I was introduced to anime with Death Note, and I have to say, what an amazing introduction it was—absolutely mind-blowing. Since then, I’ve watched 150-160 anime series. In today’s blog, we are going to talk about the entire universe of this anime. So hey everyone, welcome to AniBuddyTalk, where I’ll share my thoughts on the entire universe of Jujutsu Kaisen.
Introduction to Jujutsu Kaisen
For those who aren’t familiar with Jujutsu Kaisen, let me tell you that this anime delves into curses and the energies related to them. Basically, ever since our world has existed, cursed energies have also existed. Every human has negative emotions that they cannot control, and this is how curses are born.
The sorcerers and cursed spirits can manipulate these cursed energies, which gives them power. Jujutsu is an umbrella term that encompasses all the mystical arts related to curses. That’s why, in the Jujutsu Society, you will hear terms like Jujutsu Sorcerers and Jujutsu High.
Who Are the Jujutsu Sorcerers?
Those who can utilize Jujutsu are called Jujutsu Sorcerers, and those who cannot are referred to as Non-Sorcerers. The role of Jujutsu Sorcerers is to manipulate cursed energies and spirits and eliminate curses so that humans can live peacefully. It’s not exactly possible to pinpoint when Jujutsu began, but it has existed as long as our world has been plagued by cursed spirits or energies.
Curses are the result of human weakness, and sorcerers exist to counter that weakness
– Megumi Fushiguro
The Heian Era: The Golden Age of Jujutsu
The Heian Era is when Ryomen Sukuna was defeated, which is why it’s known as the Golden Era in Jujutsu history. Sukuna is considered the King of Curses in the world of curses. He is the most powerful and, most importantly, he is evil. This makes him a constant threat to Jujutsu Sorcerers.
In the modern era, the Sorcerer families have been protecting their communities. The Big Three Sorcerer families are the descendants of the Big Three Vengeful Spirits, who were the three strongest sorcerers during the Heian Era. These sorcerers possess advanced curse techniques, which they pass down from generation to generation.
Jujutsu Schools: Training the Next Generation
Currently, schools have been established to train Jujutsu Sorcerers, with the Tokyo and Kyoto schools being particularly well-known. These schools are considered the pillars of the Jujutsu community. It is also said that as the population has grown, curses have become more powerful. Therefore, controlling these curses falls to the Jujutsu Sorcerers.
The Power of Satoru Gojo
The Crown Jewel of the Gojo family, the Six Eyes, and Limitless techniques have played a significant role in reducing curses. One character, Satoru Gojo, is the first in 100 years to possess both of these techniques—the Six Eyes and Limitless. This is why Gojo is the most powerful sorcerer today, practically an unstoppable force. Simply put, Gojo is OP. After Gojo’s birth, the balance of the world was restored, and once again, the power shifted to the sorcerers.
Understanding the Sorcerer and Curse Ranking System
Jujutsu High, which trains and educates sorcerers, assigns them grades according to their power levels. These grades usually range from Grade 4 to Grade 1, with some sorcerers achieving a special grade. Typically, when sorcerers join a school, they start at Grade 4. However, some sorcerers, like Yuta, have joined at a higher grade.
Cursed Spirits are also ranked using the same grading system, but they don’t correspond exactly to the sorcerer grades. For instance, a Grade 2 sorcerer can easily defeat a Grade 2 Cursed Spirit.
Just as Jujutsu Sorcerers and Cursed Spirits are ranked, cursed tools are also graded from Grade 4 to Grade 1. The more powerful a tool, the higher its grade. A Jujutsu Sorcerer’s rank can only increase upon recommendation from a higher-up. However, the twist is that a Jujutsu Sorcerer’s teacher cannot promote them. A sorcerer usually requests a rank-up from a Jujutsu higher-up, and if two higher-ups agree, the promotion process begins. For example, if a sorcerer wants to reach Grade 1, they will need permission from a higher-up and must also defeat a Grade 1 Cursed Spirit.
The Hierarchy of Sorcerer Grades
Now, since we’re talking about grades, let’s understand what they are. First, there’s Grade 4, which is the lowest grade. Any sorcerer who joins Jujutsu High School starts at Grade 4. A known sorcerer in Grade 4 is Maki Zenin, who belongs to the Zenin family. However, the twist here is that Maki’s abilities are actually far greater than those typical of Grade 4. However, due to issues within her family and a lot of internal politics, she remains in Grade 4.
Grade 3 usually consists of average Jujutsu sorcerers, and many students quickly move from Grade 4 to Grade 3. Grade 2 is a solid rank, where more skilled sorcerers are placed. Most of the sorcerers you see in the Jujutsu Kaisen series are either in Grade 1 or Grade 2. Some well-known Grade 2 sorcerers include Megumi Fushiguro, Panda, and Momo.
Next is Grade 1, but there is also a semi-grade between Grade 2 and Grade 1, known as Semi-Grade 1. Sorcerers are placed here if they have applied for Grade 1 but have not yet been able to defeat a Grade 1 cursed spirit on their own. They have been granted permission from higher-ups and go on missions alongside higher-ranked sorcerers as assistants. Once they successfully defeat a Grade 1 cursed spirit, they are promoted to Grade 1. Grade 1 is highly coveted, and every sorcerer dreams of reaching it. A well-known sorcerer in this grade is Todo, and sorcerers in Grade 1 are significantly stronger than those in Grade 2.
Sorcerers who demonstrate exceptional power within Grade 1 are placed in Special Grade 1, which is slightly above Grade 1. However, the highest grade is the Special Grade, where sorcerers possess extraordinary power. They cannot be underestimated, which is why they are classified as Special Grade. The best examples of this are Satoru Gojo and Yuta, both of whom have incredibly strong powers.
Key Cursed Techniques in Jujutsu Kaisen
Now that we’re talking about powers, let’s discuss some of the curse techniques we’ve seen in the series. Please note that I won’t be able to cover all the techniques, as the blog would be too long, but I will definitely go over a few key ones. Cursed energy is a form of negative energy, and by manipulating and using it, sorcerers demonstrate their powers. This is known as Cursed Energy Manipulation, which is an umbrella term. There can be many variations of this, like Divergent Fist, Residuals, Black Flash, etc.
A Cursed Technique is an advanced form of Cursed Energy Manipulation, where sorcerers can control their negative energy to achieve various effects. There are many types of these techniques, so let’s look at a few. First, there are Innate Techniques, which are techniques a sorcerer is born with. Each sorcerer’s technique is unique and cannot be copied. An example of this is Mahito’s Idle Transfiguration, which allows him to manipulate souls and reshape them in any form. We’ve seen Mahito change the shape of the person he touches and alter his own body in different ways.
Next, there are Inherited Techniques. These are techniques passed down from generation to generation within a particular sorcerer family. An example of this is the Zenin family’s Ten Shadows Technique, which allows them to summon ten powerful Shikigami. There’s also the Reverse Cursed Technique, where two negative energies are combined to create positive energy. While it sounds straightforward, it is actually very difficult to perform, and only Grade 1 or Special Grade sorcerers can do it. Even many expert sorcerers struggle with this technique, though there are some exceptions.
The Prominent Sorcerer Families
Now that you know about some curse techniques, let’s talk about the three sorcerer families that are very important in the Jujutsu Kaisen universe.
The Gojo Family: Power and Prestige
First is the Gojo family, descended from Michizane Sugawara, a legendary sorcerer of the Heian Era. Currently, there is only one member representing the Gojo family—Satoru Gojo—because, as I mentioned earlier, he is the strongest Jujutsu sorcerer in the world today. He has inherited both the Six Eyes and the Limitless techniques, making his power practically unlimited. This combination occurs only once in a hundred years. Thanks to Gojo, sorcerers have a significant advantage over cursed spirits; otherwise, the spirits might have overwhelmed them long ago.
The Zenin Family: Tradition and Strength
Next is the Zenin family, where curse techniques are highly valued. This family is so strict that if any of their descendants lack a curse technique or cannot see curses, they are cast out. If you remember, I mentioned Maki Zenin earlier—this applies to her as well. She’s incredibly strong, but because she can’t see curses, she uses special cursed glasses to compensate. This is why the Zenin family largely ignores Maki, and why she’s stuck at Grade 4 despite her true strength.
The Kamo Family: A Dark Legacy
The third family is the Kamo family, which also places great importance on innate techniques. However, the Kamo family has a very dark history. There was a sorcerer from this family, Noritoshi Kamo, who is considered the most evil sorcerer in their history. He conducted numerous experiments on cursed spirits and humans, which led to the creation of the Cursed Womb: Death Paintings. These experiments had such a terrible impact that the Kamo family’s blood manipulation technique was passed down to cursed spirits.
The Inumaki Family: The Danger of Cursed Speech
Apart from these three families, there is also the Inumaki family. Although their influence and political power aren’t as significant as those of the Big Three, they possess a very dangerous technique—the Cursed Speech Technique. This technique allows the user to make anything they say become reality, depending on how powerful they are. Because of this, those with this technique must be very careful with their words. In the series, we see a very interesting character, Toge Inumaki, who uses the names of food items like “Bonito flakes” to speak safely without accidentally invoking the power of his Cursed Speech.
Hidden Secrets in the Jujutsu Kaisen Universe
After learning all this, you should now have a pretty solid understanding of the Jujutsu Kaisen universe. And here’s a little secret: there are some individuals who are considered special grade but aren’t officially registered, meaning the general public isn’t aware of them. Examples of these include Mahito, Jogo, and Hanami. Similarly, there are vengeful spirits in this universe who could also be considered special grade, as they continue to grow stronger by feeding on curses.
The problem with curses is that they’re born from the negative emotions of humans. You can’t get rid of them completely.
– Kento Nanami
Conclusion: What’s Next in the Jujutsu Kaisen Discussion?
So, this was my explanation of the entire Jujutsu Kaisen universe. I hope you enjoyed the blog. If you did, please give it a like. I’ll dive even deeper into other anime universes and share many more insights with you. In fact, there are many aspects of Jujutsu Kaisen that I still want to discuss, and if this blog gets a good response, you’ll hear all about them. So, that’s all for today. Sayonara ….
