Why Sukuna and Megumi may have had different Ten Shadows in Jujutsu Kaisen, explored

Modified Dec 29, 2024 05:00 GMT

Why Sukuna and Megumi may have had different Ten Shadows in Jujutsu Kaisen, explored (Image via MAPPA)

'Did Megumi master the Ten Shadow Technique after the demise of the King of Curses in Jujutsu Kaisen?' This question has been asked by fans numerous times given how Sukuna had already tamed Mahoraga and the death of the series' antagonist might have transferred his powers to his host. However, the reality might be simpler than this.

After Megumi summoned Mahoraga in battle, his cursed technique might have been rendered useless given how the sorcerer would lose consciousness against the Divine General. However, in Sukuna's case, more shikigami were summoned after the summoning of Mahoraga, hinting that Megumi and the King of Curses might have different Ten Shadow cursed techniques.

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

Jujutsu Kaisen: Exploring the difference between the Ten Shadow technique of Megumi and Sukuna

Megumi's Ten Shadow Technique as seen in the anime (Image via MAPPA)

The Ten Shadow Technique is an inherited cursed technique present among the Zenin clan. This technique was inherited by Fushigoro Megumi who later mastered it. In the start, the user of this technique is only given two Divine Dogs and the rest of the shikigami are summoned through hand signs. These new shikigami must be defeated by the user to take them under control.

Fushigoro Megumi had full control over shikigami, such as Nue, Toad, Great Serpent, Max Elephant, and Rabbit. Moreover, Megumi could also summon the Eight-Handled Sword Divergent Sila Divine General Mahoraga, a shikigami that none of the other users of this technique could control.

Mahoraga as seen in the anime (Image via MAPPA)

During the Shibuya arc, Megumi tried to summon this shikigami and faced the consequences soon enough as he escaped death by an inch due to help from Sukuna. This might also be the point where Sukuna had considered taking over Megumi, which happened during Jujutsu Kaisen's Culling Game Arc.

However, Sukuna's Ten Shadow Technique looked different from the get-go as the first shikigami he summoned by Nue (that was exceptionally larger than Megumi's). Moreover, after the bath, Sukuna summoned every shikigami Megumi had yet to summon, showcasing that he might have already mastered Fushigoro's cursed technique.

A key difference appeared during Jujutsu Kaisen's battle of the strongest where Ryomen Sukuna kept summoning new shikigami after summoning Mahoraga to the main battlefield. The summoning of Agito (a combination of Great Serpent, Nue, Tiger Funeral, and Round Deer) hinted that Sukuna might have mastered this technique in mere days.

Agito as seen in the manga (Image via Gege Akutami/Shueisha)

However, that might not be the case as these two characters could have different forms of the same technique. Sukuna summoned a new shikigami after summoning Mahoraga, whereas Megumi could never perform this feat (in theory). This could be due to various reasons.

Megumi's fate as the true owner of the Ten Shadow Technique might have locked the true potential of this technique (which led to the sorcerer unlocking each shikigami one by one).

However, when Sukuna took over Megumi, he might have unlocked his true potential, leading to him only using the strongest shikigami in battle. With the combined factor of the King of Curses' exceptional cursed energy manipulation, Ryomen Sukuna might have the true Ten Shadow Technique whereas Megumi might be stuck at the 'prototype' of this technique.

Final thoughts

Every mystery of the series brings up the question of why Gege Akutami had to end the series without answering such questions. After the demise of the King of Curses, fans deserved to know what Megumi inherited from being Sukuna's host. This might have done justice to Megumi's character as one of the fan favorites.

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Edited by Sreerupa Das