[0:00] The anime world is full of insanely creative
and complex power systems.
[0:04] But none is as notoriously complex and sometimes
hard to follow as Jujutsu Kaisen, to the point
[0:10] where characters in the story are frequently
confused by it and even the author Gege Akutami
[0:17] HIMSELF admitted that he could probably not
explain it fully.
[0:20] So to help him and anyone else having a hard
time here out, we’re going to do exactly
[0:26] that and break down the entire power system
of Jujutsu Kaisen.
[0:30] And at the base of it all, it of course all
really boils down to Cursed Energy.
[0:35] To put it simply: Cursed energy is born from
humans’ negative emotions.
[0:40] Fear, sadness, anger, envy - pretty much every
person feels these emotions and overtime they
[0:48] leak out and accumulate, eventually becoming
evil cursed spirits.
[0:53] And you thought your bad vibes were a problem.
[0:56] To help make sense of the complexity that
is Cursed Energy, let’s try to visualize
[1:01] it.
[1:02] This power system is a whole lot like a tree.
[1:09] Cursed energy is the foundation of every power
in this fictional world, so it’s a whole
[1:15] like lot the roots - everything else grows
from the basis of cursed energy.
[1:19] However, some people with a high enough concentration
of cursed energy can actually learn to see
[1:24] these spirits and even control the cursed
energy within themselves.
[1:30] Enter the art of Jujutsu.
[1:33] These so-called Jujutsu Sorcerers use cursed
energy for their own purposes and are able
[1:37] to manipulate it in order to fight and exorcise
cursed spirits.
[1:43] Continuing our tree visualization, once you
have enough cursed energy to be able to actually
[1:49] see and perceive energy and spirits, it’s
like a sapling has broken through the soil
[1:54] - while everybody else is underground and
unaware of the world of cursed energy, those
[2:01] who have broken through the surface can finally
see what the world of Jujutsu is all about.
[2:08] Starting with the very basics, the ground
floor of Jujutsu Sorcery is just being able
[2:12] to detect cursed energy, yet alone control
it.
[2:16] With the ability to detect cursed energy,
sorcerers can see cursed spirits, but they
[2:21] can also detect the energy of fellow sorcerers.
[2:24] They can gauge the potential strength of an
opponent by measuring the amount of energy
[2:29] they possess.
[2:30] Sometimes they can even track a large amount
of cursed energy to its source by following
[2:34] its residuals or even identify a sorcerer
based on their cursed energy signature.
[2:40] But being able to see a terrifying spirit
beast is a long way from actually being able
[2:47] to kill the thing, so let’s move on.
[2:50] Eventually, we’re going to get into some
crazy unique powers and techniques, but first
[2:57] let’s start with the fundamentals.
[3:00] Once you can detect cursed energy, the next
step is to gain control over it.
[3:06] Since cursed energy comes from negative emotions,
gaining control over one’s emotions is crucial.
[3:12] This is why to train Yuji, Gojo uses the method
of making him watch emotional movies while
[3:19] channeling his energy into a special cursed
doll.
[3:23] This makes Jujutsu the only power system where
watching a romantic comedy is more effective
[3:29] than doing push ups.
[3:32] Once you gain control over your emotions,
and therefore your cursed energy, you can
[3:37] start actually applying it in combat.
[3:40] By controlling their cursed energy output,
this energy can be channeled into a user’s
[3:44] fists for physical attacks.
[3:46] It can also be used to coat their skin for
added defense against enemy attacks.
[3:51] Some users can even expel raw cursed energy
for a ranged attack, or channel their energy
[3:56] into weapons to strengthen them.
[3:59] If enough energy is channeled into a weapon
over time, it can even become a cursed tool.
[4:06] As you train your cursed energy and you’re
able to manipulate it, it’s like you’re
[4:11] developing the trunk of your Jujutsu tree.
[4:13] The greater your command of cursed energy,
the thicker your trunk and the stronger your
[4:19] bark.
[4:20] A beginner like Yuji at the beginning of the
series is just a sapling, while Gojo is like
[4:24] a massive California Redwood that you could
drive a whole car through.
