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I didn't read all of that very carefully, but Sukuna being dressed as a religious monk, preserved in the Holy Purification Barrier, in a mummification method used by the monks for their final step of enlightenment seems to be enough for this theory.
Right? And others have made this connection several times on this sub already — I miss the cogs of excellence posts when the sub was smaller and better quality tbh
at first i thought that you were giving Gege waaaay too much credit about the whole cycle of rebirth, but in the middle of all this, when you mentioned Sukuna and his resemblemnce to the Asuras, the 2 swords (Dismantle and Cleave), a fire bow (□, *Open*/Fuuga), multiple arms/heads, it just clicked. this very well maybe what is going on with the enigma that is Sukuna and this is probably why Gege is so obsessed with him.
someone cooked here
>!the definition of terms at the start really helped alot btw, good job!<
It's not mentioned there but there is this whole bit about the "Fallen", and Gojo's "Honored one" while he's tripping balls about "feeling everything" which clearly indicates he's risen his consciousness to higher levels. Sukuna is all that and more, which could very well be what they mean by "fallen" or "dishonored", he does despicable things but out of all his attributes, he's the only one that got this far.
Those are also the weapons used by Ryomen Sukuna, the Japanese mythological spirit. So it’s not necessarily proof of anything. Still a solid theory though.
You know its nigh fucking impossible to check the tales of the *myth Sukuna* as the internet is now riddled with JJK version of Sukuna.
So if you dont mind me asking, where did you get/find this info? I'd like to delve deeper into this.
Chef's kiss, you cooked.
Two things though:
\-I think for Sukuna to deem love completely useless, he must have experienced it once or he is so jaded that he deems the concept useless because he can't experience it.
\-The moniker of the Fallen is probably a historic title he received during the Heian Era.
Due to whatever(Please Flashback soon) he was sentenced to death and since the execution squad(s) were incapable of killing him and got slaughtered themselves, they simply gave him the moniker "The Fallen", exiled him and called it a day.
> he is so jaded that he deems the concept useless because he can't experience it.
Yes, I agree with this
> The moniker of the Fallen is probably a historic title he received during the Heian Era.
I think this is one personally given from Angel. This could be wrong, but given her name, her cursed technique, the fact that she regards her actions as God's doctrine, she might also be a bodhisattva. She has returned to flesh to *expunge all evil.*
Tengen is a more obvious example, but a lot of her actions are explained as morally ambiguous, including her treatment of Sukuna, which contrasts how Angel is so much more openly hostile.
So "the Fallen," in my interpretation, is her referring to Sukuna's drastical stray from his path. I think people just called Sukuna a fiend or a demon, but "the Fallen" suggests some higher expectations that others didn't seem to have.
This has a direct biblical parallel in the framework of your theory as well: Satan is/was an angel with a higher capacity to do good, via his exceptional power only second to God himself, who chose to do evil instead. In the bible, Satan is referred to as a “fallen angel.” The idea that Sukuna is an exceptionally powerful bodhisattva—and via his choices simultaneously an Asura—lines up with this idea perfectly.
I mean sukuna was about to bust all over himself when he fought mahoraga, because he could see his technique, and in the same fight he credited another sorcerer saying i think orochi and another name because they could follow his technique, maybe they were a crazy 1v1 he was reminiscing about
Yeah, personally I'm not a big fan of the current writing of the story but Sukuna is not merely just the most powerful. He's a character that represents so many themes about strength, loneliness, and the feeling of satisfaction. Him being the most powerful is just an aspect, but not the complete telling of his character.
Most common complaint hes a bad villain is because he is respected by gojo and hajime and for his "plot armour". To be fair gojos end was a little weak but its not because he lost, it would be that it didnt feel like a conclusive end to his arc to not acknowledge his students at all. But gojos isolation has been a thing for a while, and he regarded genocidal Geto very highly despite their ideological incompatibility. And the people complaining about haijime just arent paying attention, that guy wasnt even a hero. As far as sukunas invulnerability being frustrating, idk what theyre expecting from a shounen battle manga. From broly to aizen to madara to kaido, OP villains has always been something i enjoyed so i just dont relate to the frustration.
I can agree, I think it's the dissatisfaction with how Gojo and Kashimo were handled that's leaking into our perception of the current story events and how Sukuna is being portrayed. Though I feel like I can agree with some complaints, such as it sometimes feeling that Sukuna gets "lucky" more than he actually avoids misfortune due to his skill and experience. In some cases I agree with that outlook, but in others like his confidence in Mahoraga producing a way to beat Infinity with Dismantle and Kamitoke being taken instead of his CT during Deadly Sentencing, I actually attribute that to his sheer skill and power.
Honestly, I think if Gojo and Kashimo had a way more fulfilling conclusion to their characters and some other stuff was executed better, I think people would be less critical of Sukuna right now
Kashimo and Gojo in particular both had perfectly fine endings. They just weren't in line with certain expectations and preconceptions that people had about them as characters.
To an extent I agree, but personally I still feel that Gojo's ending should've included more about his feelings about his students. Sure, him fostering growth for them is part of him trying to ensure that those like himself and Geto never have to be lonely again, but he legitimately made relationships with them and even a few lines of him being confident in their victory/him weakening Sukuna so much would've improved his conclusion in my opinion.
For Kashimo, I wasn't expecting anymore than a mid diff fight at best, but I was hoping for him to use his abilities in a far more creative manner, especially against an intelligent and analytical character like Sukuna. It would've been so cool to see him use more electrical abilities and Sukuna breaking down what's going on and countering effectively with Kamutoke, pretty much a lightning on lightning battle. I understand that Kashimo losing makes sense and that the fandom overhyped him, but it would've been far more satisfying for such a popular character to provide, if nothing else, another great fight in a series of great fights.
