Jujutsu Kaisen: Was Shoko in love with Gojo? Explained

When Jujutsu Kaisen Volume 26 spoilers hit the internet, they didn’t just stir up buzz about the fan-favorite Satoru Gojo gracing the cover; they also ignited a curious, albeit misguided, debate: Was Shoko Ieiri in love with Gojo? This question swept through the fandom like wildfire, bolstered by a mistranslation of her updated character description released during the series' sixth anniversary.

The short answer is that no, Shoko is not in love with Gojo in Jujutsu Kaisen. The speculation began after fans misread an updated character description for Shoko Ieiri, believing it hinted at hidden romantic feelings for either Gojo or Geto.

However, Gege Akutami, the creator of Jujutsu Kaisen, didn’t let the misunderstanding spiral for long. In a direct statement via updated character descriptions, Shoko's profile stated:

“She would never love Gojo or Geto even if the heavens and earth flipped around.”

An unambiguous answer. Gege closed the book on the theory, at least in terms of romantic love. Shoko’s relationship with both men was close and comfortable.

She shared cigarettes with Geto, exchanged teasing remarks with Gojo, and often watched from the sidelines as their intense personalities clashed. There was warmth, camaraderie, and mutual respect, but nothing in canon suggests it ever crossed into romantic territory.

When Geto fell into darkness, Shoko remained calm, even casually asking him about his choices and referring to him as "childish." When Gojo was visibly shaken by Yuji’s first death, she remained the composed doctor, guiding the situation professionally. Their interactions showcase emotional intimacy without romance. And that nuance often gets lost in fandom speculation.

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Why fans wanted Shoko to be in love with Gojo in Jujutsu Kaisen

So why were fans so quick to believe that Shoko harbored secret love for Gojo?

1) Unresolved Grief: Gojo’s death left a massive hole in the story. Fans were desperate for anyone, especially someone from his past, to give that death emotional weight.

2) The “Quiet Girl Trope”: Anime often uses stoic or quiet female characters as secret lovers. Shoko’s calm demeanor, proximity to Gojo, and emotional detachment during crises made her an easy candidate for projection.

3) Narrative Desperation: After losing both Gojo and Geto, some fans clung to the hope that someone still loved them. Shoko, being the last of the trio still alive, felt like a beacon of unresolved affection.

4) The Trio’s Tragedy: The bond between the three feels incomplete without emotional closure. Romanticizing that bond, especially in a series so rich in grief and longing, helps fans cope with the loss.

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The “Third Wheel” myth: debunked

Some fans labeled Shoko as the "third wheel" in the Gojo-Geto dynamic. And while it’s true that most of the narrative weight falls on the doomed friendship between those two, Shoko wasn’t just tagging along.

She was essential. Although she didn’t have flashy powers like Gojo or ideological ambition like Geto. Instead, she had healing hands, a calm mind, and a backbone made of steel. When the world was falling apart, whether during Shibuya or the Culling Game, Shoko was one of the few who held it together.

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Shoko’s strength lies in her detachment

Unlike Gojo, who was emotionally attached to his students, or Geto, who let his ideals devour him, Shoko stands out because of her ability to detach. This isn’t coldness, but rather it’s how she survives. During Yuji’s autopsy, while Gojo is visibly emotional, Shoko remains composed and professional. She does what needs to be done.

In a world where death is constant and violence is the norm, someone has to be the one who doesn’t flinch. That’s Shoko. In Jujutsu Kaisen, she is constantly exhausted, with her under-eye lines, her chain-smoking habit, and her lack of emotional displays, but these are not signs of weakness. They’re signs of someone who’s kept moving, even when everyone else fell apart.

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Final thoughts

In Jujutsu Kaisen, Shoko Ieiri loved Gojo and Geto as comrades, as classmates, as the only people who understood what it meant to be young and powerful and cursed in the world of Jujutsu sorcery. Her love wasn’t loud, or romantic, or obvious. It was quiet, consistent, and unwavering.