[4:30] When fighting using cursed energy, if the
user’s control is precise enough a special
[4:36] phenomenon can happen.
[4:37] If a sorcerer’s physical attack syncs up
with the application of cursed energy within
[4:45] .000001 seconds, the result is a black flash
which amplifies the power of the hit.
[4:53] There’s no jujutsu sorcerer that can use
this technique at will since it requires such
[4:59] insane precision, but a skillful curse user
can make it happen more frequently.
[5:05] Nanami once held the record for black flashes
for four consecutive attacks in a row until
[5:10] Yuji surpassed it while fighting Mahito.
[5:14] It just goes to show you - there’s no point
to working hard at your day job - just take
[5:20] one of life’s short cuts and eat some fingers.
[5:24] One of the hardest abilities in Jujutsu Kaisen
to wrap your mind around is Reverse Cursed
[5:30] Energy.
[5:31] You need to know math for this one!
[5:34] As we all know (if you’ve passed fifth grade
math), multiplying two negative numbers together
[5:42] creates a positive.
[5:43] Therefore, by multiplying two streams of cursed
energy together, one can activate a reverse
[5:49] cursed technique, which creates positive energy.
[5:53] Unlike normal cursed energy which can only
be used to cause harm, this reverse cursed
[5:58] technique can actually be used to heal damage.
[6:01] Apparently this works through the logic of
positivity equals good, so it must heal you.
[6:07] And the author needed a way for characters
to somehow survive the crippling wounds they
[6:11] receive from other characters, so this was
a solid solution.
[6:17] Massive head trauma is a problem no more and
thanks to reversed cursed technique.
[6:22] Now that we’ve got our basics covered, it’s
time for the bread and butter of the JJK power
[6:29] system.
[6:30] Cursed Techniques.
[6:32] This is where we start to get crazy unique
powers that make Jujutsu Kaisen’s battles
[6:37] some of the most intriguing…and at times
confusing…fights in all of Shonen anime.
[6:44] Unlike every other shonen, we actually encourage
all of the characters on the sidelines to
[6:50] give us a play by play of the fight because
without them explaining every move, we’d
[6:57] have no idea what’s going on.
[7:00] Cursed techniques are special abilities fueled
by the user’s cursed energy.
[7:05] Most sorcerer’s have an innate technique
which is assigned to them from birth, but
[7:11] which begins to manifest in childhood and
can grow and develop along with its user.
[7:18] In the vast majority of cases, sorcerers only
have access to one of these techniques and
[7:23] they cannot be replicated or taught.
[7:25] In extremely rare cases, a user can use multiple
cursed techniques, but this is almost unheard
[7:31] of in the world of Jujutsu Kaisen.
[7:35] How do these techniques fit into our tree
example?
[7:38] Well, since cursed techniques manifest themselves
in all sorts of different forms for each user,
[7:43] these are like the branches of our tree.
[7:48] Unlike general cursed energy use which looks
the same for most users, this is where ever
[7:53] Jujutsu Sorcerer splits off in their own unique
direction.
[7:58] One major exception to techniques being unable
to be taught are Inherited Techniques, which
[8:03] are passed down genetically.
[8:05] This is especially common in the Big Three
Families of Jujutsu Sorcery - the Zenin, the
[8:12] Gojo, and the Kamo.
[8:15] Techniques like Satoru Gojo’s “Limitless”
, the Zenin’s “Ten Shadows”, and the
[8:19] Kamo’s “Blood Manipulation” are so powerful
precisely because their strength has been
[8:24] honed and perfected across many generations.
[8:28] The “Ten Shadows” technique in particular
is an example of a Shikigami summoning technique.
[8:36] Shikigami are monstrous creatures that resemble
cursed spirits that a user can summon and
[8:41] use as a familiar.
[8:44] Most shikigami users are only able to conjure
one shikigami to act as a partner, but Megumi’s
[8:51] “Ten Shadows” allows him to utilize several
different ones…uh…ten to be precise.
[8:59] Many powerful sorcerers can be born to non-sorcerers
but also have access to Cursed Techniques
[9:06] that are not inherited.