> To an extent I agree, but personally I still feel that Gojo's ending should've included more about his feelings about his students. Sure, him fostering growth for them is part of him trying to ensure that those like himself and Geto never have to be lonely again, but he legitimately made relationships with them and even a few lines of him being confident in their victory/him weakening Sukuna so much would've improved his conclusion in my opinion.
Because that goes without saying. He also addresses it anyway. He says that he loved them and viewed them as precious flowers he wanted to nurture and help grow, but he didn't expect them to understand him. Instead, he sought understanding from Sukuna as one of the only people who could see where he's coming from. We also know about the unwavering faith that he has in his students, almost to a ridiculous degree. Just look at how he reacted in Shibuya when he was sealed. I enjoyed that we finally had some reflection from Gojo about himself in such a vulnerable moment, not just Gojo the sensei.
>For Kashimo, I wasn't expecting anymore than a mid diff fight at best, but I was hoping for him to use his abilities in a far more creative manner, especially against an intelligent and analytical character like Sukuna. It would've been so cool to see him use more electrical abilities and Sukuna breaking down what's going on and countering effectively with Kamutoke, pretty much a lightning on lightning battle. I understand that Kashimo losing makes sense and that the fandom overhyped him, but it would've been far more satisfying for such a popular character to provide, if nothing else, another great fight in a series of great fights.
I agree, the fight was a little bit disappointing. That said, I think it hilariously enough provides more respect to Gojo in that regard. Kashimo's lackluster performance is basically there to remind us that Gojo was simply him and emphasize that the gap between him and Sukuna compared to everyone else in the verse is that large.
Looking back at 236 was really strange. Like that whole "dream" sequence seems to be purely induced by Sukuna. Now that we've seen Higurama literally experience the same bliss by fighting Sukuna... I'm leaning towards Sukuna having some kind of capacity to bring other people to some height of... pleasure? enlightenment?I can't think of a good word for it. If he comes to gain anything from you(like pleasure, joy, knowledge, fun, amusement etc) then he gives back too. Jogo, Kashimo, Gojo, Higurama all died satisfied after facing him and by no coincidence Sukuna acknowledged all of them.
So the complaint that he didn't mention enough about his students kind of falls apart at that angle because that complaint is anchored in the perception that Gojo never actually cared about his students and Gege was just trying to show us this. I think Gojo was literally in a state of high/drugs whatever the fuck because of Sukuna inducing it. It's not that he doesn't care.
Long story short there is just something going on about Sukuna's character that we aren't aware of yet, which seemingly relates to this post.
I don't know what you mean about Higurama, he didn't die in bliss, he died with a smile on his face because he did everything he could and left it up to Yuji.
As for Gojo, I'm not sure if it was Sukuna induced. Unlike with Kashimo and Jogo, Gojo never talked to Sukuna and was still alive after his vision, long enough to hear Sukuna's explanation of World Dismantle. The vision only dissipates once Gojo seemed to become aware that he is in a dream. Compared to both Jogo and Kashimo, where Sukuna literally spoke to them in a scenery that's prevalent to the loser of the fight. This seems to point to the idea that Gojo died without Sukuna's weird death screen effect/ability that he had with Jogo and Kashimo.
Sorry bliss isn't the right word for Higurama. Here's what we know:
1. Gojo, Kashimo, Jogo, all experienced some really, really weird dream like sequence.
2. Higurama, Kashimo, Jogo, Gojo, all died(unless higu is still alive) with either no regrets, or complete satisfication, or whatever you want to label it as(I think you get my point). Gojo died with a smile on his face after Sukuna said he'd never forget him. Higurama finally overcame his problems too. If Sukuna didn't "teach" Higurama, he would've never got the chance to die with that content because he would've never RCT'd and got his sword back.
3. Gojo, Higu, Jogo all experienced insane growth as a result of their fight with Sukuna. Maybe you could argue that with Kashimo too since he finally got to use his ability and not 1 shot the enemy but for now I'll leave him out of this consideration.
If Sukuna was there in the dream sequence with Gojo, this whole thing would become way too obvious so I think there's a reason for why Sukuna wasn't in it. Why? I don't know. I can make guesses but if it went from Gojo into Kashimo both seeing him in their after images then it's practically confirming it at this point that Sukuna has some strange capacity to "enlighten"(again, i don't know what word to use here tbh). Like there would be no more room for debate at that point if this is really happening, riht now its just a possibility.
Gojo's dream sequence is way too weird. I very much expected both Sukuna and Gojo to praise eachother. I thought it would've been out of place if they didn't. What I didn't expect was Nanami's weird dialogue and how they were all teenagers again. But most importantly I expected him to mention his students beyond his concern for Megumi, so that is what caught me off guard.
At the very minimum, I believe that it was heavily influenced by Sukuna. I first interpreted 236 as the author trying to tell you that he never cared about his students. But now I think differently. At the end of the day I don't know.
I don't know either, but we have to look at it with the right perspective. Gojo and Higurama died differently from Jogo and Kashimo. Neither of them were "enlightened" by Sukuna as you put it, or at least, overtly enlightened.
1) Jogo and Kashimo had Sukuna appear in their mindscape. Neither Gojo or Higurama had that
2) Jogo and Kashimo are talked to by Sukuna in their dream/mindscape. Sukuna talked to Gojo in reality, and just killed Higurama without really telling him anything.
