Overview
- Jujutsu sorcerers serve to shield non-sorcerers, while curse users deliberately inflict harm.
- The essence of jujutsu sorcery originated from humanity’s desire to manage cursed energy and eliminate cursed entities.
- Within the jujutsu council’s authority, individuals can be designated as curse users due to criminal behavior, resulting in severe repercussions.
Jujutsu Kaisen frequently utilizes the term “curse user,”often with negative connotations. But are jujutsu sorcerers not also considered curse users? The simple answer is, they are not. The distinction between jujutsu sorcerers and curse users in the Jujutsu Kaisen universe hinges on the underlying intention behind their actions.
Rooted in centuries of tradition, jujutsu sorcery is fundamentally about using one’s ability to exorcise curses to safeguard those unable to defend themselves. When an individual with cursed talents chooses to employ their powers for perpetrating murder, the jujutsu authority reclassifies them as “curse users,”facing the ultimate penalty of execution.
The Long-Standing Tradition of Jujutsu Sorcery
The Organization of Jujutsu Sorcerers in the Heian Period
Cursed entities have plagued humanity for ages, deriving from the negative emotions that humans experience. Since regular people lack the ability to control their cursed energy, it inadvertently manifests, forming cursed spirits.
Historically, these cursed spirits wreaked havoc and destruction. Those who learned to harness cursed energy took on the grave responsibility of exterminating these dark entities. As knowledge about curses and techniques for defeating them began to formalize, the practice evolved into the art of jujutsu, and its practitioners were dubbed “jujutsu sorcerers.”
Initially, jujutsu sorcerers acted independently within their local communities, lacking a structured organization. However, the growing threat of cursed spirits necessitated a collective effort. Led by prominent families, the jujutsu sorcerers united to confront this escalating danger.
This collaborative effort marked a pivotal transformation for jujutsu sorcery into a formal institution. Sorcerers began collaborating with the Japanese government to protect citizens from curses and to instruct the next generation of sorcerers. A notable example is Jujutsu High, which receives government funding, allowing students to pursue their studies free of charge.
At the core of jujutsu sorcery remains the principle that sorcerers must protect non-sorcerers. Betraying this duty results in the loss of their privileged status as sorcerers.
The Nature of Curse Users as Malevolent Individuals
Defining Curse Users Through Regulations
To comprehend the concept of a “curse user”in the context of Jujutsu Kaisen, one must refer to the official regulations set forth in the Jujutsu Kaisen Official Character Guide:
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“Excerpt from Jujutsu Regulations Article 9” |
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“Any jujutsu sorcerer that commits a murderous act via deliberate activation of a cursed technique shall be deemed a curse user and will be subject to execution.” |
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– Jujutsu Kaisen Official Character Guide, chapter 2, page 126 |
In the realm of jujutsu, curse users are seen as lawbreakers who rationalize their actions through various motivations. Some, like Jiro Awasaka, engage in violence for monetary gain, while others are ideologically driven, such as Suguru Geto. Moreover, youths who possess cursed abilities but lack adequate guidance, like Junpei Yoshino, can easily slip into the criminal underworld.
The founding of Jujutsu High was a direct response to an alarming trend of young individuals with cursed techniques becoming embroiled in criminal activities. Those without connections to the established jujutsu community are particularly at risk of being drawn into this cycle, exemplified by Junpei Yoshino.
Is “Curse User”a Tool for Control by the Jujutsu Council?
The Aftermath of the Shibuya Incident
WARNING: This section contains spoilers from season 2, episode 47, “The Shibuya Incident – Gate Closed.” The conclusion of the Shibuya Incident arc exposes the severe ramifications of the events on October 31, 2018. Pseudo-Geto unleashed a multitude of curses upon the world, utilizing Mahito’s Idle Transfiguration to convert people into jujutsu sorcerers, igniting widespread chaos.
The jujutsu council’s response following the Shibuya Incident underscores their chilling authority. Their immediate warrant for Pseudo-Geto’s execution was expected, but the subsequent condemnations of Masamichi Yaga, Yuji Itadori, and Satoru Gojo as co-conspirators—sentencing Yaga and Itadori to death while confining Gojo indefinitely—raises serious concerns about their motivations.
Akutami highlights the ongoing conflict between Satoru Gojo and the jujutsu elders, illustrating Gojo’s aspirations to reshape jujutsu governance by cultivating a new generation of reform-minded sorcerers.
Despite the apparent necessity of rescuing Gojo to combat the threats posed by Pseudo-Geto’s actions, the council’s scapegoating of Yaga reveals underlying political maneuvering. Their decisions suggest that the upper tiers of the jujutsu administration may be compromised, manipulating the “curse user”label for their ends.
If the jujutsu council can strip individuals of their titles without proper evidence or just cause, what prevents them from targeting dissenting sorcerers? The ambiguity surrounding the term “curse user”in the aftermath of Shibuya further complicates the landscape of jujutsu.
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