How Anime Teaches Us About Ego

Ego is defined as a person’s sense of self-esteem or self-importance.

By definition, ego seems to be inseparable from an individual. Everyone has an image of themselves in their head that reflects their self-esteem. So if ego is similar to self-esteem, why do people use the word “ego” so negatively?

We can all agree that ego can be a negative thing. Some may think that they’re second only to God or that others are mere insects compared to them. So how do we use ego positively, to prove our self-worth when we doubt ourselves?

Two anime series perfectly demonstrate how to properly develop your self-esteem and mindset: “Jujutsu Kaisen” (JJK) and “Blue Lock.” While “Jujutsu Kaisen” is about a high school student who unlocks an ability to fight curses, “Blue Lock” centers on soccer. Despite their differing subjects, both anime share a similar theme of self-belief.

In “Jujutsu Kaisen,”, those who fight curses are known as “Jujutsu Sorcerers,” and their abilities can determine how strong they become. However, to an extent, an individual’s mindset can directly influence how much they improve because everyone has the potential to rise to become “The Strongest.”

The show introduces the idea that to fulfill your ego, you have to be “crazy.” One of the characters says that he’s seen people give up on being sorcerers because even though they had talent, they couldn’t stand the process of fighting curses. He claims that it takes a special kind of “crazy” to succeed. And it makes sense — the most successful people often hear that they’re “insane” for having such ambitious dreams.

In “Blue Lock,” we follow a main character who cares deeply about soccer. He plays for his school and wants to go to nationals, win, and go professional. He has a subtle but deep-rooted hunger for the sport that becomes more powerful with time.

The soccer player receives an invitation to “Blue Lock,” a training camp that brings together high school soccer stars. The program weeds out the weakest players and develops the strongest stars to represent Japan. “Blue Lock” has a simple message: if you have a hunger for your passion, why wouldn’t you want to be at the top of your game? Why would you willingly put your dream aside and allow someone else to win without a fight?

“Blue Lock” in particular shows that ego can lead to some harmful emotions — the people who are kicked out of the program become angry and jealous. While it’s never OK to act out because you’re losing, it’s still good to give into your ambitions sometimes. A well-developed ego will allow you to try your hardest to succeed but also to accept when you lose.

These two anime can teach us a thing or two about feeding our egos. To want to achieve a goal more than anything, we just need to nurture our self-esteem. When we stay passionate and motivate ourselves to reach our dreams — whether they lie in art, school, work, video games, or making others feel good — we can develop healthy egos that will get us where we want to go in life.

Photo by Gracia Dharma on Unsplash