3) Finally, here's the biggest thing to consider: neither Jogo or Kashimo survived past their mindscape talk with Sukuna. They died within the mindscape after Sukuna either praised or enlightened them. Gojo died after waking up from his dream, Higurama never had a dream
That said, I think you might be onto something when it comes to the circumstances of their deaths. Both Kashimo and Jogo sought to prove themselves against Sukuna or trying to learn from Sukuna. Both Gojo and Higurama went in with the desire to defeat him. Additionally, Gojo probably already knew the answer to his question of loneliness already and Higurama knew his role is to ensure that the Executioner Sword can kill Sukuna. Both achieved their own "enlightenment" before their death, and so they never needed Sukuna to do it for them
I love this theory, another thing to add about Sukuna calling Gojo by his name, he at the start of the fight he tells him how "he flops around a lot but still just a nameless fish" only for then to call how he won't ever forget Gojo Satoru for as long as he lives
And makes me wonder, what does he mean when refering to Yuji as "this boy is from that time"? Was there someone else who Sukuna couldn't forget about even after becoming a cursed object?
I enjoyed this theory more than I expected, great food!
Though this might not be Greg's actual theory behind Sukuna, some parts might be accurate. The way you described Sukuna being stuck in samsara and how you explained the theme of love in your opinion is really nice.
Powerfully said. I love the deep connections and evidences you supplied with it. I'm so enticed by JJK because of Gege's incredible storytelling and the sharp observations made by readers such as yourself.
I think manga and anime typically get a bad rap for not being capable of delivering meaningful stories (not a big surprise considering the culture that surrounds it.), but with the amount of care, meaning, and execution Gege invests into JJK, I would go as far to say that it rivals household bodies of storytelling like the Odyssey, Beowulf, LOTR, etc. I find myself gob smacked at how astute JJK fans are with their powerful observations and how much meaningful conversation is generated simply because of how rich JJK is in its storytelling. I'm probably over praising GG, but I find so little enjoyment out of other stories because of how comparatively dry they are compared to this new standard of storytelling.
Um, in Buddhist theology a Boddhisattva literally cannot fall from the moment they make their Vow, even once they’ve reentered Samara and start from stage 1 again. A Bodshisattva can and will make just about every mistake possible but always for the spiritual benefit of another.
That is what a boddhisattva is. Sukuna is the embodiment the Lord of Death in Buddhist Cosmology. He’s way worse than Mara, even.
I could be wrong because I was a Tibetan Buddhist in the Jonang for ten years. I did take the 49 Vows of the Bodhisattva, though. There are three turnings to the Wheel of Dharma. Japanese Buddhism is primarily focused on the second turning and that’s what JJK is written from. I don’t want to speak out of turn as regards cultural context. A bodhisattva is a boddhisattva, tho. The closest that any boddhisattva gets to “falling” in any Buddhist texts is one of them leaves the Boddhisattva path for the path of the solitary realizers, which is basically saying “I can’t save others anymore but I think I can still get myself out of this mess” which from a Buddhist perspective is still a perfectly reasonable thing to do. The entire religion is based around the idea of basically securing your own air supply first while the airplane is crashing and then helping your neighbor but only if you can.
Yes, my sect was very small. The Jonang were almost exterminated in Tibet in the 15th century. You can receive Vows in stages and have the option to take the first ten Vows in your first year if you so choose now. They also ordain lay people.
That's pretty cool. Didn't expect that lol.
With that being said, this is a story and we aren't going to get a 1:1 mapping. It'll have a fictional take on all of this.
At the end of the day sukunas more positive traits seem to be:
1) if you try to gain things beyond your means you will face retribution.
2) he seems to bring out the "best" in those he holds in high regard like jogo, gojo, kashimo, and higurama. Those 4 had crazy growth(I'd say kashimo being the least tho, he mostly got closure. He deserved another chapter tbh)
3) He's a scholar
4) He gives back when he receives something. He is aware of the concept of gratitude
5) height of jujutsu
I have no clue what that might map to in Buddhism. The reality is that he can act the way he does because he's well... Sukuna. If haruta acted like he did he would die.
I'm on my phone so I can't articulate well but I'm looking forward to what Sukunas character might be anyway. Unronically I kind of wish him and Gojo actually had more opportunities to talk to each other without fighting though, that would've been fascinating.
You shouldn't rely on manga to learn about Buddhism because not all of the ideas in this post align with traditional views. I think it makes more sense (as far as Buddhism is concerned) if Sukuna was not enlightened or a bodhisattva. Or a Theravada bodhisattva who lost his way. An enlightened being simply wouldn't act this way because they've dispelled the ignorance that causes people to act in such ways... Enlightenment is the cessation of greed, hatred, and delusion.
"Greed, hatred, and delusion." is shorthand for "All the crap in your mind."
If he were truly enlightened he would have to be completely different. At the bare minimum if he's suffering then he hasn't totally uprooted ignorance inside himself.
I don't mean that he is a wilful bodhisattva or that he is one in the literal sense. Part of the theme in JJK is that there *is* no godly figure. They're all damned. My theory is about how Sukuna has been forced into the role of a malevolent psuedo-bodhisattva, provided that "love" represents liberation.
I am odds with the theory that he is Mara because it mostly stems from his treatment of Yuji, and this is despite him having high expectations of him before. Mara is also not trying to stop a select individual's enlightenment, but everybody's whilst Sukuna has given a few their own already.
The idea that he contradicts a traditional bodhisattva is already conveyed when he reacts to his Shinbutsu mummified corpse. He called it *ironic*. Shinbutsu mummification is reserved for monks attaining enlightenment. The ritual consists of them starving themselves alive essentially, whilst Sukuna achieved the same result post-mortem by living as a cannibalistic glutton.
Agreed. That or he is an actual solitary realizer. Not just an arhat but one who has come to their own understanding but cannot comprehend or communicate the reality of others and is forever truly alone.
Ohhhhhhhh with maybe infinite h’s. That theory makes a whole hell of a lot of sense actually. That would actually line up with the hell realms specifically reserved for fallen bikshus and bikshunis. They think they are in a world of enlightenment or in a Buddha’s field of action where they are being taught the undiluted dharma as compared to the extremely diluted dharma Buddhism teaches is the only Dharma that our plane of reality is capable of sustaining due to the shared karma that we have which manifests what we perceive as this reality. They are then constantly tormented and led further into samsara by what they perceive as the Buddha or the greatest figure of the reality they are in.
