Suguru Geto

Creation

Gege Akutami created Suguru Geto after being inspired by Shinobu Sensui from Yoshihiro Togashi's YuYu Hakusho, though he was disappointed with the result. Geto was designed to explore a character who quickly prejudges others. His name comes from the Japanese ski resort Geto Kogen. Akutami wanted to emphasize how Geto changed after leaving the Jujutsu Sorcerers and grew to hate common humans.

One of Geto's scrolls references Tite Kubo's manga Zombiepowder. Akutami chose Geto to befriend Satoru Gojo after researching Buddhist monk's robes and seeing the Gojo-gesa align with Gojo's name. The author also wanted to show nuances in their names: Satoru meaning 'enlightenment' and Suguru meaning 'outstanding'. Geto dresses as a monk in the prequel to juxtapose his false religious organization with the trustworthiness of real monks.

Akutami has said that body memory from one of Geto's arms hints that the original Geto still fights against Kenjaku. He compared Kenjaku to Orochimaru from Naruto to explain Geto's death. Geto's strongest technique, Uzumaki, was inspired by Junji Ito's manga of the same name, though Akutami avoided referencing it too heavily.

Appearances

Suguru Geto is a Special Grade Jujutsu Sorcerer, a student of Masamichi Yaga, and a former classmate of Gojo and Shoko Ieiri. His Cursed Technique, Cursed Spirit Manipulation, lets him absorb and control natural curses, which become black orbs he must eat. In Jujutsu Kaisen 0, Geto becomes interested in the curse of Rika Orimoto, the spirit bound to Yuta Okkotsu. When Gojo is absent, Geto attacks and defeats Yuta and his friends.

Yuta, with Rika under his control, battles Geto, who uses Maximum: Uzumaki but is defeated. After losing an arm, Geto escapes but is found by Gojo, who kills him at Geto's request. The main series explores Geto's past in the Hidden Inventory / Premature Death Arc, set about 11 years earlier. As a sophomore at Tokyo Prefectural Jujutsu High, Geto was an excellent student on par with Gojo.

They were assigned to escort the Star Plasma Vessel Riko Amanai, but mercenary Toji Fushiguro kills her. He escapes, massacres a village including his parents, and Gojo confronts him but cannot kill him.

Reception

Uniqlo produced shirts featuring Geto's appearance for the Jujutsu Kaisen 0 promotion. In a Viz Media popularity poll in March 2021, Geto ranked 12th; in a second poll he rose to 4th place. Akutami noted Geto's popularity might relate to the movie's release. At the 8th Crunchyroll Anime Awards, Geto was nominated for Best Supporting Character, and Martial Leminoux won Best Voice Artist Performance (French) for the role.

Critical response has been favorable. Cezary Jan Strusiewicz of Polygon called Geto an entertaining villain with a 'larger than life personality'. Several critics compared him to Marvel's Magneto due to his desire for supernaturals to rule. IGN's Jemima Sebastian compared him to Gellert Grindelwald from Harry Potter, citing Geto's speech about not caring about non-sorcerers.

Kestrel Swift of The Fandom Post enjoyed Geto's story but found him less striking as a villain. Manga News also wanted more exploration of Gojo and Geto's friendship. Daniel Feathers of The Fandom Post thought Lex Lang's voice acting was the best in the English dub. Lauren Tidmarsh of Comic Book Resources considered Geto and Yuji Itadori deconstructions of the hero archetype, noting their different reactions to failure.

Following the anime adaptation of the flashbacks, Polygon's Ana Diaz observed viral fan stories about Geto and Gojo. James Beckett of Anime News Network and Charles Hartford of Why Though praised the handling of their relationship and Geto's fall into madness.