When you meet Edward Elric he gives off the impression that he's the short-tempered hot-headed "violence is the answer to all life's questions" kind of protagonist, and it's in fact incredible character craft that he's actually the character who ends the series with a negative-3 kill count.
God's worst soldier Edward Elric. Showed up as the youngest member of the Amestrian army, took millions of dollars from them, never followed a single order, helped dismantle their fascist regime, left with a lower kill count than he arrived with, then fucked off to go be a house-husband. Character of all time.
You know, when you said "negative-3 kill count," I, who haven't seen the anime, thought, "He resurrected 3 people?????" But I'm seeing here on the wiki that apparently resurrection in this anime is a terrible idea.
A name that typically evokes one of two reactions. You have those that praise his driven, stoic personality fiercely. They truly believe Megumi should have been the main character, editing him incessantly and collecting figurines of him (along with body pillows and lunch boxes).
On the other hand, you have those that criticize him, calling him weak and a waste of talent (Sukuna?). These people value raw power and talent, praising Yuji Itadori with the same tongue they lash at Megumi. Every time he raises his fists to summon Mahoraga, they make memes and insist on calling him "Potential Man".
This might surprise you, as character analysis often leans into one side heavily, but I am somewhere in the middle.
SPOILERS AHEAD
Megumi is a flawed, complex character. He is the embodiment of the burnt out gifted teenager trope. His intellect is on a different level than his peers, which adds to the isolation he sometimes feels. He is quick to find creative solutions in battle, skilled in hand to hand combat from years of discipline, and knows a whole lot about constellations for some reason.
Hey, you never know where you might find yourself.
Despite this, though, Megumi is debilitatingly self conscious, unsure of himself and his abilities. While he may have inherited the widely sought after ten shadows technique from the Zenin clan, he genuinely believes his life is worth nothing and that self sacrifice is the only way to ensure victory in a tough battle.
Megumi's biggest flaw is spelled out for us in big, bold letters: he doesn't know how to reach his fullest potential without threatening to pull his su*cide card.
Ouch. The truth hurts, but I think we should examine when and why he pulls this move.
Season 1, Episode 1- Sukuna
Okay, this one irritates me right off the bat. Sukuna is an ancient Heian era sorcerer who is known as stronger than Satoru Gojo. Of course a heavily injured, out-skilled teenager is going to choose a violent, quick demise rather than a drawn out torture session.
Season 1, Episode 5- Sukuna
See above.
Season 1, Episode 8- Todo (Sort of)
Fans argue whether or not he was serious. I absolutely do not see Megumi as the type of character to murder his classmate over a sparring match. He would absolutely have known that, logically, Todo wouldn't kill him. I think this move could be argued to be habit, or an example of his sarcastic personality.
Season 1, Episode 19- Hanami
Okay, this one is a little difficult for me to form an opinion on. Yes, Hanami is a special grade cursed spirit and his senpai was heavily injured, although, I think there were other avenues to be explored. This was done out of pure panic, a rare moment we see him act without thinking.
Season 1, Episode 23- Special Grade Curse
Megumi's character development truly shines here. As he prepares to make the hand signal and say the words, a memory between he and Gojo plays in his head.
"Dying to win and risking death to win are two completely different things."
This is the turning point in which he is able to unleash a partial domain expansion, effectively saving himself. This seems to give him a huge confidence boost and he lessens resorting to Mahoraga from this point on.
This is the turning point in which he is able to unleash a partial domain expansion, effectively saving himself. This seems to give him a huge confidence boost and he lessens resorting to Mahoraga from this point on.
Season 2, Episode 16- Toji Fushiguro
I absolutely think he was valid here. Toji demonstrated the ability to break into a domain, destroy the cursed spirit that his mentors and friends couldn't take 4 vs 1, AND held insane superhuman strength and speed. Part of being intelligent is knowing when to resign from a challenge bigger than you alone.
Season 2, Episode 17- Haruta Shigemo
Again, the absolute best call he could have made. It is important to note that unfortunately, this decision also led to Gojo's demise and his own emotional breakdown. If Sukuna had not saved him from the subjugation ritual, Megumi would have died and Sukuna would have had no way to access his ten shadows technique. Hindsight is an interesting thing. Had he known this, there is no way he would have done it. However, I think this was arguably the most important moment in season 2 as it solidifies Sukuna's interest in Megumi as a vessel.
All in all, the critique of Megumi summoning Mahoraga would be valid IF he had not been facing such strong, unpredictable opponents.
My critiques of Megumi lie in his overreliance on others and being narrow minded.
Megumi's ultimate reason is his sister, Tsumiki Fushiguro. This is touching, however, exploits him to rely on Yuji Itadori too much. Yuji is magnetic, strong, and flawed himself. Yuji is happy to do it, that’s who he is as a person, but this places unneeded strain on their dynamic. When Megumi relies on Yuji, he is painfully aware that he is imposing more pressure on Yuji’s shoulders, and Yuji is worried sick and willing to do anything to help Megumi.
I do not find fault in leaning on others, however, this over reliance erases some of Megumi's own character arc. Everybody values Megumi and his talents, yet his only motivation is Tsumiki. I do think this is a trauma response, but I also think it is inherently selfish.
His entire character is an example of how familial trauma leads to mental health issues, unbroken generational curses, and passivity. I would normally love this representation of mental health, if his arc wasn't so rushed.
We have incredibly sweet, tender moments with those closest to him, only for there to be no resolution. "Start by saving me, Itadori." Followed swiftly by Sukuna taking him as a vessel and leading to "I'll be lonely without you, Fushiguro." Megumi hosting Sukuna removes him from the fight, erasing any potential for the audience to see him rise above his hardships. He chooses to live, for Yuji, though we never really see him again afterwards besides a few manga panels.
We never see his acceptance of Gojo's death, his growth, processing, or anything. His character falls incredibly short after his fight with Reggie Star.
All that to say, he has some beautiful qualities necessary of a deuteragonist.
His personality is not a unique concept, see Sasuke Uchiha from Naruto or Tamaki Amajiki from My Hero Academia. Every golden retriever needs their black cat, and I would argue Megumi is one of the better developed black cat-esque side kicks. He has the classic soft spot for his best friend, or the protagonist, Yuji Itadori. He is loyal to a fault, empathetic, compassionate, moral, and grounds Yuji's idealist nature into something more realistic. They have a unique bond that completely carries the third season.
My favorite thing about Megumi, though, is what is left unsaid. We aren’t explicitly told about his care for others, though it shines when his Shikigami nuzzle and play with Yuji and Nobara. We don't hear him tell his friends he is fond of them, we see him risk his life over and over to rescue them. We don't need to be told how strong his power is, we can see it. His best moments are defined by what we see and through what others say about him.
Megumi Fushiguro is not your typical Shonen edgy, supporting character. He is deep without being melodramatic, though has some major flaws. He provides viewers with complex feelings and leaves them wanting more.
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