Can Yuta still use Rika after Jujutsu Kaisen 0? Explained

The Jujutsu Kaisen series, both in its manga and anime adaptations, has been a massive hit among fans. The unique blend of dark fantasy elements, intense action sequences, and well-developed characters has contributed to its widespread popularity.

One of the most intriguing aspects of the series is the relationship between Yuta Okkotsu and Rika Orimoto, which is explored in depth in the Jujutsu Kaisen 0 movie.

Jujutsu Kaisen 0 explores Yuta Okkotsu's past and his relationship with his childhood friend-turned-vengeful spirit, Rika Orimoto. Yuta enrolls in the Tokyo Metropolitan Jujutsu High School and is deemed a special grade jujutsu sorcerer, thanks to Rika. By the end of the movie, Rika finds peace, leading to questions around Yuta's abilities going forward.

This article takes a look at what happens to his powers after Rika moves on.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from the Jujutsu Kaisen manga.

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Yuta and Rika's Relationship

Jujutsu Kaisen 0 shows how Rika Orimoto, Yuta's close childhood friend, dies in an accident, leading her spirit to haunt Yuta as an extremely dangerous cursed spirit. Their relationship is complex - while Rika is shown as loving Yuta intensely, her spirit actually manifests due to Yuta subconsciously cursing Rika after her death.

As children, Yuta and Rika shared a deep, innocent bond. Rika's untimely demise left Yuta devastated. In his grief, his innate cursed powers unconsciously cursed Rika, binding her spirit to him. Despite the later twisted nature of their bond, deep down, the affection between them remained.

As a special grade cursed spirit bound to Yuta, Rika possesses immense cursed energy reserves that empower Yuta. By the end of the movie, Yuta breaks this curse, allowing Rika's spirit to move on peacefully. This raises questions around Yuta's strength without Rika in the main storyline of series.

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Yuta's powers in the storyline after Jujutsu Kaisen 0 movie

Yuta Okkotsu returns in the manga around the end of the Shibuya Incident arc, showcasing exponential growth in his jujutsu abilities, especially swordsmanship. He is shown to have Rika with him, who actively assists him in combat against Yuji Itadori.

This proves that while Rika Orimoto's spirit may have moved on after Jujutsu Kaisen 0, her essence continues to remain with Yuta as his cursed technique, 'Rika'. As explained in the chapter 178 of manga, the vessel named "Rika" serves as sentient storage with a will of her own, rather than an independent entity. This allows Yuta to store cursed energy reserves, techniques, and weapons, while also acting as his combat partner.

Her sentience gives Yuta great flexibility in combat, as she can attack independently based on his instructions. While not as overwhelmingly powerful as Rika in the movie, this technique makes Yuta extremely formidable and strong.

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Conclusion

In summary, while Rika Orimoto's spirit moves on after the climactic events of Jujutsu Kaisen 0, Yuta Okkotsu continues to leverage her power in the main story in the form of the 'Rika' cursed technique.

Serving as sentient storage with cursed energy, this Rika remains pivotal to Yuta's strength, cementing his position as one of the most formidable jujutsu sorcerers. Though transformed, Rika continues enabling Yuta's abilities to phenomenal levels.

So in essence, Yuta finds a way to retain access to Rika's power even after the prequel movie's conclusion, underscoring their enduring and unique bond. This setup will likely fuel some of Yuta's most impressive feats as the main story of the series progresses.