Jujutsu Kaisen fans may already know Sukuna’s Cursed Technique Reversal

Modified Nov 07, 2024 07:38 GMT

Jujutsu Kaisen fans have come up with theories regarding Sukuna's abilities (Image via MAPPA).

Jujutsu Kaisen author Gege Akutami mainly used the Reverse Cursed Technique to heal characters through positive energy, but its use can go far beyond that. A good example is Satoru Gojo using it for his Red and Hollow Purple attacks and Kenjaku using Kaori Itadori's Cursed Technique to manipulate gravity around him.

Ryomen Sukuna is perhaps another example. There is a strong argument that Jujutsu Kaisen already showed Sukuna using the Reverse Cursed Technique beyond just healing himself, which many fans didn't realize. The moment he did was when he took over Megumi Fushiguro's body and took a special bath to consume the latter's soul. This could be viewed as the reverse of Malevolent Shrine, focusing mainly on the kitchen theme of this ability.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the series and reflects the author's opinions.

Explaining how Sukuna's Reverse Shrine could work in Jujutsu Kaisen

Sukuna's real body, as seen in the manga (Image via Shueisha).

The Reverse Cursed Technique is not solely focused on healing but also on manipulating positive energy for their techniques. The concept was underdeveloped in the manga since author Gege Akutami didn't explore this with several characters, although he perhaps did with Ryomen Sukuna, and most people didn't realize it.

Since Sukuna's Base Shrine technique focuses on using Cleave and Dismantle to tear apart his enemies, much like a cook uses a knife to cut a meal into pieces, his Reverse Shine could be the watery setting he used to consume Megumi Fushiguro's body. It would imply a much more harmonious "meal," including several ingredients, such as the several Curses he adds in this ritual of sorts, which meets with the kitchen metaphor.

Notably, the normal Shrine provides instant results for Sukuna as he tears apart his opponents, while this version focuses on delayed gratification since it is not very direct. Some might also argue that he needed Kenjaku and Uraume's help for this procedure. Still, recollecting Curses is something he could have done independently, and they simply assisted him in accelerating the process.

More about the Reverse Shrine and this concept

Sukuna, as seen in the anime (Image via MAPPA).

Another interesting reason this ritual could be Reverse Shrine is that the Fire Arrow Sukuna uses needs to be loaded through Dismantle and Cleave. Therefore, Jujutsu Kaisen author Gege Akutami could have explained that this water setting directly contrasts the Fire Arrow. It requires a certain amount of time to load, thus making a lot of sense when considering the King of Curses' thematic abilities.

The biggest issue with this is that Akutami never fully explored the concept of the Reverse Cursed Technique and positive energy throughout the story. As mentioned, the most notorious exceptions were Gojo's use of that energy for his Red and Hollow Purple attacks and how Kenjaku used Kaori Itadori's Cursed Technique centered around manipulating gravity during his fight against Yuki Tsukumo.

Considering that there was a Jujutsu Kaisen chapter in the epilogue where the author explained the entire lore of Simple Domain, not exploring this concept feels like a disappointment. Moreover, it is another reason why many people struggled to enjoy the ending of the series; there were several elements that Akutami never explained.

Final thoughts

There are many different paths that Jujutsu Kaisen author Gege Akutami could have taken with the element of the Reverse Cursed Technique, and Sukuna's Reverse Shrine could have been one of the most interesting examples. It would have shown another angle of the villain's abilities and a degree of lore to an underdeveloped concept.

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Edited by Shreya Das