SatoSugu

"You should at least curse me at the end."

- Satoru to Suguru, Chapter 0.4

SatoSugu is the slash ship between Gojo Satoru and Geto Suguru from the Jujutsu Kaisen fandom.

Canon
Geto and Gojo went to Tokyo Jujutsu High together to become jujutsu sorcerers. They had conflicting beliefs and morals, with the most notable one being that Suguru believed in the strong protecting the weak, while Satoru would rather do whatever pleased him instead. Despite their differences, however, they still grew to become best friends and often fought together in battle. Their bond was close enough that the reappearance of Geto after his death was the only thing that made Gojo lose his otherwise undeterring calmness during battle.

The Strongest Sorcerers
The arc begins with 16 year old Suguru Geto and Satoru Gojo rescuing sorcerers Mei Mei and Utahime Iori, who haven't been in contact with college for 2 days and experienced certain difficulties on their mission. Geto and Gojo pair up for teasing Utahime, their senpai, much to her chagrin, and apparently, that's not the first time. However they pull together and help the sorcerers nonetheless.

Back at Jujutsu High, they have a conversation on what happened, and it becomes apparents they have opposing views on the principles and objectives of the sorcerers. Satoru doesn't understand why they have to hide what they're doing from non-sorcerers, adding that it's very troublesome trying to save commoners all the time. Suguru doesn't agree, he is certain that it's society's obligation to protect the weak. In his opinion, jujutsu exists to defend non-sorcerers from curses. His friend expresses his displeasure with Suguru's "righteous" rethoric, even calling him weak for that. Suguru looses temper and proposes they settle it down physically, but Satoru teasingly puts him down. Before Suguru can answer, principal Yaga walks in and informs them they're both needed for a mission.

The Star Plasma Vessel
Gojo and Geto go on a mission to retrieve Riko Amanai who is to become Star Plasma Vessel, they have to escort her to Jujutsu High where she could fulfill her sacral role and merge with Tengen. Before they could head to the destination with Riko and her caretaker Misato, they decide to go to Okinawa for a day. On the island, Suguru notices that Satoru has been using his technique non-stop. He expresses his worry over Satoru’s mental and physical state, guessing the sorcerer plans on spending the night awake to be able to control his technique. Gojo dismisses his concerns saying they don’t need to worry about that, since Geto is beside him and can help him if something goes wrong. When they arrive at Jujutsu High, Suguru thanks him for his hard work protecting them.

Upon their arrival, the quartet is attacked by Toji Fushiguro, who pierces Gojo with his sword. Suguru rushes to his side, but Satoru reassures him saying it’s fine, as it didn’t hit any vital organs. Gojo missions Geto with escorting Riko to Tengen safely, while he assumes the responsibility of stopping Toji. Departing, Suguru asks the sorcerer to be careful. Left alone, Suguru admits to Riko that he and Satoru made an agreement even before meeting her: they will give her a chance to decide whether she really wants to become the Star Plasma Vessel. Risking everything, they would call it all off, if she refuses to merge, and face whatever consequences will arise to protect her.

After getting the upperhand and immobilizing Gojo, Toji finds Geto and Riko and kills the latter in front of him. Suguru is shocked to see the assassin as he believed Gojo wouldn’t have have let him go if he were alive. His concern is confirmed by Fushiguro — he informs Geto about having killed Gojo, to which Geto replies with "then die" and attempts to murder him to avenge Riko and Satoru. However, Toji proceeds to injure him and knock him out, like he did to Gojo.

Satoru comes to senses, uses reverse technique to heal himself, and fights Toji. After finishing with him, Gojo retrieves Riko's body from the Time Vessel Association Headquarters, brought there by Fushiguro. Suguru arrives shortly after, surprised to see Satoru's new aloof demeanor — at first he can hardly recognize him. Satoru makes sure Shoko had Suguru patched up after his stand-off with Toji — Geto assures him that he is alright and expresses his regret for how things went with Riko. Gojo believes it's not his fault and tells him so. As the children of the star clap for Riko's dead body, Satoru asks Suguru whether he should kill them all, but his friend reassures him that it would be meaningless, and there always needs to be a reason for a sorcerer to take a life.

