Introduction
After watching the Gojo vs. Sukuna blog, many of you started asking me about the Ten Shadows technique, especially about Mahoraga. So in today’s blog, we’ll delve into this topic—specifically, we’ll thoroughly understand the Ten Shadows technique and explore the powers of Mahoraga. Of course, there are going to be spoilers in this blog. If you want to avoid major spoilers, proceed with caution.
The Ten Shadows Technique and Its Origins
We all know that Megumi uses the Ten Shadows technique in the anime. Although Megumi’s surname is Fushiguro, he is a product of the Zenin family. Yes, there are three big families in Jujutsu Kaisen: the Zenin clan, the Gojo clan, and the Kamo clan. You must have seen Toji in the anime; Megumi is Toji’s son. Toji was ostracized from the Zenin family due to a lack of cursed energy. Despite this, Megumi, Toji’s son, inherited the Ten Shadows technique.
The elders of the Zenin clan want to keep the Ten Shadows technique within their family, so they made a deal with Toji, essentially purchasing Megumi. The agreement was that after a few years, when Megumi’s technique developed, the Zenin clan would make him a part of their family. Even though he has the surname Fushiguro, Megumi is still a product of the Zenin clan.
You might wonder where the surname Fushiguro came from. Toji’s wife’s surname was Fushiguro, so Megumi got his surname from his mother, not his father. By the way, Toji also adopted the surname Fushiguro because he had nothing to do with the Zenin family anymore.
Why Is the Ten Shadows Technique So OP?
Now, you might say, “Okay, we know all this history, but why is the Ten Shadows technique so OP? Why is this Ten Shadows technique so popular? We haven’t seen Megumi being that powerful in the anime.” Well, the Ten Shadows technique is indeed a powerful technique, and let me tell you why.
Four hundred years ago, when the leaders of the Zenin clan and the Gojo clan gathered together, both were killed in a battle. It was a confrontation between the Six Eyes user and the Ten Shadows user. This shows just how powerful the Ten Shadows technique is. We can’t say for sure what happened during this fight, but it is anticipated that Mahoraga was summoned and killed the Six Eyes user.
The Ten Shadows technique… it has the potential to kill me. That’s why it’s worth keeping an eye on.
– Sukuna
Divine Dogs
Now, the first Shikigami that a user of the Ten Shadows technique obtains is the Divine Dogs. We saw the Divine Dogs in the very first episode of Jujutsu Kaisen, where Megumi was using them. We could see two dogs: one white and one black, performing search, rescue, and attack operations. In general, these Divine Dogs are quite remarkable Shikigami, and we can say that they are a starter pack for any Ten Shadows user—they all get them.
In the anime, we also saw that a Finger Bearer killed the white Divine Dog, and its power merged with the black one, creating Divine Dog: Totality. The basic concept is that if any Shikigami is killed, it is destroyed forever and cannot be summoned again. However, its power remains and merges with another Shikigami, making it even more OP. For example, Divine Dog: Totality completely destroyed Hanami, who is a special grade cursed spirit. Do you see how powerful this is?
Now, it is not clear what will happen if all the Shikigami are killed, but I have a theory about this, which I will share at the end of the blog. And yes, at the end of the blog, we will also discuss Mahoraga in detail, so stay tuned for that.
Extra Information About Shikigami
Now, before we go further, let’s learn more about Shikigami. I’ll share some interesting things. If you pay attention, when summoning the Divine Dogs, Megumi makes a symbol with his hands that looks like the shadow of a dog. Similarly, when he needs to summon another Shikigami, he forms a hand symbol resembling its shape. In other words, the shadow cast will look like that Shikigami. For example, if he needs to summon Nue, which resembles a bird, there is a specific hand symbol for that. For Rabbitscape, he makes a hand symbol whose shadow looks like a rabbit. And this is how it all works.
As I mentioned, Ten Shadows users get Divine Dogs for free, like a starter pack. However, to acquire another Shikigami, they must defeat and tame that Shikigami through a ritual. Only then can they use that Shikigami. Now, Mahoraga, the 10th and most powerful Shikigami, has never been tamed by any Ten Shadows user. This means that if Mahoraga is summoned through a ritual, it will attack anyone within the ritual’s circle, even its master.
The inspiration for the Ten Shadows technique comes from a Japanese legend, which we can refer to as the Ten Sacred Treasures. We won’t delve too deeply into this, but I’ll just mention that the wheel you see on Mahoraga’s head is called the Dharma Chakra. In fact, on every Shikigami, you’ll notice different types of symbols representing the ten symbols of this concept. Anyway, that’s enough on that topic.
Toad
Let’s talk about the next Shikigami, Toad. As the name suggests, it’s a frog-like Shikigami with a long and strong tongue, which it can use to attack, pull, or defend someone. In fact, Toad can even store humans inside itself. And do you know its unique selling point (USP)? Speed. It’s incredibly fast.
