The Orchestrator's goal in Dandadan may have the same inspiration as Sukuna's bath in Jujutsu Kaisen

Recent supernatural manga Dandadan has produced some of the most complex power systems and darkest antagonists we have seen. The narratives of Dandadan and Jujutsu Kaisen stand apart through their unique storytelling methods, but they both explore similar themes, enriching their respective stories.

The unfolding events in Dandadan reveal a calculated betrayal by Adachi against Murakami that mirrors the historic kodoku ritual. This same ritual finds its mirror in Jujutsu Kaisen through Sukuna's bath, orchestrated by Uraume.

While both series feature different supernatural worlds, this connection reveals how deeply rooted traditional Japanese folklore remains in contemporary supernatural manga, serving as both inspiration and innovation for modern storytellers.

Disclaimer: This article is a speculative theory and reflects the writer's opinion.

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The Kodoku Ritual in Dandadan and Jujutsu Kaisen: A deadly game of power and manipulation

The orchestrator in Dandadan—likely the mysterious Count of St. Germain—appears to be implementing a strategy that follows the traditional kodoku formula: The process involves assembling powerful entities to fight and consume each other until only the strongest entity remains.

The traditional Japanese practice required venomous creatures to be placed in a container where they fought each other until only one creature survived. The resulting "champion" would then become a powerful curse or poison. In Dandadan's current arc, the players aren't insects but power-wielders manipulated into stealing each other's abilities.

Count Stain Germain as seen in the manga (Image via Shueisha)

Adachi's unexpected betrayal of Murakami reveals a deeper layer to the orchestrator's plan—they aren't merely allies collecting powers but unwitting participants in a kodoku ritual where they systematically eliminate each other until the final bearer of accumulated powers emerges.

This approach bears striking similarities to the Bath ritual in Jujutsu Kaisen. Originally used to transform family heirlooms into cursed tools, the Bath required "ten months and ten days of soaking in a solution of cursed energy created from crushing and straining poisonous creatures together using a process known as kodoku."

When Uraume reconstructed this ritual for Sukuna, they adapted it to use cursed spirits instead of creatures, creating a solution that allowed Sukuna to submerge Megumi's soul and gain complete control over his vessel. The parallel becomes clear: both rituals involve the systematic destruction of supernatural entities to create a concentrated power that benefits a singular manipulative entity.

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Kodoku in Dandadan and Jujutsu Kaisen: A deadly Folklore-inspired battle for ultimate power

What makes this connection particularly compelling is how both series draw from the same folklore but manifest it differently. In Jujutsu Kaisen, the Bath is explicitly named and referenced as kodoku, serving as Sukuna's means to dominate Megumi's body completely.

In Dandadan, the process appears more subtle—a game of accumulation where the orchestrator remains in the shadows, allowing the players to eliminate each other before claiming the ultimate prize. Both villains—Sukuna and the Count—demonstrate the patient, calculating nature required to execute such complex rituals, willing to invest significant time for maximum power gains.

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Conclusion

Modern manga series incorporate kodoku to show how they keep Japan's folklore alive by adapting ancient practices to create new stories. Dandadan and Jujutsu Kaisen, while occupying different corners of the supernatural genre spectrum, ultimately share this common thread.

These villains realize that their most potent strength lies in subtle manipulation, which lets others self-destruct before they can take possession of their rewards. The ongoing progression of these series allows readers to better appreciate how cultural roots inform manga storytelling while demonstrating that ancient human fears remain strong within modern tales of aliens and curses.

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