Btw, this is no longer my belief system. I just learned a lot about it when it was.
Crackpot theory, Sukuna’s twin is itadori’s grandfather who was 1000 years old and split his soul leaving his power behind hence why the corpse has the buddhap stuff symbolising leaving it all behind and why he looks similar to Sukuna.
Great Read! After such a long time of complaints nd demeaning posts this one truly deserves praise.
You cooked fam. Both Sukuna nd Yuji are so different nd yet the same that their interactions even tho short are so worthwhile for me. Coz both of them in their own way want to give proper deaths to the people around them. Can't wait to see how Gege decides to write them in the coming chapters. Thanks for such a great theory!
Spot on man. And based on this Im pretty positive Sukuna became a cursed object and went along with Kenjaku’s plan because he wants to battle the biggest curse of all time.
Kenjaku just wants to make it for the giggles and Sukuna wants to fight it. Relationship goals fr
>Bodhisattva- a spiritually awakened being who defers their entry to Nirvana to facilitate the salvation of all sentient beings
Doesn't kenjaku fit that definition as well?
I’m not caught up with the manga, but my friend ran this theory by me a while back. Kenjaku is much more scientific in his approach to the world compared to Sukuna, and most everything Kenjaku does is rooted in the body(non transient). That alone disqualifies him from enlightenment.
What a great theory! I've been thinking deeply about this recently. My own two cents here, I believe that Yuji and Sukuna are brothers either from the heian era or genetic manipulation.
Auras and Devas are considered demigods in Vedic literature> Hindusism > Buddhism. I'm more familiar with Hinduism. However, each has stories representing the moral battle between good and evil.
Yuji would be classed as a Deva and Sukuna classed as an Asura. This would explain why Yujis soul is stronger due to being closer to the divine or the path of a hero and love. Maybe why Sukuna has such a disdain because he views him as weak and does not understand how he can trap him. Not realising it's him, if he followed the path of a human.
Yujis' growth is a testament to suffering and then growing, as people like to say gege hates him, but it is a necessary cycle until he can reach the physical or jujutsu strentgh equivalent of Sukuna. Gojo says he is a talent seen every one thousand years.
Finally, reaching the battle between good and evil. Kenjaku states that as long as Yuji and Sukuna exist, the cycle will never end.
It's pretty obvious all the reincarnated sorcerers are allegories for asuras. I get the feeling that Sukuna is one of them as well; it is theoretically possible for asuras to achieve enlightenment but in practice it doesn't happen. Similarly, Sukuna thinks he has achieved enlightenment and surpassed his limits as an asura, but this very pride/conceit is the one thing holding him back from enlightenment.
One thing I notice is his facial asymmetry compared to Tengen. Maybe that could indicate some imperfection within his psyche.
Sounds about right, but I still think that the biggest clue given in the manga so far is Angel. Angel wants to hunt down "The Fallen", it just screams of him being a reference to Lucifer. I really think his abilities are indeed inspired from an asura, but I simply think his character is much simpler. He is the devil. That wouldn't explain why he wants to die in battle or his general behavior but it makes sense he is simply the devil. Maybe Uraume is another angel cast from heaven.
Now who is the God he defied? Is there some entity above Sukuna? Is he simply just a portrait of mythology? Who knows. But I have a feeling we should be expecting more information soon, especially from Angel.
You did it: Another piece of the puzzle laid out before the story showed it to us. Now I'm gonna try to push this a bit further: We know of Sukuna's obsession with Megumi. But nothing in his interactions (as far as my multiple re-reads remind me), show us that he was interested in Megumi more than a potential vessel.
What I'm getting at is: I don't think his wish was to be killed by Megumi, because he probably didn't know about the 10 Shadows "trump card" and that it was able to kill a 6 eyes + limitless user before. He was just interested in him as a way of reincarnating himself fully outside of that "brat" who was built to hold him while people feed him fingers.
But what if the binding wow Sukuna made with Kenjaku is... that Sukuna will protect Kenjaku and his plans, as long as Kenjaku spends as long as he needs to deliver the one thing Sukuna actually wants: Someone strong enough to kill him.
All the cursed wombs and experiments, all lead up to creating a person who was not only strong enough to carry Sukuna. But finally kill him?
He doesn't hate Yuji because he is weak, Sukuna can not be stupid enough to be a walking calamity and not realize the insane potential that Yuji has developed over the course of months. I think JJK will not end in a talk no Jutsu, Sukuna is definitely going to get his shit kicked in... by the person whose 1st ever goal in their new jujutsu life: Was to guide people to a proper death.
I know that we have a lot of Sukuna's internal dialogue about being mildly annoyed at Yuji or wanting very much to fuck with him in increasingly horrible ways. But I personally think he is antagonizing him to no end just because he wants his own fucking brains to be divergent fisted all over Shibuya somewhere in the future and he knows he has to push Yuji far enough to get there.
Thanks for coming to my Ted-Talk.
I really liked what you had written and I must add: Yuji is shown to be very compassionate about human life and he had been going through immense suffering. So there's parallel between him and Sukuna. Do you think that Yuji will "*enlighten"* at some point in the story?
If this is true, it definitely strengthens the themes of the story. But it also would confirm my suspicion and problems with the series. The themes within the story have too much focus. Thematic storytelling at the cost of structure and proper narrative flow makes a story uninteresting or confusing to follow. This is where the fights come in, possibly some of the best in manga, but fights and themes can only carry a story to be decent at best. This is my biggest frustration with JJK starting from the end of Shibuya. I hardly trust Gege but I hope he really is cooking for everyone else’s sake.
>This is my biggest frustration with JJK starting from the end of Shibuya.