Nue
Now, since we’re discussing Toad, let’s also talk about Nue, because they can be combined. Nue is essentially a flying Shikigami that delivers electric shocks. It can attack targets in the air and pick up its master, carrying them to safety if they’re in danger. Its wings are incredibly strong, which are used not only for attacking but also for defense. And as I mentioned, it can deliver electric shocks.
If Megumi combines the shadows of Toad and Nue, we get “The Well’s Unknown Abyss.” In this form, multiple Toads are summoned, and they possess Nue’s wings as well. This means they have speed, can attack, and can deliver electric shocks. The combination of all these properties makes it quite versatile. However, the downside is that “The Well’s Unknown Abyss” is not particularly strong. But its advantage is that there aren’t just one or two Toads; there are many. So, even if you kill one or two, or as many as you want, this Shikigami won’t be defeated—you can keep summoning them repeatedly.
The Great Serpent
Anyway, the next Shikigami is The Great Serpent. As the name suggests, it’s a large snake. We’ve only seen it once in the anime. Do you remember when Megumi fought Sukuna? At that time, he attacked Sukuna with The Great Serpent. However, Sukuna destroyed this Serpent. Now, we don’t know if it was fully destroyed or not.
As I mentioned earlier, if a Shikigami is completely destroyed, its power is transferred to another Shikigami. So, if Sukuna completely destroyed The Great Serpent, then yes, its power will be transferred to another Shikigami. If only part of the Serpent was destroyed, then Megumi can summon it again. By the way, it hasn’t appeared in the manga yet.
Max Elephant
Now, the next Shikigami is Max Elephant. From its name, you can guess that its strength lies in its weight. Yes, it can literally jump on its target, and I don’t need to explain how heavy an elephant is. Additionally, it can spray a massive amount of water from its trunk, enough to fill a small room.
However, summoning Max Elephant requires a lot of cursed energy. In fact, during the Goodwill event, when Megumi was fighting Noritoshi Kamo, he mentioned that he could only summon Max Elephant once because it consumes so much cursed energy. We also learned that he had recently tamed Max Elephant.
In the manga, Megumi uses Max Elephant again while fighting a sorcerer whose name I can’t recall—this sorcerer used to keep a lot of receipts from Hienera. Yes, Megumi used Max Elephant against him. Then, when Sukuna possessed Megumi, he used Max Elephant against Yorozu. Now, who is Yorozu? We’ll talk about that some other time.
Rabbitscape
Anyway, the next Shikigami is Rabbitscape, which summons a large number of rabbits to distract the target, allowing the user to escape. Alternatively, it can surround the user, making it difficult for the opponent to see them clearly. That’s why it’s called Rabbitscape. Essentially, it’s very useful for escaping. Megumi uses Rabbitscape twice during the Shibuya Incident. First, he used it against a bald sorcerer, the grandson of an old woman. Then, he used it against Toji. Later, Sukuna also used it against Yorozu.
Round/Madoka Deer
Our next Shikigami is Round Deer, also known as Madoka Deer. It’s a large deer with an impressive appearance. This deer can use the reverse curse technique. The positive energy generated by this deer is so powerful that it causes the opponent to lose control of their cursed objects—specifically, those that have been enhanced with their cursed energy. Sukuna also uses Round Deer against Yorozu.
Yes, we’ll dedicate a blog to the fight between Yorozu and Sukuna because it’s quite fascinating. Yorozu has been reincarnated from the Heian era, and she was one of the strongest sorcerers of that time. Interestingly, she loves Sukuna, and the premise of their fight was that if she won, Sukuna would have to marry her. It was a very intriguing fight. Also, Yorozu didn’t wear clothes during her era, which adds an unusual element to her character. Her domain expansion is also quite remarkable.
Stay tuned to this website for the blog about this fight. It’s particularly interesting because Sukuna, now inside Megumi, uses various Shikigami in the battle. I’m quite sure he uses nine out of ten. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates!
Piercing Ox
Moving on, the next Shikigami is Piercing Ox. As the name suggests, this Shikigami charges at and hits its target. The longer it charges, the more powerful its attack becomes. Another notable characteristic is that it usually charges in a straight line. Its attacks are so powerful that, in the manga, Sukuna uses it on Yorozu. What kind of love is this, I wonder? I don’t quite understand. Anyway, this attack was quite devastating for Yorozu. Although she managed to catch it with her wing, what happened next, I’ve already hinted at, and I’ll go into more detail in the dedicated blog. So, let’s move on.
Now, let’s talk about the 9th Shikigami, which hasn’t been discussed anywhere in the manga. The 9th Shikigami could potentially be a combination of Nue and Toad. There are many theories about it, but let’s not get into those right now.
Mahoraga
Let’s go straight to the 10th Shikigami, which you all have been eagerly waiting to hear about in this blog. The name of this 10th Shikigami is The Eight-Handled Sword Divergent Scylla Divine General Mahoraga. Is that a name, or is it the name of an entire village? I don’t know.
