Tengen's need for Star Plasma Vessels in Jujutsu Kaisen may be based in real-life science

Modified Jan 12, 2025 03:30 GMT

Jujutsu Kaisen might have a plothole with Tengen's Star Plasma Vessel process (Image via MAPPA and Shueisha).

Jujutsu Kaisen has some plot points that are extremely important for the story to play out the way it does, and one of the most notorious is Master Tengen's Star Plasma Vessel, which led to Satoru Gojo and Suguru failing to protect Riko Amanai from Toji Fushiguro. However, it is interesting that Tengen's need for a vessel could be based on real-life science... and perhaps a major plot hole in the series.

This is because the Jujutsu Kaisen series establishes that Tengen needs a compatible Star Plasma Vessel, such as Riko or Yuki Tsukumo, or will eventually lose consciousness. However, it is implied, not shown in the story, that Tengen implants her essence into the vessel and rewrites the latter's DNA, meaning there is a contradiction because she can't do that in the original body.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the series. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda as a publication.

Explaining why Tengen's Star Plasma Vessel process might be a plot hole in Jujutsu Kaisen

Riko Amanai and Yuki Tsukumo, two Star Plasma Vessels (Image via MAPPA).

It was established during the Hidden Inventory arc that Master Tengen needed a new Star Plasma Vessel every 500 years to maintain her essence and not lose her consciousness. However, when considering that this process involves Tengen rewriting the new vessel's DNA to become the dominating mind, this means there is a contradiction because she can't do it with the original body.

The established situation that requires a Star Plasma Vessel, such as Riko Amanai or Yuki Tsukumo as shown in the series, seems to suggest the influence of real-life science such as the physicalist view that the body shapes the mind. That is all well and good, but then it also shows Tengen's mind to be strong enough to take over another person's body, which goes against the original premise.

This is in direct contrast to someone else in the series who has a similar ability, Kenjaku, since he can take over people's bodies and maintain control because his brain is the sole physical constant. However, there is no physical constant with Tengen, and it is her DNA that manages to impose itself in the new vessel, although this is also connected with the former's abilities as a sorcerer.

More about this

Tengen's current and original forms as seen in the manga (Image via Shueisha).

Perhaps the easiest answer to this contradiction based on real-life science is that Jujutsu Kaisen author Gege Akutami didn't think this concept through and was mostly setting up the concept of the Star Plasma Vessel so Suguru Geto and Satoru Gojo had someone to protect in the Hidden Inventory arc. However, there could be an inner logic regarding Tengen's abilities and state as a character in the series.

For example, it could be argued that Tengen's capacity to switch from one body to another is not as natural as Kenjaku's since that is the latter's Cursed Technique. Therefore, she might have the issue of meeting certain circumstances to switch bodies with a Star Plasma Vessel, but the main issue is that the story never addresses this factor.

Final thoughts

The Star Plasma Vessel for Master Tengen proved to be one of the biggest catalysts for most of the plot in Jujutsu Kaisen, but the way the character switches from one body to another might be a plot hole. That is notorious when considering how this transition is necessary to justify Riko's role in the Hidden Inventory arc.

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Edited by Somava