasses any romantic emotions.
They may be very chaotic, real troublemakers, but at the end of the day, their friendship is the purest in form.
Gege Akutami has not mentioned any specifics about Nobara’s love interests. There are few characters to speculate on who will eventually end up with.