To summon Mahoraga, you have to say, “With this treasure, I summon Mahoraga.” Mahoraga is the most powerful Shikigami, and its abilities are absolutely incredible. Essentially, it adapts to the opponent’s attacks. Yes, if you attack it once, it will be damaged by that attack. But if you attack it again with the same method, it won’t be affected because it has adapted to your attack. Not to mention, it will also counterattack. Additionally, its attacks are very powerful. Mahoraga can instantly heal and regenerate. It wields a dangerous sword in its right hand that is infused with positive cursed energy, making Mahoraga a terrifying opponent for cursed spirits. If Mahoraga is attacking you and you’re enduring its attack, it will adapt its strategy and attack you in a way that causes maximum damage. What more power could you ask for? That’s how OP it is.
In the manga, around Chapters 116-117, Haruta surprises Megumi with an attack that leaves Megumi in a desperate situation. As a last resort, Megumi decides to summon Mahoraga for a ritual, which also includes Haruta. Naturally, when Mahoraga is summoned, it will attack everyone within the ritual’s area. This means that Megumi was likely going to lose anyway, so he figured he might as well take Haruta down with him. Essentially, Megumi sacrificed himself, knowing that Mahoraga would defeat him as well as Haruta.
The Implications of Summoning Mahoraga
I think something similar might have happened when Gojo and the Zenin family fought a long time ago—specifically, the Six Eyes versus the Ten Shadows. Perhaps the Ten Shadows technique user was losing, so in the end, they summoned Mahoraga, who then also managed to defeat Gojo. Afterward, the Ten Shadows user was also killed by Mahoraga, resulting in both the Six Eyes and the Ten Shadows users dying. So, basically, Megumi—or any Ten Shadows user—might have a similar thought process: “If we’re going down, we’re taking you with us.”
Sukuna’s Interest in the Ten Shadows Technique
But up until now, you all know that Sukuna is interested in Megumi. More than Megumi himself, he is interested in the Ten Shadows technique, specifically because of Mahoraga. So, Sukuna enters the fight. Otherwise, Mahoraga would have killed Megumi.
Immediately, Mahoraga adapts to Sukuna’s slashing technique. This means that now he won’t be affected by Cleave or Dismantle. Sukuna attacked him with one slash, and now Mahoraga can deflect all kinds of slashing techniques. Sukuna won’t be able to touch him. When Mahoraga isn’t affected by any kind of slashes, what’s the point of expanding the domain?
Even within a domain expansion, where there is a sure-hit effect, slashing attacks alone won’t be effective. Sukuna also mentions that when he fought Megumi in Season 1, he was only on three fingers. If Megumi had summoned Mahoraga at that time, it could have killed Sukuna too.
Sukuna’s Strategy to Defeat Mahoraga
Anyway, Sukuna realizes that if he wants to defeat Mahoraga, he will need to launch a new attack that can finish Mahoraga in one shot. Because if he can’t finish it in one shot, Mahoraga would adapt to the attack the next time. So, Sukuna unleashes a powerful attack with a fire arrow—the same attack he used when he fought Jogo—and with this attack, he manages to subdue Mahoraga in one shot. He defeats Mahoraga.
After this, some other events unfold, and Sukuna essentially takes over Megumi. He cuts off his pinky finger and puts it in his mouth, allowing him to enter Megumi’s body. Now, Sukuna has control over Mahoraga. In Chapter 229, we see him summon Mahoraga to fight Gojo, who has adapted to Gojo’s Unlimited Void.
The Significance of the Dharma Chakra
Now, the Dharma Chakra on Mahoraga’s head essentially indicates his ability to adapt and, in general, showcases his abilities. Whenever Mahoraga adapts to a new attack, his Dharma Chakra rotates. Interestingly, we see in the manga that Sukuna is now rotating this Dharma Chakra on his own head, which suggests that he might have gained the ability to adapt as well.
In fact, during the fight with Yorozu, Sukuna appeared to adapt to her attacks. So, can we say that Sukuna’s innate technique includes adaptability if he summons the Dharma Chakra or controls Mahoraga? If this is the case, then Sukuna has become incredibly OP.
The Ten Shadows technique… it’s one of the strongest inherited techniques of the Zenin clan. If Megumi truly masters it, he’ll be unstoppable.
– Satoru Gojo
Mahoraga’s Role in the Fight Against Yorozu
As for Mahoraga, he was the one who ultimately defeated Yorozu. Sukuna did not use his own techniques in this fight. Instead, he fought using Megumi’s technique—the Ten Shadows. All ten shadows were utilized in this battle. Perhaps one or two were missed, but almost all were used. Remember, Yorozu was one of the strongest sorcerers of the Heian era. That’s not something to take lightly. So, if you want a blog on this fight or on Gojo’s fight, let me know in the comments.
That’s all for today’s blog. I hope you enjoyed it. If you did, please like and share! Sayonara ….
