Did Naoya look up to Toji in Jujutsu Kaisen? The complicated Zen'in dynamic, explained

In Jujutsu Kaisen, Naoya Zen'in goes around calling out all his idols for being weak, but he also found out that he does not have an idol because he can't even stand up to a man without curse energy, or at least he thought so until he arrived at the house of Toji Fushiguro and mocked him for being a "no-nothing."

Yes, Naoya really looked up to Toji in Jujutsu Kaisen. However, because Toji never paid any attention to Naoya, that admiration was all in Naoya's head. Whenever Naoya decided on strength, he was always affected by Toji's example. Toji was his guide for strength, and it was only when Maki matched Toji's strength that Naoya reacted in an aggressive way.

Naoya started as an arrogant punk, but he ended up as an awestruck fan of Toji. As the most highly-rated son of Naobito Zen'in, Naoya grew up under the high expectations of the Zen'in clan, who showered him with all kinds of accolades and instilled in him the belief that a man's worth was determined by the amount of cursed energy he had.

Men with power were to be held in high esteem; men without power were to be considered failures.

When Naoya found out Toji did not have cursed energy at all, he figured it was a good way to make fun of him. He wanted to see the biggest embarrassment of the clan in person, but Toji's powerful vibe and strong body blew him away. This was a turning point for Naoya in Jujutsu Kaisen.

Strength Over Everything Else in Jujutsu Kaisen

Toji was the only person Naoya respected in the Zen’in clan because he was able to see the true power that did not fit into the traditional jujutsu ways. He came to believe that one’s strength, no matter how it is shown, equates to how valuable that person is. He learned from his experience that cursed energy is not everything

Naoya, growing apart from his family, hated his brothers for being weak, even though they were cursed. He also looked down on his uncle and cousin the same way. The only two people Naoya respected for knowing what it was like to be lonely at the top were Toji and Satoru Gojo.

The Delusion of Equality in Jujutsu Kaisen

Naoya thought he was on the same level as Toji and Gojo because he wanted to be on their level more than anything else. It didn’t just have to do with being stronger than them; it also had to do with Naoya needing a place to fit in.

The Zen’in clan thought he was smart, but they didn’t really care about him besides how useful he was to them. His father saw him as a successor and nothing more.

Jujutsu Kaisen shows Naoya holding on to delusions post-defeats. Naoya was caught off guard in battle because Choso used techniques that Naoya did not foresee.

Even though Yuta Okkotsu intimidated him temporarily, Naoya still had the delusion of being equal to all of his idols. This was not brashness alone; it was actually a defense mechanism to protect his weak self-image.

Understanding Naoya's Misogyny Through This Lens

Naoya really admires Toji, yet he treats women really badly, too. If Naoya cared about strength more than anything, he would acknowledge that women have always been strong sorcerers. Uro and Yorozu were both part of the Jujutsu Kaisen lore, and during Yuki Tsukumo's time, he was a special-grade sorcerer.

Naoya was conditioned to believe that women were inherently weaker than men because he grew up in an environment that did not have strong female fighters as part of their culture (The Zen'in Clan). Whereas Naoya had the benefit of witnessing the strength of Toji, he had never seen or encountered a woman who could challenge his beliefs about women being weaker until he fought with Maki.

Conclusion

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Naoya's view of Toji from the beginning of Jujutsu Kaisen was as an example (as a person he wanted to be like). But it was a very shaky structure. Toji had a lot of power, and Naoya respected that, but he was still desperate, and he was looking for confirmation that he was not just some loser.

This toxic relationship is what also allows the Zen'in family to affect everyone's life within their family, including privileged ones like Naoya. The reality of Naoya was more than losing; he did not develop true friendships. The only person he respected didn't even know Naoya was alive.

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