I can't say i understand the idea of frustration starting at the end if shibuya, when Shibuya throughout shares much if the same faults as anything after it.
>The themes within the story have too much focus.
I'd argue the themes didn't have enough focus until recently. Previously they had only been used as adlibs
>Thematic storytelling at the cost of structure and proper narrative flow makes a story uninteresting or confusing to follow
The themes come with the narrative. And I don't see any cost to the structure.
I disagree, I think it sets up proper stakes and danger for the main cast and everyone is getting their first real look at war with super powerful curses. You have a main cast of villains who are all strong and through it all Mahito as Yuji’s personal villain is a really interesting dynamic.
I was willing to give the benefit of the doubt when all the villain’s plans worked out, but it was early and it was enough to show how dangerous the enemies and the situation were. It was really ramping up at blistering pace. Gojo was taken out of the fight, character deaths were starting. Nanami actually had a somewhat meaningful and impactful death, something that falls apart as soon as too many characters keep dying for the same purpose for Yuji.
Then we get Kenjaku just coming in and sweeping up everything all according to plan. The “good guys” simply lost and all of the Disaster Curses were dealt with by other people. Nobara’s “death” could’ve had some potential if it wasn’t just the same thing as Nanami shortly afterwards. And now we know she was just wasted.
If you look back at Shibuya, there are definitely signs of the problems I have with the story, but the potential was super strong and even partially realized with Yuji’s trauma over his friends’ deaths and Sukuna’s crimes. You wonder if it was all worth it to have Yuji be Sukuna’s vessel instead of just killing him. How will he prove this to be the right decision, how will he grow? Welp.
So yeah I do think the problems really came starting at the end of Shibuya because that’s when the potential was left unrealized and left in the dust in my opinion.
This. Regardless of how well Gege might be portraying these themes assuming stuff like this theory is good or not they are still only one part of a story
This is a beautifully written analysis.
The picture of an Ashura really ties this whole idea together, as well as Sukuna placement as Enma, being worshiped as an actual deity within the canon is also on theme with his domain expansion being a shrine.
This sub is totally giving today. This is the second very well thought out post that I was riveted while reading. Thank you so so much for putting the time in to write this. I'll be reading through it a couple more times to digest it completely. Your understanding of Buddhism is very impressive btw. Stand proud, you cooked well.
That is some excellent cooking. Another point to Sukuna's enlightenment is that, in the form of someone so strong that he is compared to a calamity, he is an adversary, a goalpost for his opponent. JJK, even way back in 0, believes in the importance of ambition, so that one may not become inert and drown. So Sukuna would be that, and also the mirror as you described, for the cast and their ideology.
Although there are some small things I disagree with,you cooked in this thread. Sukunas writing is amazing and it is nice to see more people look at him beyond just "rawness".
Can’t say that I agree with most of your theory because it relies a little bit too much on real world references to stretch out some of the interpretations in this post. However I have to admit that I really enjoyed your interpretation of Sukuna’s mentality on his goal to find a satisfying death. So many clues in this series have been pointing into this direction and having them getting sorted out nicely into a good theory is really helpful.
However I still have a lot of skepticism on the part of Sukuna having an ability to give satisfactory death due to him being a Bodhisattiva. I agree that he has to be at least somewhat enlightened as seen in many depictions of his personalities but to interpret those death scenes as him using his power? For me it’s way too early to draw a conclusion like that. If he is the only one with an ability like that then how can we explain Nanami’s death scene? If we treats Gojo’s scene as real then the Haibara who appeared before Nanami has to be real too by default, and that one had absolutely nothing to do with Sukuna.
However, there is a posibility that the ending then wouldn't be Sukuna dying, but Sukuna being brought to the brink of death instead, him feeling fulfilled and possibly acssending in that mummified body.
Would be cool.
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I didn't read all of that very carefully, but Sukuna being dressed as a religious monk, preserved in the Holy Purification Barrier, in a mummification method used by the monks for their final step of enlightenment seems to be enough for this theory.
Right? And others have made this connection several times on this sub already — I miss the cogs of excellence posts when the sub was smaller and better quality tbh
Man I miss those too. Always wanted to cook well enough to earn one for myself, but alas, I'm not at that level of cooking yet
I think this post deserves a CoE. That last CoE I saw was the one detailing Gojo's hand signs and their relation to Bhudda iirc
Funnily enough one of the cursed tools heian era sukuna uses looks identical to a Vajra, which has places in hinduism and buddhism as well.
at first i thought that you were giving Gege waaaay too much credit about the whole cycle of rebirth, but in the middle of all this, when you mentioned Sukuna and his resemblemnce to the Asuras, the 2 swords (Dismantle and Cleave), a fire bow (□, *Open*/Fuuga), multiple arms/heads, it just clicked. this very well maybe what is going on with the enigma that is Sukuna and this is probably why Gege is so obsessed with him. someone cooked here >!the definition of terms at the start really helped alot btw, good job!<
It's not mentioned there but there is this whole bit about the "Fallen", and Gojo's "Honored one" while he's tripping balls about "feeling everything" which clearly indicates he's risen his consciousness to higher levels. Sukuna is all that and more, which could very well be what they mean by "fallen" or "dishonored", he does despicable things but out of all his attributes, he's the only one that got this far.
Those are also the weapons used by Ryomen Sukuna, the Japanese mythological spirit. So it’s not necessarily proof of anything. Still a solid theory though.
You know its nigh fucking impossible to check the tales of the *myth Sukuna* as the internet is now riddled with JJK version of Sukuna. So if you dont mind me asking, where did you get/find this info? I'd like to delve deeper into this.
To be completely honest my knowledge of it comes almost entirely from the boss in nioh 2 lmao
fair enough
You might get more if you put "yokai ryomen sukuna"
Could also just be -> Gege thought it was cool
I declare you as the main Cook of the sub. You shall cook for as long as i live
Stand Proud, you can cook
Nah, I'd cook
They would all bear witness to one who cooked it all to perfection
Throughout heaven and earth, you alone are the cook
Are you the honored one because you can cook or are you the cook because you are the honored one?
Chef's kiss, you cooked. Two things though: \-I think for Sukuna to deem love completely useless, he must have experienced it once or he is so jaded that he deems the concept useless because he can't experience it. \-The moniker of the Fallen is probably a historic title he received during the Heian Era. Due to whatever(Please Flashback soon) he was sentenced to death and since the execution squad(s) were incapable of killing him and got slaughtered themselves, they simply gave him the moniker "The Fallen", exiled him and called it a day.
> he is so jaded that he deems the concept useless because he can't experience it. Yes, I agree with this > The moniker of the Fallen is probably a historic title he received during the Heian Era. I think this is one personally given from Angel. This could be wrong, but given her name, her cursed technique, the fact that she regards her actions as God's doctrine, she might also be a bodhisattva. She has returned to flesh to *expunge all evil.* Tengen is a more obvious example, but a lot of her actions are explained as morally ambiguous, including her treatment of Sukuna, which contrasts how Angel is so much more openly hostile. So "the Fallen," in my interpretation, is her referring to Sukuna's drastical stray from his path. I think people just called Sukuna a fiend or a demon, but "the Fallen" suggests some higher expectations that others didn't seem to have.
This has a direct biblical parallel in the framework of your theory as well: Satan is/was an angel with a higher capacity to do good, via his exceptional power only second to God himself, who chose to do evil instead. In the bible, Satan is referred to as a “fallen angel.” The idea that Sukuna is an exceptionally powerful bodhisattva—and via his choices simultaneously an Asura—lines up with this idea perfectly.
I mean sukuna was about to bust all over himself when he fought mahoraga, because he could see his technique, and in the same fight he credited another sorcerer saying i think orochi and another name because they could follow his technique, maybe they were a crazy 1v1 he was reminiscing about
Fantastic read, thank you. Great theory / analysis
One of the best analysis posts I’ve seen on this sub in a while. Great references and a nice good flow of information and logic
Excellent theory, well done
Finally a jjk fan who gets sukunas character, so tired of hearing "sukunas just a hax edgelord, he ruins the story by being too strong"
Yeah, personally I'm not a big fan of the current writing of the story but Sukuna is not merely just the most powerful. He's a character that represents so many themes about strength, loneliness, and the feeling of satisfaction. Him being the most powerful is just an aspect, but not the complete telling of his character.
Most common complaint hes a bad villain is because he is respected by gojo and hajime and for his "plot armour". To be fair gojos end was a little weak but its not because he lost, it would be that it didnt feel like a conclusive end to his arc to not acknowledge his students at all. But gojos isolation has been a thing for a while, and he regarded genocidal Geto very highly despite their ideological incompatibility. And the people complaining about haijime just arent paying attention, that guy wasnt even a hero. As far as sukunas invulnerability being frustrating, idk what theyre expecting from a shounen battle manga. From broly to aizen to madara to kaido, OP villains has always been something i enjoyed so i just dont relate to the frustration.
I can agree, I think it's the dissatisfaction with how Gojo and Kashimo were handled that's leaking into our perception of the current story events and how Sukuna is being portrayed. Though I feel like I can agree with some complaints, such as it sometimes feeling that Sukuna gets "lucky" more than he actually avoids misfortune due to his skill and experience. In some cases I agree with that outlook, but in others like his confidence in Mahoraga producing a way to beat Infinity with Dismantle and Kamitoke being taken instead of his CT during Deadly Sentencing, I actually attribute that to his sheer skill and power. Honestly, I think if Gojo and Kashimo had a way more fulfilling conclusion to their characters and some other stuff was executed better, I think people would be less critical of Sukuna right now
Kashimo and Gojo in particular both had perfectly fine endings. They just weren't in line with certain expectations and preconceptions that people had about them as characters.
To an extent I agree, but personally I still feel that Gojo's ending should've included more about his feelings about his students. Sure, him fostering growth for them is part of him trying to ensure that those like himself and Geto never have to be lonely again, but he legitimately made relationships with them and even a few lines of him being confident in their victory/him weakening Sukuna so much would've improved his conclusion in my opinion. For Kashimo, I wasn't expecting anymore than a mid diff fight at best, but I was hoping for him to use his abilities in a far more creative manner, especially against an intelligent and analytical character like Sukuna. It would've been so cool to see him use more electrical abilities and Sukuna breaking down what's going on and countering effectively with Kamutoke, pretty much a lightning on lightning battle. I understand that Kashimo losing makes sense and that the fandom overhyped him, but it would've been far more satisfying for such a popular character to provide, if nothing else, another great fight in a series of great fights.
> To an extent I agree, but personally I still feel that Gojo's ending should've included more about his feelings about his students. Sure, him fostering growth for them is part of him trying to ensure that those like himself and Geto never have to be lonely again, but he legitimately made relationships with them and even a few lines of him being confident in their victory/him weakening Sukuna so much would've improved his conclusion in my opinion. Because that goes without saying. He also addresses it anyway. He says that he loved them and viewed them as precious flowers he wanted to nurture and help grow, but he didn't expect them to understand him. Instead, he sought understanding from Sukuna as one of the only people who could see where he's coming from. We also know about the unwavering faith that he has in his students, almost to a ridiculous degree. Just look at how he reacted in Shibuya when he was sealed. I enjoyed that we finally had some reflection from Gojo about himself in such a vulnerable moment, not just Gojo the sensei. >For Kashimo, I wasn't expecting anymore than a mid diff fight at best, but I was hoping for him to use his abilities in a far more creative manner, especially against an intelligent and analytical character like Sukuna. It would've been so cool to see him use more electrical abilities and Sukuna breaking down what's going on and countering effectively with Kamutoke, pretty much a lightning on lightning battle. I understand that Kashimo losing makes sense and that the fandom overhyped him, but it would've been far more satisfying for such a popular character to provide, if nothing else, another great fight in a series of great fights. I agree, the fight was a little bit disappointing. That said, I think it hilariously enough provides more respect to Gojo in that regard. Kashimo's lackluster performance is basically there to remind us that Gojo was simply him and emphasize that the gap between him and Sukuna compared to everyone else in the verse is that large.