[9:08] Some examples include Aoi Todo’s “Boogie
Woogie” or Kento Nanami’s “Ratio Technique.”
[9:14] Even Suguru Geto’s “cursed spirit manipulation”
was a non-inherited technique, which shows
[9:19] that even sorcerers who aren’t born to the
Big Three Families can achieve the status
[9:24] of being Special Grades.
[9:25] Weird that he ended up being the one super
into non-curse user racism.
[9:35] In addition to these Cursed Techniques, there
are also different categories of non-innate
[9:43] techniques.
[9:44] The most common ones we see in the series
are Barrier Techniques.
[9:48] Abilities like “curtain” allow sorcerers
to seal off an area while they hunt down cursed
[9:52] spirits in order to keep civilians from witnessing
any supernatural combat and to prevent them
[9:57] from being caught in the crossfire.
[10:00] Going back to our Jujutsu Tree, these barrier
techniques are like the leaves that surround
[10:05] the remainder of the branches.
[10:07] These leaves expand outward, making the whole
tree’s appearance larger and fuller - just
[10:12] like a barrier expands a user’s cursed energy
beyond their own body.
[10:17] Of course, the most hype version of the Barrier
Technique is a Domain Expansion.
[10:24] This is where a Cursed Energy user will erect
a barrier that is powered by the cursed technique.
[10:30] This is the most powerful technique that a
Jujutsu Sorcerer can use because within the
[10:36] domain their techniques are amplified and
even guaranteed to hit their target.
[10:41] For example, Gojo’s standard limitless technique
allows him to use the power of infinity so
[10:48] that his opponents can never reach him.
[10:51] He can also manipulate space itself to repel
or attract opponents.
[10:55] However, his Domain Expansion: Unlimited Void,
is on a whole different level.
[11:01] This power floods the mind of anyone trapped
inside the domain with infinite information,
[11:08] overwhelming their brain to the point of immobilization,
forcing them to experience what feels like
[11:15] an eternity before they pass away, unable
to do anything about it.
[11:21] Some domain expansions simply relentlessly
attack the opponent.
[11:25] Jogo’s “Coffin of the Iron Mountain”
simply tries to combust the opponent inside
[11:30] a giant volcano, whereas Sukuna’s “Malevolent
Shrine” subjects its victims to a flurry
[11:35] of slashing attacks.
[11:37] These more typical domains are all about raw
offensive power.
[11:41] After all, there’s no much your opponent’s
weird techniques can do against you if they’re
[11:47] dead.
[11:48] However, others are more reality warping and
trying to understand their mechanics can even
[11:55] be brain-breaking to the viewer.
[11:56] Higuruma, a curse user who is a lawyer, uses
his Deadly Sentencing, which traps his opponent
[12:04] in a court of law wherein all violence is
prohibited and a Shikigami called Judgeman
[12:09] determines his opponent’s guilt or innocence.
[12:12] JJK’s powers go way beyond punching to say
the least.
[12:17] The drawback of these extremely potent techniques
is that they use up an absolutely insane amount
[12:23] of cursed energy.
[12:24] Gojo is one of the only characters in the
series who can actually use his domain expansion
[12:30] multiple times per day.
[12:32] The scientific explanation for this is that
Gojo IS HIM.
[12:44] Of course, there are a few ways that a user
can counter this power.
[12:52] By casting a simple domain, a cursed user
can avoid the guaranteed hit rule with their
[12:59] own domain without expending the cursed energy
necessary for a full Domain Expansion.
[13:06] The other counter-measure is to simply go
head-to-head with your own Domain Expansion
[13:10] in what’s called a Domain Clash.
[13:13] As long as the domains are evenly matched
against each other, the guaranteed hit will
[13:17] be canceled out - however as soon as one of
the domains wins out over the other, that
[13:25] attack will take effect.
[13:28] Another important element of the Jujutsu Kaisen
power system comes in the form of Cursed Restrictions.
[13:34] For viewers familiar with Hunter x Hunter,
these function in much the same way as Nen
[13:39] Contracts - by placing various conditions
upon their powers, sorcerers can unlock greater
[13:44] feats of strength when those conditions are
met.
