Jujutsu Kaisen Sorcerer Grades are flawed, the Special Grade shows why

Modified Jan 04, 2025 03:30 GMT

Jujutsu Kaisen Sorcerer Grades are flawed, the Special Grade shows why (Image via MAPPA)

Jujutsu Kaisen's power-scaling might be one of the finest given how diverse and easy to understand it is for the fans. However, some elements of this power-scaling might be another story and one of them is the sorcerer grades. The sorcerer grades, once described by Ichiji in easy language, created a standard that doesn't sit well with every character.

A prime example of this is the special grade, a grade in which sorcerers with unfathomable cursed energy are kept. While sorcerers like Gojo and Sukuna fit these standards, Yuki and Yuta might not follow them and might also be drastically weaker than the elaboration Ichiji gave (special-grade sorcerers might be stopped through cluster bombs).

Disclaimer: This article contains potential spoilers from the Jujutsu Kaisen manga series and has the author's opinion.

Exploring the flaws within Jujutsu Kaisen's special-grade sorcerer power-scaling

Itadori Yuji as seen in the anime (Image via MAPPA)

Jujutsu Kaisen's central power-scaling revolves around the amount of 'cursed energy.' Cursed energy is the negative energy produced by the fear of various things like death, humans, etc. Due to its innate nature, every person possesses this negative emotion, but the people who possess this emotion above a certain level can witness cursed spirits.

Trained professionals who see cursed spirits are called sorcerers and the Jujutsu Tech recruits them to fight troublemaking spirits. One element of 'cursed energy' is the 'sorcerer grading' which divides each sorcerer based on their cursed energy output and ability to manipulate it.

Gojo Satoru and Ryomen Sukuna as seen in the manga (Image via Gege Akutami/Shueisha)

Surprisingly, this element might put the entire power-scaling into pieces given how flawed it is. While its hints are present in each grade, the special grade might be the true representation of Jujutsu Kaisen's amateurish power-scaling.

The special-grade sorcerers are the ones that are considered 'anomalies' in society given their unusual amount of cursed energy. As explained by Ichiji during Jujutsu Kaisen season 1, to survive against a special-garde sorcerer, one would need cluster bombs (which might fall short as Ichiji stated that this defense only 'might' work against such sorcerers).

Okkotsu Yuta as seen in the anime (Image via MAPPA)

The sorcerers kept in this grade include Gojo Satoru (the strongest sorcerer of today), Ryomen Sukuna (the strongest sorcerer in history), and Geto Suguru (the sorcerer who could consume any cursed spirit, making it his possession). However, Yuki Tsukumo and Yuta Okkotsu are also kept in this grade.

This might be where the problem arises because where cluster bombs could work against sorcerers like Gojo (given their status as overpowered beings), it might be overkill for sorcerers like Yuki Tsukumo. Even if we considered Yuki Tsukumo as an overpowered being (given her potent 'Star Rage' cursed technique), Yuta couldn't be compared to sorcerers like Gojo and Sukuna.

A practical example of this was visible during the Shinjuku Showdown Arc where Yuta struggled to even stand his ground against Sukuna. So, the series' power-scaling might be defective in some elements with the sorcerer grading being the most prominent one.

Final thoughts

While Maki's low sorcerer grading does make sense (as her clan is purposely keeping it low), there are some visible defects in some other gradings too. Ino and Fushigoro are kept in the same grading (grade 2) even though there is a drastic difference in their power levels. So, the sorcerer grading might be more dependent on 'events' than a sorcerer's potential.

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Edited by Bharath S