Sukuna wasn't holding back in Shinjuku, and Jujutsu Kaisen fans who say otherwise are wrong

If there's one thing Gege Akutami did well, it's convincing a large portion of the Jujutsu Kaisen fanbase that the King of Curses, Ryomen Sukuna, was holding back against Satoru Gojo and the other sorcerers during the Shinjuku Showdown arc.

There's no denying that Ryomen Sukuna ran one of the best gauntlets in animanga history, proving he was too strong for his own universe. However, one aspect of the fight sparked significant controversy among fans—the belief that the King of Curses was holding back throughout the entire fight.

This notion fundamentally altered the perspective of several readers, who now feel that even at his weakest, Sukuna was overwhelmingly stronger than Jujutsu Kaisen's entire roster. While this perspective holds some truth, claiming that Sukuna restrained himself throughout the Shinjuku Showdown arc is a ridiculous idea, and those who believe it are deeply misinformed.

Disclaimer: All opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author. Reader's discretion is advised.

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Explaining why it was impossible for Sukuna to hold back in Jujutsu Kaisen's Shinjuku Showdown

The ultimate showdown between the "Strongest Sorcerer in History" and the "Strongest Sorcerer of Today" kicked off impressively. Satoru Gojo vs. Ryomen Sukuna was the one fight every Jujutsu Kaisen fan had eagerly anticipated since the series’ inception. However, this epic battle ended controversially, with Gojo's death occurring off-screen, triggering widespread outrage among fans on social media.

Adding further insult to injury, Gojo stated in his afterlife sequence that Sukuna wasn't giving it his all in the first place, and that he wouldn't have been a proper match for the King of Curses even if Ten Shadows wasn't involved. This led many readers to conclude that Sukuna had been holding back during his confrontation with Gojo. While this assertion is somewhat true, it doesn't necessarily mean that the King of Curses wasn't taking the fight seriously.

To make matters worse, during the latter stages of the extended battle between Sukuna and the Jujutsu Tech sorcerers, Uraume suggested that the King of Curses still hadn't gone all out, further fueling the prevalent belief that Sukuna had been holding back his true power throughout the final battle.

Sukuna as seen in Jujutsu Kaisen manga (image via Shueisha)

But here's where fans are mistaken: at no point during the fight did Sukuna actually have the opportunity to hold back his true strength. By the end of the battle, he had exhausted his extensive arsenal of abilities, and those who believe otherwise are seriously misinformed.

Consider this for a moment: if Sukuna was indeed holding back, why would he choose to be dominated by Satoru Gojo in close-quarters combat, use Megumi to take the brunt of Unlimited Void's damage, get knocked out by Gojo, or summon Mahoraga and Agito to fight alongside him in the first place? None of it makes sense.

If Sukuna could have ended the fight at any moment on his own terms, he would certainly have done so before being overpowered by Gojo. He also wouldn't have had his limbs severed, been stabbed through the heart, or taken the full force of a Hollow Purple to the face just for the thrill of the battle.

Sukuna and Yuji in Jujutsu Kaisen (image via Shueisha)

In his fight against Gojo, Sukuna wasn't "holding back" in the sense that he was pulling his punches. Rather, it meant he was restricting his own abilities and what he could actually do in the fight. In other words, he had to carefully manage the resources at his disposal because his entire moveset was limited by Gojo's Infinity.

Throughout the battle, Gojo could tell that Sukuna had more to offer than what he displayed—which he undeniably did. But here's the issue: Sukuna's slashing attacks couldn't reach Gojo due to his Infinity, which rendered most of his abilities ineffective. He also couldn't use his Divine Flame since he needed to perform both Dismantle and Cleave attacks first to access them.

Sukuna was well aware that he wouldn't be able to use most of his abilities to defeat Gojo. Therefore, he entered the fight with a well-crafted strategy—he would use Mahoraga as a model to bypass Gojo's Infinity, allowing him to finish Gojo off with the abilities at his disposal.

It was quite clear the whole time that Sukuna had more in his arsenal than what he actually employed against Gojo. It wasn't that he didn't need to use them; it was just that he couldn't. Sukuna held back against Gojo not because Gojo was weak; in fact, it was the exact opposite. Sukuna understood that most of his attacks would be ineffective against Gojo, forcing him to "hold back" his regular assaults and utilize whatever he could to turn the battle in his favor.

It was a meticulously designed and well-thought-out plan, showcasing Sukuna's vast knowledge of jujutsu sorcery and his strategic mind.

Regarding his battles against the other sorcerers, Sukuna was no longer limited by any constraints. He expended nearly everything he had left, including his Divine Flame, World Bisecting Slash, and the Kamutoke. He was even fighting in his Heian Era form, which gave him a significant advantage. However, due to the severe injuries he sustained in his fight against Gojo, Sukuna could not fight at full strength.

Had Sukuna battled the Jujutsu sorcerers at full health, there's no doubt he would have emerged victorious ten out of ten times. Even at his weakest, there was a considerable gap between him and the others. He never truly had the chance to go all out against anyone since he mostly fought Gojo with one hand tied and then had to contend with the others in a severely weakened condition.

This does not indicate that Sukuna was “holding back his strength" against anyone. He simply was not able to unleash his full power against his opponents. It does not equate to him making light of his opponents by not unleashing his full power.

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Final thoughts

Ryomen Sukuna's final battle in Jujutsu Kaisen's Shinjuku Showdown arc will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the most memorable and exhilarating final fights in manga history.

Nevertheless, readers should no longer hold onto the misconception that Sukuna was looking down on the Jujutsu sorcerers by intentionally restraining his true strength.

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