[13:48] Back to our Jujutsu Tree - restrictions are
kind of like the soil conditions your tree
[13:53] is growing in.
[13:54] If you add some fertilizer to the ground,
your tree is going to grow bigger and stronger.
[14:00] But in this case, instead of putting on your
gardening glove you’re more signing a binding
[14:05] legal contract with a plant.
[14:08] One of the funniest versions of this in the
series is when users’ cursed techniques
[14:13] actually get stronger if the opponent understands
how their power works.
[14:18] This means that JJK can play into the age-old
anime trope of combatants over-explaining
[14:24] how their powers work, while it has an actual
in-universe reason for happening.
[14:32] In most shows, this is purely for the audience
to be able to follow along with the fight
[14:36] - obviously by explaining your secret technique
to an opponent, you’re just giving them
[14:41] an advantage by letting them understand their
power.
[14:45] However, in JJK, they make it so that these
explanations actually increase the technique’s
[14:51] power.
[14:53] Not only does it help it make sense, but it
adds another layer of tactical strategy to
[14:59] Jujutsu Kaisen’s brain-bending battles.
[15:02] By withholding parts of their power, or misleading
their opponent, they can get partial increases
[15:07] of power while still maintaining the element
of surprise.
[15:11] However, this isn’t the only version of
a “Binding Vow” being used in JJK.
[15:18] One of the best examples is Nanami’s “Overtime”
vow.
[15:22] Normally, Nanami’s power level is limited
to only around 80% of his full power while
[15:27] he’s on the clock working for Jujutsu High.
[15:30] However, whenever that time limit is exceeded
and his “overtime” begins, he’s able
[15:36] to exceed his upper limit and output 120%
of his maximum power.
[15:43] Other vows are exchanged with individuals
other than the user themselves; the penalty
[15:48] for breaking these vows is supposedly much
harsher than breaking a self-imposed vow.
[15:53] The most notable example of one of these vows
is the deal made between Yuji and Sukuna,
[15:58] wherein Sukuna healed Yuji’s heart in exchange
for giving him control of Yuji’s body for
[16:03] one minute and a time to-be-determined.
[16:06] The most extreme example of a Cursed Restriction
is the Heavenly Restriction - this is a phenomenon
[16:12] wherein a user’s cursed energy is reduced
in exchange for greater physical prowess.
[16:17] Or - the opposite can be true, where someone’s
physical body can be weak in exchange for
[16:22] greater cursed energy.
[16:23] Of course, there are also probably people
in the world of JJK who are physically weak
[16:28] and have very little cursed energy and…well,
sucks to be them!
[16:32] However, one good example of a trade off is
Kokichi Muta AKA Mechamaru - his body was
[16:39] extremely weak and feeble, but his cursed
energy could reach an insane distance to be
[16:45] able to remotely pilot Mechamaru.
[16:48] However in the case of Megumi’s father,
Toji Fushiguro, the opposite is true.
[16:53] Unlike most humans who are born with at least
a small amount of cursed energy, Toji was
[17:01] born with absolutely zero.
[17:04] Nothing at all.
[17:05] However, in exchange, as part of this bargain,
he gained unparalleled speed and strength.
[17:11] In fact, his five senses were heightened to
such a degree that he could even see cursed
[17:16] energy and cursed spirits even though he possessed
no cursed energy himself.
[17:22] And he could even sense changes in the air
and atmosphere around him.
[17:29] However, even though Toji was a complete monster,
he still couldn’t handle the unreal strength
[17:35] of Satoru Gojo.
[17:36] In his backstory, Toji was the toughest challenge
Gojo faced as a young sorcerer - it just makes
[17:41] you wonder just exactly what Gojo’s upper
limit is in the story since this beast rarely
[17:45] gets to go all out.
[17:48] During the Shibuya Incident, he was even handicapped
by not wanting to hurt civilians.
[17:53] It really makes you wonder how much he’d
be able to dominate the verse if he used his
[18:00] maximum power.
[18:02] Conveniently, we answered that question right
here in this video: