Gege's biggest mistake in Jujutsu Kaisen is Yuji's powers

Modified Nov 27, 2024 07:30 GMT

Gege's biggest mistake in Jujutsu Kaisen is Yuji's powers (Image via Studio MAPPA)

Jujutsu Kaisen's power system, revolving around cursed techniques and their various interpretations, is inarguably one of the most unique to have emerged in recent years. Although Yuji, the main protagonist, remains the only character without a highly sophisticated and multilayered technique, his expertise in hand-to-hand combat and voluntary triggering of Black Flashes make him one of the strongest combatants in the series.

Towards the end of the series, Yuji underwent multiple awakenings and acquired a moveset resembling Sukuna’s, albeit with a few visual and performance differences. While many fans received these power-ups positively, Blood Manipulation, which became Yuji's primary ability following the Shibuya Incident arc, was forgotten.

Although Yuji acquiring Sukuna’s techniques aligns with the narrative established in the first chapters, his reliance on hand-to-hand combat, combined with the versatility and strategic depth of Blood Manipulation, highlights that this technique would have suited his fighting style more effectively.

Disclaimer- This article contains spoilers for the Jujutsu Kaisen series and reflects the author's opinions.

Jujutsu Kaisen: Gege should've focused on Blood Manipulation as Yuji's primary ability

Sukuna as shown in the manga (Image via Shueisha) Choso as shown in the anime (Image via Studio MAPPA)

Yuji Itadori was introduced in the series in the very first chapter with a display of his abnormal physical capabilities, which enabled him to break world records casually. Although this display was soon followed by him ingesting a Sukuna finger and becoming a host for Sukuna, his main fighting style remained centered around hand-to-hand combat, taking full advantage of his abnormal strength even without cursed energy.

Yuji used many different tools throughout the series, but he later settled on using the "divergent fist," which was a byproduct of his naturally high speed creating a time lag between his cursed technique and its impact.

Most of the series saw him maneuvering around opponents and landing a barrage of hits with his bare hands. His first match against Choso, arguably the most proficient user of Blood Manipulation, ended in Yuji's defeat while also showcasing the versatility Blood Manipulation provides.

Yuji as shown in the anime (Image via Studio MAPPA)

Although Yuji later acquired Blood Manipulation after consuming cursed wombs 4-9, his use of the technique was mainly limited to Piercing Blood, which needed to be assisted by Choso. Yuji's fighting style eventually evolved into that of a brawler, imbuing Sukuna’s Dismantle into his punches.

However, Blood Manipulation, with its ability to push the user's body beyond its limits and essentially act as a doping mechanism, could have made him a more interesting fighter. Yuji, already talented in hand-to-hand combat, could have used Blood Manipulation to manipulate his own body more effectively.

Choso using Blood Manipulation as shown in the anime (Image via Studio MAPPA)

Since Yuji's fighting style later in the series primarily focused on Black Flashes and his "Shrine," Blood Manipulation became redundant, even though it could have provided greater visual spectacle and opened up more innovative combat sequences.

Yuji's Domain Expansion, revealed in the final few chapters, simply served as a shallow plot device that did not even receive proper attributes, even though every single Domain Expansion in the series had been well thought out.

Final Thoughts

Jujutsu Kaisen concluded with a total of 271 chapters, without any announcement or tease of a continuation or spin-off. Season 3 of the anime has already been confirmed, so it is possible that more of Yuji's abilities might be showcased, and Gege might also include additional scenes, similar to how Tite Kubo did in the Bleach TYBW adaptations.