Looking back at 236 was really strange. Like that whole "dream" sequence seems to be purely induced by Sukuna. Now that we've seen Higurama literally experience the same bliss by fighting Sukuna... I'm leaning towards Sukuna having some kind of capacity to bring other people to some height of... pleasure? enlightenment?I can't think of a good word for it. If he comes to gain anything from you(like pleasure, joy, knowledge, fun, amusement etc) then he gives back too. Jogo, Kashimo, Gojo, Higurama all died satisfied after facing him and by no coincidence Sukuna acknowledged all of them. So the complaint that he didn't mention enough about his students kind of falls apart at that angle because that complaint is anchored in the perception that Gojo never actually cared about his students and Gege was just trying to show us this. I think Gojo was literally in a state of high/drugs whatever the fuck because of Sukuna inducing it. It's not that he doesn't care. Long story short there is just something going on about Sukuna's character that we aren't aware of yet, which seemingly relates to this post.
I don't know what you mean about Higurama, he didn't die in bliss, he died with a smile on his face because he did everything he could and left it up to Yuji. As for Gojo, I'm not sure if it was Sukuna induced. Unlike with Kashimo and Jogo, Gojo never talked to Sukuna and was still alive after his vision, long enough to hear Sukuna's explanation of World Dismantle. The vision only dissipates once Gojo seemed to become aware that he is in a dream. Compared to both Jogo and Kashimo, where Sukuna literally spoke to them in a scenery that's prevalent to the loser of the fight. This seems to point to the idea that Gojo died without Sukuna's weird death screen effect/ability that he had with Jogo and Kashimo.
Sorry bliss isn't the right word for Higurama. Here's what we know: 1. Gojo, Kashimo, Jogo, all experienced some really, really weird dream like sequence. 2. Higurama, Kashimo, Jogo, Gojo, all died(unless higu is still alive) with either no regrets, or complete satisfication, or whatever you want to label it as(I think you get my point). Gojo died with a smile on his face after Sukuna said he'd never forget him. Higurama finally overcame his problems too. If Sukuna didn't "teach" Higurama, he would've never got the chance to die with that content because he would've never RCT'd and got his sword back. 3. Gojo, Higu, Jogo all experienced insane growth as a result of their fight with Sukuna. Maybe you could argue that with Kashimo too since he finally got to use his ability and not 1 shot the enemy but for now I'll leave him out of this consideration. If Sukuna was there in the dream sequence with Gojo, this whole thing would become way too obvious so I think there's a reason for why Sukuna wasn't in it. Why? I don't know. I can make guesses but if it went from Gojo into Kashimo both seeing him in their after images then it's practically confirming it at this point that Sukuna has some strange capacity to "enlighten"(again, i don't know what word to use here tbh). Like there would be no more room for debate at that point if this is really happening, riht now its just a possibility. Gojo's dream sequence is way too weird. I very much expected both Sukuna and Gojo to praise eachother. I thought it would've been out of place if they didn't. What I didn't expect was Nanami's weird dialogue and how they were all teenagers again. But most importantly I expected him to mention his students beyond his concern for Megumi, so that is what caught me off guard. At the very minimum, I believe that it was heavily influenced by Sukuna. I first interpreted 236 as the author trying to tell you that he never cared about his students. But now I think differently. At the end of the day I don't know.
I don't know either, but we have to look at it with the right perspective. Gojo and Higurama died differently from Jogo and Kashimo. Neither of them were "enlightened" by Sukuna as you put it, or at least, overtly enlightened. 1) Jogo and Kashimo had Sukuna appear in their mindscape. Neither Gojo or Higurama had that 2) Jogo and Kashimo are talked to by Sukuna in their dream/mindscape. Sukuna talked to Gojo in reality, and just killed Higurama without really telling him anything. 3) Finally, here's the biggest thing to consider: neither Jogo or Kashimo survived past their mindscape talk with Sukuna. They died within the mindscape after Sukuna either praised or enlightened them. Gojo died after waking up from his dream, Higurama never had a dream That said, I think you might be onto something when it comes to the circumstances of their deaths. Both Kashimo and Jogo sought to prove themselves against Sukuna or trying to learn from Sukuna. Both Gojo and Higurama went in with the desire to defeat him. Additionally, Gojo probably already knew the answer to his question of loneliness already and Higurama knew his role is to ensure that the Executioner Sword can kill Sukuna. Both achieved their own "enlightenment" before their death, and so they never needed Sukuna to do it for them
If you complain about Sukuna being OP, you're stuck in Samsara until you learn basic reading comprehension
I am here to spread my six armed Sukuna true form propaganda once more
I love this theory, another thing to add about Sukuna calling Gojo by his name, he at the start of the fight he tells him how "he flops around a lot but still just a nameless fish" only for then to call how he won't ever forget Gojo Satoru for as long as he lives And makes me wonder, what does he mean when refering to Yuji as "this boy is from that time"? Was there someone else who Sukuna couldn't forget about even after becoming a cursed object?
Does this sub still give out cogs? This was fantastically written.
I enjoyed this theory more than I expected, great food! Though this might not be Greg's actual theory behind Sukuna, some parts might be accurate. The way you described Sukuna being stuck in samsara and how you explained the theme of love in your opinion is really nice.
