5 Reasons Naoya Zenin Just Became Jujutsu Kaisen’s Most Hated Character

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Please be aware that this article reveals major plot details from Jujutsu Kaisen, including information from the “Execution” arc of the manga and potential spoilers for the future season.

Naoya Zenin instantly established himself as a truly awful character when he appeared in Jujutsu Kaisen. As a prominent member and expected leader of one of the three most powerful sorcerer families (Zenin, Gojo, and Kamo), he misused his skills and family status, looking down on almost everyone – especially those within his own clan and women. His initial confidence quickly became unbearable arrogance, making him one of the most unlikeable characters in the series, even when compared to villains like Sukuna and Kenjaku. Unlike some antagonists who gain a following, Naoya’s villainy makes him almost universally disliked, making him a character viewers love to hate.

Naoya’s behavior and harsh comments demonstrate a complete absence of compassion, making him remarkably unfeeling.

5) His Disturbing Transformation

Naoya’s awful personality didn’t stop with his death. His intense hatred, disappointment, and remorse – especially his failure to understand true magical power – continued to grow even after he died, ultimately turning him into a Cursed Spirit.

Now transformed into a terrifying creature, he relentlessly pursued his cousin, Maki Zenin, motivated by pure spite and his inability to accept being defeated by a woman. This final, monstrous state confirmed he was beyond saving, destined to live a life defined only by his negative traits.

4) His Obsession with Toji Fushiguro

Naoya publicly acts like he fully supports the Zenin clan’s traditions, using them to climb the ranks. However, he secretly admires Toji Fushiguro, a member who rejected the sorcerer world and was exiled from the clan. Naoya believes Toji, because he had no cursed energy and was therefore an outcast from the harsh Zenin family, is the only person who could possibly understand his own power. This creates a contradictory and hypocritical way of thinking for Naoya.

Naoya’s intense focus on Toji, a man who defied his family’s beliefs, reveals his selfishness and what he truly cares about. He admires Toji’s strength but still defends the family rules that excluded him, showing that Naoya’s identity is built on a deep-seated feeling of inadequacy and internal conflict.

3) His Entire Personality

Naoya’s identity is completely shaped by the unhealthy values of the Zenin clan, particularly their focus on family lineage and social standing. Because he’s a naturally gifted sorcerer with a unique ability inherited from his father, Naoya sees himself as better than others. He cruelly refers to his own brothers as worthless and believes they should have ended their lives due to their perceived weakness.

Naoya’s arrogance and disdain for others demonstrate a deep disrespect, even for those more powerful than himself, and this ultimately causes his defeat. He only values individuals with strong cursed energy, which is ironic because he is ultimately defeated by Maki, who possesses none at all.

2) The Attempted Murder of a Fan Favorite

Honestly, after Naoya’s father passed away, he just completely lost it. His ambition turned dark, and he started plotting to kill Megumi Fushiguro because Megumi was next in line to inherit the Zenin clan’s power. But he didn’t stop there! He went after Maki and Mai too, wanting to eliminate them both as potential rivals. It was a ruthless power grab, and he was willing to do anything to stay on top.

Watching Naoya, it became clear he was a true villain, motivated entirely by what he could gain for himself. The way he betrayed and even murdered his own family wasn’t about achieving power, though that was a factor—it was fueled by a cruel disdain for anyone he saw as weaker. It was a chilling display, and honestly, it made it impossible to see him as anything other than completely lost to darkness. There was no redeeming him after that.

1) His Misogyny and Sexism

Naoya Zenin is well-known for his extreme and openly expressed hatred of women. He rigidly adheres to the outdated and harmful beliefs of his clan, firmly believing women are naturally inferior and must obey men. He even claims that any woman unable to follow subserviently behind a man deserves to be killed.

This isn’t just a personal opinion of his; it’s demonstrated by his consistent and deliberate mistreatment and dehumanization of all women, including those within his own Zenin clan. He’s especially cruel to Maki, constantly belittling her and seeing her very existence as a disgrace to the clan and the traditional hierarchy he values so highly.

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2025-12-10 05:10