Jujutsu Kaisen is a series that has become rather infamous since its conclusion for not developing multiple ideas and concepts, with the character of Angel, also known as Hana Kurusu, being perhaps one of the biggest offenders. That is because the name of her Cursed Technique, Jacob's Ladder, makes no historical sense whatsoever to the country of Japan.
It was established in the Jujutsu Kaisen manga that Angel fought Ryomen Sukuna back in the days of the Heian era, but Christianity would arrive at the Land of the Rising Sun many centuries later. Therefore, the only logical explanation is that this character hailed from a Western country, but the issue is that author Gege Akutami never bothered to explain who she was in a more satisfying manner.
Disclaimer: This article is a speculative theory and reflects the writer's opinion.
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Explaining why the name of Angel's Cursed Technique makes no sense in Jujutsu Kaisen
It is very clear that Hana Kurusu's other name and the title of her Cursed Technique, Angel and Jacob's Ladder, respectively, are inspired by the Christian religion. However, the manga established during the Culling Games arc that Angel fought Ryomen Sukuna in the Heian era, which was several centuries prior to the introduction of Christianity in Japan.
It is never explained why that is the case, and the most likely reasoning is that author Gege Akutami wanted this character to be the opposite of Sukuna's pure evil nature, so he didn't think of the historical context. Furthermore, there is the possibility of a headcanon and state that Angel hailed from a Western country and perhaps arrived in Japan to destroy the King of Curses.
This could have been an interesting backstory for this character, but the fact remains that much of her existence isn't explained. She mostly works as a deus ex machina to release Satoru Gojo from the Prison Realm, while her origins, historical context, and even motivations are never fully developed in the manga.
The many mistakes of Angel's character
While it is fair to say that Jujutsu Kaisen has a wide array of characters who are wasted or underdeveloped, Angel is one of the most prominent examples. That is because Gege Akutami created her as a natural enemy for Sukuna, and it is something that could have worked as direct opposites, but that is an element of the story that was never explored.
Furthermore, her backstory was mostly connected to Megumi Fushiguro, whose initial friendship and potential romantic relationship could have been an interesting plot point for both characters but was never explored. On the other hand, this also led to a wasted opportunity since it doesn't show how Angel and Hana got together and how the former survived throughout the centuries to face the King of Curses once again.
Final thoughts
There are several missed chances and unexplained ideas with the character of Angel in Jujutsu Kaisen, with her Christian inspirations not making sense within the historical context of the Heian era being the most prominent. That is something that highlights the series' issues when it comes to exploring and developing a lot of ideas.
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