Is Sukuna a Cursed Spirit in Jujutsu Kaisen? Explained

Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 is well underway and fans are enjoying Sukuna’s rampage in the Shibuya District. He doesn’t appear all that often, and therefore, there isn’t much that we know of him. What we do know is that Sukuna is incredibly powerful and he manifested after Yuji Itadori consumed one of his fingers.

He is also known as the King of curses, which led to fans raising a very important question: is Sukuna a Cursed Spirit in Jujutsu Kaisen? No, Sukuna is not a Cursed Spirit in Jujutsu Kaisen, and since the animanga series hasn’t elaborated on this, there are a ton of debates on this topic.

On that note, let’s understand why Sukuna isn’t a Cursed Spirit and explore more about him.

Disclaimer: This article could contain minor spoilers from the manga series.

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Jujutsu Kaisen: Why is Sukuna not a Cursed Spirit?

Ryomen Sukuna incarnated in Yuji Itadori's body (Image via MAPPA)

Before we dive into the topic, it is important to understand what Cursed Spirits are. In the Jujutsu Kaisen series, they are a group of beings that develop a physical manifestation invisible to the human eye. They are formed from extreme negative emotions that prolong for a sustained period of time. The reason why Sukuna is not considered a Cursed Spirit is because he was a sorcerer at one point.

Some might argue that Sukuna is often called a “curse” but that does not make him a Cursed Spirit. The ideal term used for an entity like Sukuna would be Incarnated Cursed Object, which is quite common in the Jujutsu Kaisen series.

These are physical, inanimate objects that have cursed energy and often have a dark history associated with them. These Cursed Objects are such that a part of the ancient sorcerer remains within them.

Upon the object’s consumption, the ancient sorcerer will manifest as long as the vessel that consumed it is compatible. Sukuna’s fingers were Cursed Objects, and much like sorcerers, these objects are also subjected to a grading system. Sukuna’s fingers are Special Grade Cursed Objects.

Yuji Itadori consumed one of the fingers which led to the incarnation of Sukuna. Therefore, it is quite clear that Sukuna is not a Cursed Spirit in the Jujutsu Kaisen anime and manga series, but an incarnated Cursed Object.

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More about Sukuna in the Jujutsu Kaisen series

In the animanga series, Ryomen Sukuna is considered the strongest sorcerer of all time. His strength was well known and people even gave him the title of King of Curses. This is a clear indication of his strength and his jujutsu abilities. He terrified the entire nation of Japan during the Heian period to such an extent that festivities and celebrations were held to honor the sorcerer.

He has nearly limitless Cursed Energy and his durability is incredibly high. He was able to withstand 200% Hollow Technique: Purple, a technique that Gojo can employ to kill some of the toughest opponents in one shot. Sukuna is also well-equipped with the knowledge and implementation of Reverse Cursed Energy, which has a regenerative/healing effect.

His Domain Expansion, Malevolent Shrine, is also incredibly effective in killing Cursed Spirits and sorcerers. These are just a few of the many incredible feats that Sukuna has managed to achieve. It will be interesting to see just how far things will go when he showcases his full power in the manga. It will take nothing short of a miracle for jujutsu sorcerers to subdue this character in the Jujutsu Kaisen series.

Stay tuned for more anime and manga news as 2023 progresses.