How Curses Work In Jujutsu Kaisen
Jujutsu Kaisen, an anime adaptation of the same-name dark fantasy manga, has risen to the top of the charts, mostly because it includes themes of horror, more mature storylines than many shonen genres have to offer, and a completely different power system centered around curses—which happens to be quite complex and difficult to understand.
Anime fans aren’t new to complicated power systems in their favorite titles, but Jujutsu Kaisen is somewhat different, as even the readers of Jujutsu Kaisen manga have a difficult time grasping the entirety of this power concept.
Curses are central to the story of Jujutsu Kaisen; the Cursed Energy serves as a foundation of power in Jujutsu Kaisen lore. Anime fans aren’t new to complicated power systems in their favorite titles, but Jujutsu Kaisen is somewhat different, as even the readers of Jujutsu Kaisen manga have a difficult time grasping the entirety of this power concept. So, what exactly are curses in the Jujutsu Kaisen universe, and what does it mean to own a cursed object?
To understand curses, we have to look at the premise of the story, about an occult-loving student, Yuuji Itadori, who finds himself in the possession of a cursed item—a finger belonging to the King of Curses Sukuna Ryoumen. Yuuji ingests the finger to prevent an uncontrollable curse from killing his friends because that’s what high-school students do in shonen manga adaptations. However, instead of dying, Yuuji learns that he can now control the curse, but he now has to learn to control his power and consume other demon fingers to rid the world of other horrible curses.
Though the premise sounds crazy to non-anime audiences, we assure you that this is a typical Thursday night cartoon for anime lovers. So, what does a demon-finger-consuming teenager have to do with curses? Well, in the Jujutsu Kaisen universe, all living beings give off energy called Cursed Energy, which is birthed by negative emotions people experience in their daily lives. Though it sounds ominous, it typically isn’t hazardous to anyone, and regular people can’t even see this form of energy.
In Jujutsu Kaisen, however, Curses are really dangerous, and only Jujutsu Sorcerers, such as our protagonist, can try and deal with a particular curse—normal humans usually die trying.
Furthermore, people tend to lose this energy, which is ultimately a good thing in Jujutsu Kaisen. However, it’s very bad when people don’t lose it, and the Cursed Energy accumulates up to the point in which it manifests into a Manifesting Curse. For older anime fans, this is oddly reminiscent of Dragon Ball GT, whose whole premise lies in the idea that negative energy has accumulated inside Dragon Balls due to their extensive use throughout Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z, and has resulted in giving birth to Shadow Dragons—one of which consumes the rest and becomes Omega Shenron.
In Jujutsu Kaisen, however, Curses are really dangerous, and only Jujutsu Sorcerers, such as our protagonist, can try and deal with a particular curse—normal humans usually die trying. Furthermore, Sorcerers can also control their own Cursed Energy, affect its flow, and use it to neutralize dangerous curses and harness the Energy to perform Cursed Techniques—techniques which vary from simple energy blasts to complex and more unique abilities specific to the Sorcerer’s nature of lineage.
Removing a curse in Jujutsu Kaisen usually involves using Cursed Techniques while battling the curse to weaken or completely destroy the said curse. Of course, things aren’t that simple, as Yuuji found out. Being a Jujutsu Sorcerer actually requires plenty of training, and possessing a cursed item within his body (he swallowed the demon’s finger) usually means hosting the demon, which amplifies Yuuji’s abilities far beyond his peers.
In Jujutsu Kaisen, however, Curses are really dangerous, and only Jujutsu Sorcerers, such as our protagonist, can try and deal with a particular curse—normal humans usually die trying.
Those interested in watching Jujutsu Kaisen, the anime just recently premiered its Season 2, which should adapt the manga’s “Hidden Inventory / Premature Death” and “Shibuya Incident” story arcs. Season One is available for streaming at Crunchyroll, with all 24 episodes dubbed in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
