Sukuna is easily one of the most popular Jujutsu Kaisen characters, though there are still many mysteries surrounding him. Among these is the meaning behind Sukuna saying gambare gambare in the early Jujutsu Kaisen episodes.
This might not be as big of a mystery as Sukuna’s origins or the extent of his powers, but it’s nonetheless interesting. After all, the answer to this sheds a lot of light on Sukuna’s personality.
Spoiler Warning: There are spoilers for the Jujutsu Kaisen anime in this article.
The Positive Meaning of 'Gambare' in Japanese
Even for those who don’t know Japanese, the phrase gambare should be familiar, at least for anime fans. That’s because this is a common phrase that’s said by many anime characters.
What does it mean? Well, gambare, or ganbare as it’s usually romanized, can be translated in English as “let’s go” or “do your best.” It’s one of the most common cheers or words of encouragement in Japanese.
It’s typically said as ganbare, though the alternate ganbatte can also be used, with both sharing the same meaning. Some even say it as part of a phrase like ganbatte ne or ganbatte yo.
As with many Japanese words and phrases, there are a couple of interpretations of this word, though practically all of them have a positive meaning that’s used to cheer people on.
Ryomen Sukuna is a fearsome villain, so his saying gambare gambare may seem out of character given the phrase’s positive connotation. There is a good reason for this though, and that is Sukuna’s personality.
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So, Why Does Sukuna Say 'Gambare Gambare'?
The King of Curses utters this phrase against his opponents during the earlier Jujutsu Kaisen episodes, but he doesn’t use it to legitimately cheer someone on.
Instead, based on his rather sarcastic delivery, he’s using it in a patronizing way, as if treating his opponent like a powerless child.
Thus, instead of its typical meaning, when Sukuna says gambare gambare, he’s calling out his opponent to try harder even if they’re already doing so.
This shows just how arrogant Sukuna is in battle, and for good reason. Based on the sheer power that he has shown so far, there’s no doubt that the King of Curses is deserving of his moniker.
You’ll see more of Sukuna in the Jujutsu Kaisen manga, which is currently in a high-octane arc that sees the King of Curses in action.
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