Unresolved Origins of One of Jujutsu Kaisen’s First Curses

Jujutsu Kaisen follows the journey of Yuji Itadori, who becomes entangled in a supernatural conflict after he consumes one of Ryomen Sukuna’s fingers, awakening the formidable King of Curses within him. The series kicks off with a Curse assaulting Yuji’s school, yet the backstory of this malevolent entity remains unexplained, leaving many viewers intrigued.

Within the universe of Jujutsu Kaisen, Curses emerge from a buildup of negative emotions linked to specific circumstances. Despite this established framework, the origins of the Curse attacking Yuji’s school are left ambiguous. This opens the door to several compelling theories, some of which connect the Curse’s emergence to incidents at the school or to Kenjaku’s manipulative tactics.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the series and reflects the author’s opinions.

Possible Origins of the School Curse in Jujutsu Kaisen

Yuji Itadori in the first episode of the anime (Image via MAPPA).
Yuji Itadori in the first episode of the anime (Image via MAPPA).

A prevailing theory posits that Kenjaku orchestrated the appearance of this Curse to ensure Yuji would consume one of Sukuna’s fingers, thus setting off the series of events that follow. This aligns with Kenjaku’s established role as a strategic planner and manipulator throughout the storyline.

Another hypothesis revolves around a localized urban legend surrounding a buried corpse on school grounds. This narrative is plausible when considering that Curses derive from the negative energy accumulated over time, fueled by various instances of student trauma and stress, which could have coalesced into a single entity.

Additionally, the school’s sports team reportedly suffered from tick bites, and the Curse bears a resemblance to a tick, as seen in its altercation with Yuji and Megumi Fushiguro. While it is unlikely that the Curse was directly responsible for the bites, the resentment and fear surrounding these incidents could have contributed to the Curse’s formation.

Evaluating the Theories

This encounter led Yuji to become Sukuna's vessel (Image via MAPPA).
This encounter led Yuji to become Sukuna’s vessel (Image via MAPPA).

It appears that creator Gege Akutami may not have specifically designed an origin story for this Curse, viewing it more as a narrative device to facilitate Yuji’s path towards becoming Sukuna’s vessel. Nonetheless, it remains plausible that Kenjaku is the mastermind behind this initial conflict, given his integral role in shaping Yuji’s destiny.

Ultimately, as previously noted, the origins of this Curse seem intentionally vague, likely crafted as a mere plot device. While its specific background might remain unresolved, its purpose as a catalyst is undeniably significant in propelling Yuji’s narrative forward.

Conclusion

In summary, Jujutsu Kaisen does not provide a clear origin for the Curse that attacked Yuji’s school. Instead, it serves predominantly as a mechanism to ignite the story. However, engaging with various theories about its origins is a fascinating exercise and enriches the viewer’s experience of the series.

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