Geto's Decision
A year later, in August of 2007, Suguru and Shoko test the abilities of Satoru's Infinity Technique by throwing small objestc at him. Over the year Satoru has perfected his technigue, now being able to keep it active at all times, simultaneously he is running a self-recovery Reverse Cursed Technique to keep his brain fresh from overworking. When before Satoru and Suguru were both the strongest, now it is only Satoru Gojo, leading Yaga to send him on more solitary missions. It leaves Suguru alone most of the time, and it must have caused the change in his mental stability, alongside with Riko's death. It is confirmed later when Satoru notices that Suguru lost weight, however the latter dismisses his friend's concerns saying that it's all because of the summer stress. Suguru has been caught in an endless circle swallowing curses one after another all summer long; the amount and the repulsive taste of the consumed curses, aided by his loneliness, lead to him feeling isolated and depressed as he saw no way out.

When Yu Haibara, Suguru's junior, is going on a trip, he visits Geto and asks him what he should bring back home as a souvenir. Suguru asks for something sweet, since he will be sharing it with Satoru. After having a conversation with him and Yuki Tsukumo (the third Special Grade Sorcerer along with Geto and Gojo), Geto decides that he doesn't feel that devoted to the version of this world where he has to fight curses all his life to save the lives of ordinary people. On one of his missions following the conversation with Yuki and Haibara's death, Geto makes a desicion murdering a village of non-sorcerers who maltreated two girls for being able to perform sorcery. From that moment Suguru Geto chooses to stray from the path of humaity, starting his own fight for the world free of non-sorcerers and subsequently curses born from human vices.

The Rift
Now Geto is on the run with Mimiko and Nanako — under Article 9 of the Jujutsu Regulations he is to be executed on sight as a curse user. Satoru's initial reaction upon hearing the news from Yaga is stupor, as Geto did not inform him on anything of what has happened, and he certainly didn't expect anything like that from his morally stable friend. Yaga explains that Geto, who is now considered a curse user, left his home and it is apparent that he killed his non-sorcerer parents. This information leads stunned Gojo into an even deeper state of shock and refusal. Some time later Suguru, apparently ready to have the conversation with his former classmates, appears in front of slightly amused Shoko, who instantly contacts Gojo on the phone and tells him she spotted Suguru.

Unnerved Satoru quickly finds him and demands an explanation for his actions. Geto says there isn't much to it, besides what he already said to Shoko about his new vision of the world. Satoru pleads to his consiousness, mentioning his parents, but the curse user is sure that if he wants to make a change, he cannot make exceptions for anyone, even his own family. Geto adds that now he has another family to take care of. They argue and Satoru employs the same reasoning Geto himself did a year ago after Riko's death: he says there is no meaning in killing innocent people, but Suguru adheres to the opposite point of view. Gojo heatedly proclaims that Geto wouldn't be able to reach his goal anyway, so there is no point in trying, which leads to Suguru noting that this remark is very arrogant on Satoru's side, considering he's now the strongest. Geto believes he cannot assume his plan to be futile and impossible as if he became Satoru, it wouldn't seem so unfeasible. Gojo becomes agitated and is ready to use his powers against Geto, when the latter says that he is free to kill him if he wants, if he finds meaning in that. Gojo is left astonished not being able to curse his one and only best friend.

Later that day, forlorn Gojo has a conversation with Yaga. The headmaster wants to know why he let Geto go without pursuing him. However the question is left unanswered, and Yaga immediately regrets asking after having realised that Satoru still considers Geto his friend. Satoru sorrowfully admits that being the strongest doesn't grant him every wish and some things are beyond his control — he cannot save someone who doesn't want to be saved.

Back to the present, Fushiguro, Itadori, and Kugisaki think that Gojo fell asleep and they wake him up. Everything that happened in Gojo's Past Arc, his youth, his frienship with Suguru, fighting Toji, and meeting Megumi — all could have been part of his dream or he could have been just reminiscing about the days gone while resting in the armchair.

Cursed Child Arc
Yuta Okkotsu and Toge Inumaki go on a mission to clear out a shopping center of any curses, they finish their job, but then a very powerful curse unexpectedly appears. Afterwards, Kiyotaka Ijichi meets with Satoru, and the latter confirms that Suguru Geto was somehow involved, despite there being no hard evidence to support the claim.

Feeling generous, Geto helps a young woman excorcising the curse, that has been terrorizing her. He calls her mother "Sato", even though the older woman corrects him (her name is acrtually "Saito"), but Geto dismisses her, insisting on his variant and saying that "Sato is better". Later Geto adresses his group and declares his plan to bring the age of jujutsy sorcerers, and the first bullet point being is to destroy Jujutsu High as the cornerstone of the jujutsu world. Back at the college, Principal Yaga voices his doubts over Geto's involvement, but Satoru assures him, pointing out he can sense the other's cursed presence.

As Geto arrives at Jujutsu High and starts preaching his ideology to Gojo's students, mainly targeting Yuta Okkotsu, the other sorcerer appears. Geto greets him enthusiastically. Satoru, on the other hand, is not amused, as he senses danger, and he is right — Suguru declares war. He doesn't get to say much more, as Nanako expresses her wish to visit a crêpe cafe, so they leave abruptly. Satoru tries to stop him, but to no avail, as the other man has important business to attend.

After attacking Jujutsu High, Geto is defeated by Yuta, who wounds him and forces him to retreat. Gojo finds Geto in a narrow alleyway, where they hold their final conversation. Gojo admits that he still harbors trust for Geto, and that's why he was sure the curse user wouldn't kill Gojo's students. Suguru says that despite all, he has no hard feelings against anyone from Jujutsu High. Gojo addresses Geto and says something that inevitably makes the latter laugh. After that, Gojo, according to his own word, ends Geto’s life.

Shibuya Incident Arc
On October 31, 2018, Satoru Gojo arrives in Shibuya, where he's met by Jogo, Hanami, and Choso. The three attack him, and the battle unfolds. Gojo manages to kill Hanami and 1000 of the mutated people, as he notices a Prison Realm cube on the floor. The gate opens, and a person calls to Gojo adressing him by the first name. Shocked Gojo turns and sees Suguru Geto in flesh. The person has Geto's face and talks to him as if he knows Satoru in person, the entity mentions that it's been a while since they last met. Stunned Gojo starts remembering the day he killed his friend. He wonders if this is really happening and who is standing in front of him, whether that person is "fake" Geto or if it's a transformation technique.

Suddenly Gojo remembers the three years of his youth as images of the past start flooding his mind. As Gojo stands there unable to move, a minute passes, and he is seized. The Imposter in Geto's body chides Gojo for letting his mind "wander during a fight". The sorcerer asks him about his real identity, but Geto's imposter insists on being Suguru, mockingly accusing Satoru of having forgotten him. Gojo is not convienced: even though his Six Eyes tell him that the body and the cursed energy of the person in front of him must belong to no other person but Suguru, he doesn't believe his perception, it cannot be him, as Gojo's soul knows it to be untrue.

As Gojo insists on learning the truth, he becomes more agitated and shouts at the person in front of him. The imposter removes the stitch and takes off the top of his head to show the brain inside, as he admits to be an ancient entity who possesses a cursed technique that allows it to switch bodies and use the innate technique contained within the original body. Pseudo-Geto informs Gojo that him obtaining this body is a direct consequence of Gojo's own actions, as he didn't let Shoko Ieiri get rid of Suguru's body properly. The entity says that he cannot let Gojo get in the way of his plans, that's why he will spend a hundred or a thousand years sealed away.

The imposter bids Gojo goodnight and expresses hope for meeting in the new world. Gojo replies saying that it might be good night for him, but for Suguru Geto it is time to wake up. He appeals to the remains of his friend's consciousnss left in this vessel and reproaches him for letting somebody else use his body. All of a sudden, Geto's right arm grabs himself by the throat and tries to strangle himself. The imposter starts laughing, noting it's the first time something like that happened. He adds that he has access to memories after obtaining the body, which would have been impossible, had the soul left the body after its physical death. Mahito and Pseudo-Geto start philosophizing, and Gojo asks them to hurry up as he doesn't enjoy looking at the two. Glancing down at seized Gojo, Geto's imposter admits that he actually enjoys the view himself and closes the gate.

After the events in Shibuya, news about Suguru Geto beeing alive broke, his "survival" is confirmed, and he is sentenced to death again. Despite Gojo getting sealed by "Geto", higher-ups suspect him of having been Geto's accomplice for all these years. The superiors believe he and Geto faked the latter's death, and caused the Shibuya incident. For that, Gojo is permanently exiled from the jujutsu world, and removing his seal is considered a criminal act.

Quotes
"Anyway, it should be okay. We're the strongest."

- Satoru to Suguru, Chapter 66

"There’s no way I would mistake his residuals."

- Satoru to Yaga, Chapter 0.3

"It was my best friend. The only one I have."

- Satoru to Yuta, Chapter 0.4

"Satoru Gojo is Master Geto’s one and only best friend, after all."

- Mimiko and Nanako, Chapter 112

"My six eyes tell me you're Suguru Geto. But my soul knows otherwise!"

- Satoru, Chapter 90

Moments

 * After Toji's death both Satoru and Suguru inherited what was left of him: Satoru took in his children, Megumi and Tsumiki, while Suguru got posession of his another "child", worm-like cursed spirit that called Geto "mother".
 * Geto's execution order was issued right after the village massacre; Gojo has been postponing the task for 10 years after that.
 * In a private conversation with Yuta Okkotsu, Gojo admits to his student, that he has a personal theory about love being the most twisted curse. The only known negative incident in Gojo's personal life was caused by Geto, who betrayed Gojo and became a criminal.
 * In their final scene together, Geto tells Gojo that in this world he cannot really laugh from the bottom of his heart. Gojo's final words to Geto are unknown, but whatever he said made Suguru laugh for the last time in his life.
 * Gojo refused to send Geto's body to Shoko Ieiri for an autopsy (and subsequent cremation).
 * While discussing their strategy to immobilize Gojo in order to seal him, curse Jogo says, "Even a thousand measly human lives wouldn't be enough to distract him!" It turns out to be true; Gojo mercilessly kills a thousand mutated people, but Geto's appearance stupefies him and leads to his defeat.
 * During the battle with Hanami and Jogo, Satoru deactivated his Limitless Cursed Technique, and fights the curses only using his cursed energy and physical attacks. A mere hour before Gojo is successfully sealed by an imposter wearing Geto's body, Jogo notes that nothings seems to be able to stop Gojo ("Is there anyhting you don't have?!").
 * When Geto's body reacts to Satoru's words adressing him, Geto's imposter notices that it's the first time when it disobeyed him.

Fanon
It is the most written ship for both Gojo and Geto under the Jujutsu Kaisen (Manga) and Jujutsu Kaisen (Anime) tags on AO3, and the most written ship in the Jujutsu Kaisen fandom on AO3 overall.

The pairing attracts a lot of people due to the characters' connection they formed as young adults and the sorrows that followed. Their contrasting aesthetics, personal views, and eventually their opposing positions in the jujutsu world make them a fascinating dynamic to explore. Another thing that sparks interest in the fanbase is that despite Gojo’s omnipotence and absolute invincibility, he has one weakness, which turns out to be the memory of his dead friend.

Many fans view Gojo and Geto's falling out as a break up or divorce, there are a lot of fan works (art and fanfiction) made surrounding the theme of ex romantic partners. One of the most popular concepts is Geto and Gojo breaking up in front of KFC, which leads to humorous fan arts like this or this and even playlists (for example). A great amount of works focuses on the time period between Geto's turn and Volume 0, when Gojo and Geto are considered to be on the opposite sides of the law (fulfilling the trope ). Given Satoru and Suguru's story is undoubtedly tragic, many fan works on AO3 are dedicated to studying such emotional states as heartbreak, loss, grief, e.g. Another trope explored in fanfiction and fan arts is found family, considering Gojo became Tsumiki and Megumi's guardian, while Geto took responsibility of raising two girls — Mimiko and Nanako (like here, here, or here). Some AUs include Suguru being mentally stable and becoming a teacher at Jujutsu High along with Satoru (and getting to know Satoru's students). This inspires many artists to come up with different, often comical, ideas of what their day-to-day life would be like. Often SatoSugu feature works dedicated to other pairings as a background couple, especially in ShokoHime fanfiction and artworks. While some prefer to reminisce on the sorcerers' youth, others like to explore what their life could be like if Geto came back and took control of his body (like depicted in this comic or in this AO3 work).

One of the most occuring motifs that artists tend to use in their works is a dragonfly (like here or here). Both Satoru and Suguru have connection to that insect: in one of the interviews, mangaka Gege Akutami admitted that now that Geto is dead with his body still automatically reacting to Satoru, his physical state could be compared to a dead dragonfly with its head ripped off: technically it's dead, but it keeps twitching post-mortem. Some fans hope Gege was joking, and still belive in the possibility of his consciousness (or soul) coming back to him. In a flashback scene from manga, young Satoru can be seen wearing a dragonfly patterned yukata. Artists mainly use the dragonfly as a symbol of the tragic turn the relationship between Satoru and Suguru took, and the unavoidable nature of fate.

There is another symbol. In the second opening VIVID VICE, Gojo can be seen walking in rain with a bouquet of white and blue flowers in his hand. Judging by the size, shape, and petal edges, these most likely are white calla lilies, gysophilia, and blue roses. White gypsophila from his bouquet, or baby-breath, is used for funeral flower arrangements and farewell ceremonies ; white calla lilies symbolize rejuvenation of the soul, love, and grief (often chosen for weddings and funerals). Blue roses don’t grow in nature, but can be hybridized or dyed; among other things, they signify unattainableness, a never-to-be-fulfilled wish, and impossible love. Gojo is dressed in all black and is wearing his black shades, meaning he is on his day off, and chose to dress like that for some occasion. All his students seem to be visiting a funeral, but Gojo walks alone, signifying he is going somewhere else, to pay his respects to someone privately. Fans believe this mournful image and its implications are connected to Geto, who died months before the events of the main story. The fandom has taken liking to this interpretation, thus, flower bouquets comprised of blue roses often feature SatoSugu art pieces. Since blue roses are hard to produce, cosplayers (and some artists, too) tend to opt for blue hydrangea, flower that was first discovered and cultivated in Japan.

The ship’s popularity reached the cosplayers, too. For example, in 2021, married couple from China with almost 7,5 million followers combined on Chinese social platform Weibo cosplayed the characters during CP28, Chinese Comic Con held in Shanghai. As seen in the video the couple posted, they were extremely popular, as the crowd of fans kept following them wherever they went.

Fandom
FAN FICTION



PIXIV



SPOTIFY


 * Satosugu Playlists search on Spotify

TUMBLR


 * notable tumblr pages:
 * @halveablock art page (also on twitter)
 * @halveablock art page (also on twitter)

TWITTER


 * notable twitter art pages:
 * @xMiyuV
 * @crows_bar
 * @vzryvokiller
 * @Zijingpap
 * @YuliceChan
 * @franeridart
 * @crows_bar
 * @vzryvokiller
 * @Zijingpap
 * @YuliceChan
 * @franeridart

Trivia

 * Both Geto and Gojo are two of the four registered Special Grade Jujutsu Sorcerers.
 * According to mangaka Gege Akutami, Satoru's first impression of Suguru was "bangs".
 * After Geto left Jujutsu High and went rogue, he started wearing a ceremonial outer robe called "gojō gesa" (五条袈裟), Gege admitted it was intentional as they thought it would be a good way "to connect them".
 * The ship’s name (五夏) translates to “five summers”.
 * They both invoke Buddhist imagery.
 * Satoru's name means "to be spiritually awakened", "enlightenment" (Japanese term "Satori" (悟)). When he fights Toji, he reaches the level of higher perception, and upon touching the source of the cursed energy, he feels enlightened. After almost dying and symbolically coming back to the living world, Gojo famously declares, "Throughout Heaven and Earth, I alone am the honored one." It is what Buddha first said when he emerged from his mother's womb.
 * Geto's layered traditional clothing intentionally resembles Buddhist monks. Geto's name might refer to the Buddhist term Gedo (外道) — heterodox path. On the cover of chapter 70, Geto is depicted as bodhisattva. Geto wears visible ear piercings (those could be big round earrings or plug earrings); Buddha's ears are pierced and permanently elongated with heavy earrings. In chapter 0.3 Geto helps a cursed young woman, and her mother says, "See, he's like Buddha himself".
 * Satoru and Suguru’s VAs, Yuichi Nakamura and Takahiro Sakurai respectively, collaborated 74 times on different anime films, series, and video games. They are both among top 5 actors the other worked with the most during their careers. Both Nakamura and Sakurai voiced the same character from Jojo’s Bizzare Adventure – Bruno Bucciarati (in anime and video game). They voiced main characters in Mr. Osomatsu; in Genocidal Organ Nakamura voiced the protagonist, Sakurai voiced the antagonist. They dubbed rivaling partners Ferid and Guren in Seraph of the End. In Fruits Basket they voiced best friends Shigure and Ayame, who share a very playful and flirtatious relationship.
 * Gojo and Geto feature sequential covers of chapter 89 and chapter 90: both Satoru and Suguru are depicted with nimbs over his head, but Gojo's takes shape of the mathematical symbol of infinity (∞). The imagery and the color scheme implies their resemplance to an angel (shimmering white and blue) and a devil (blood stains, aggressive red and acid green).
 * The Prison Real containing Gojo has the front side and the back side. The front side's appearance has several eyes, referencing Gojo, and the back of the Prison Realm has a wide stiched scar (like the one Geto's body is sporting at the moment).
 * First shown in posession of Suguru Geto, special grade cursed tool called Playful Cloud initially belonged to the Gojo Clan. Whether Gojo gave it to him himself, or whether Geto stole it later, is unknown.
 * When they were young, Geto told Gojo to be more respectful to his elders and use the pronoun "watashi" or "boku" instead of informal "ore" . In Volume 0 Gojo adresses his superiors using "watashi".
 * Gege Akutami admitted, that when they were young, Geto was Gojo's moral compass.
 * Suguru's steep turn, according to Gege, made Satoru become more levelheaded, instead of turning desruptive and chaotic.
 * As a student, Geto was prohibited from using his cursed technique on Jujutsu High's territory, as it sets off an alarm for unregisterd cursed energy; however, sometimes he would get into arguments with Gojo and use it without permission.
 * In the first Japanese issue of chapter 3, volume 0, when Gojo tells Yaga about Geto's involvement, he uses an expression that translates to "lingering scent" (残り香), it was changed to "residuals" (残穢) in later editions.
 * In chapter 0.4 Gojo tells Yuta, that Geto is the only close friend he's ever had — the original Japanese expression roughly translates to "the only one [I have]". There are two most generally known English translations of what he said: "... my best friend did; my one and only" (official VIZ translation) and "... it was my best friend; the only one I have" (fan translation). Both variants convey the meaning, with the latter being the preferred option. The first one undoubtedly sounds more poetic and that's why it has become a catch-frase among the fans. It is notable, that considering Geto's life has recently ended, Gojo still uses the present tense in the original Japanese panel.
 * When Gojo faces Geto for the first time after Suguru became a curse user, they meet in an alleyway called Omoide Yokochō, which translates to "memory lane" in English. One of the manga panels depicts them standing in front of a counter-serve stall, looking very much like a KFC stall that can be found there in reality. This confrontation is often referred to as "KFC Breakup" in fandom circles.
 * In Japan, Christmas is treated as a romantic holiday similar to Valentine’s Day; Gojo killed Geto on Christmas.
 * One of the famous nationwide Christmas traditions in Japan is stopping by KFC and buying there a meal.
 * One of the two Gojo's theme songs named by Gege is "Shame On Me" by Avicii. It has the following lyrics: "shame on me for lovin you", "that's what I get for loving you; you know I can't live without you; and all the things you put me through", and "are you baptized and born again? I'ma raise hell for the bitter end; I'm a crazy little ***** in the first degree, shame on you for loving me."
 * Gege says, that Kenjaku taking over Geto's body could have been avoided only if Gojo had cremated him on spot.
 * For 2020's April Fools' Day, official Jujutsu Kaisen twitter account posted fake advertisment for Spring Comedy Festival, with Gojo and Geto as comedy duo Exorcism Honpo. Four minutes later they announced a break-up due to differences in goals (the break-up took place in the middle of their "live performance").
 * For April Fools' Day in 2021, the account posted fake advertisment for the Prison Realm. Geto, as a shop manager, promoted the item, and Gojo, as a loyal customer, left an excellent review.
 * In Volume 0, Geto takes Mimiko and Nanako to a famous crêpe shop on Takeshita Street. In the first light novel, months after Geto’s death, Yuji and Megumi wander somewhere in the Akihabara area (9 minutes from Takeshita Street by taxi) and see Gojo; they lose sight of him, and when they find him again, he is eating crêpes bought, judging by the package, in "a popular crêpe shop". Most popular crêperies in both areas belong to the same brand called Marion Crêpes.