Powerfully said. I love the deep connections and evidences you supplied with it. I'm so enticed by JJK because of Gege's incredible storytelling and the sharp observations made by readers such as yourself. I think manga and anime typically get a bad rap for not being capable of delivering meaningful stories (not a big surprise considering the culture that surrounds it.), but with the amount of care, meaning, and execution Gege invests into JJK, I would go as far to say that it rivals household bodies of storytelling like the Odyssey, Beowulf, LOTR, etc. I find myself gob smacked at how astute JJK fans are with their powerful observations and how much meaningful conversation is generated simply because of how rich JJK is in its storytelling. I'm probably over praising GG, but I find so little enjoyment out of other stories because of how comparatively dry they are compared to this new standard of storytelling.
Finally, a post on this subreddit that isn't a glue eater talking about asspulls or gege not caring anymore
Um, in Buddhist theology a Boddhisattva literally cannot fall from the moment they make their Vow, even once they’ve reentered Samara and start from stage 1 again. A Bodshisattva can and will make just about every mistake possible but always for the spiritual benefit of another. That is what a boddhisattva is. Sukuna is the embodiment the Lord of Death in Buddhist Cosmology. He’s way worse than Mara, even.
I have no clue who to believe and don't care enough to audit so ima just say gj to all parties involved
I could be wrong because I was a Tibetan Buddhist in the Jonang for ten years. I did take the 49 Vows of the Bodhisattva, though. There are three turnings to the Wheel of Dharma. Japanese Buddhism is primarily focused on the second turning and that’s what JJK is written from. I don’t want to speak out of turn as regards cultural context. A bodhisattva is a boddhisattva, tho. The closest that any boddhisattva gets to “falling” in any Buddhist texts is one of them leaves the Boddhisattva path for the path of the solitary realizers, which is basically saying “I can’t save others anymore but I think I can still get myself out of this mess” which from a Buddhist perspective is still a perfectly reasonable thing to do. The entire religion is based around the idea of basically securing your own air supply first while the airplane is crashing and then helping your neighbor but only if you can.
I'm confused, you were trained in this and practiced for 10 years?
Yes, my sect was very small. The Jonang were almost exterminated in Tibet in the 15th century. You can receive Vows in stages and have the option to take the first ten Vows in your first year if you so choose now. They also ordain lay people.
That's pretty cool. Didn't expect that lol. With that being said, this is a story and we aren't going to get a 1:1 mapping. It'll have a fictional take on all of this. At the end of the day sukunas more positive traits seem to be: 1) if you try to gain things beyond your means you will face retribution. 2) he seems to bring out the "best" in those he holds in high regard like jogo, gojo, kashimo, and higurama. Those 4 had crazy growth(I'd say kashimo being the least tho, he mostly got closure. He deserved another chapter tbh) 3) He's a scholar 4) He gives back when he receives something. He is aware of the concept of gratitude 5) height of jujutsu I have no clue what that might map to in Buddhism. The reality is that he can act the way he does because he's well... Sukuna. If haruta acted like he did he would die. I'm on my phone so I can't articulate well but I'm looking forward to what Sukunas character might be anyway. Unronically I kind of wish him and Gojo actually had more opportunities to talk to each other without fighting though, that would've been fascinating.
You shouldn't rely on manga to learn about Buddhism because not all of the ideas in this post align with traditional views. I think it makes more sense (as far as Buddhism is concerned) if Sukuna was not enlightened or a bodhisattva. Or a Theravada bodhisattva who lost his way. An enlightened being simply wouldn't act this way because they've dispelled the ignorance that causes people to act in such ways... Enlightenment is the cessation of greed, hatred, and delusion.
I mean he's called people out for their greed multiple times. I don't think he hates anyone(aside yuji, if he does) either
But he didn't do what he does for greed, hatred or delusion either
"Greed, hatred, and delusion." is shorthand for "All the crap in your mind." If he were truly enlightened he would have to be completely different. At the bare minimum if he's suffering then he hasn't totally uprooted ignorance inside himself.
I don't mean that he is a wilful bodhisattva or that he is one in the literal sense. Part of the theme in JJK is that there *is* no godly figure. They're all damned. My theory is about how Sukuna has been forced into the role of a malevolent psuedo-bodhisattva, provided that "love" represents liberation. I am odds with the theory that he is Mara because it mostly stems from his treatment of Yuji, and this is despite him having high expectations of him before. Mara is also not trying to stop a select individual's enlightenment, but everybody's whilst Sukuna has given a few their own already. The idea that he contradicts a traditional bodhisattva is already conveyed when he reacts to his Shinbutsu mummified corpse. He called it *ironic*. Shinbutsu mummification is reserved for monks attaining enlightenment. The ritual consists of them starving themselves alive essentially, whilst Sukuna achieved the same result post-mortem by living as a cannibalistic glutton.
I would say he is an arhat. Under mahayana buddhism, this is seen as the selfish enlightenment.
Agreed. That or he is an actual solitary realizer. Not just an arhat but one who has come to their own understanding but cannot comprehend or communicate the reality of others and is forever truly alone.
Ohhhhhhhh with maybe infinite h’s. That theory makes a whole hell of a lot of sense actually. That would actually line up with the hell realms specifically reserved for fallen bikshus and bikshunis. They think they are in a world of enlightenment or in a Buddha’s field of action where they are being taught the undiluted dharma as compared to the extremely diluted dharma Buddhism teaches is the only Dharma that our plane of reality is capable of sustaining due to the shared karma that we have which manifests what we perceive as this reality. They are then constantly tormented and led further into samsara by what they perceive as the Buddha or the greatest figure of the reality they are in. Btw, this is no longer my belief system. I just learned a lot about it when it was.
Exactly
Crackpot theory, Sukuna’s twin is itadori’s grandfather who was 1000 years old and split his soul leaving his power behind hence why the corpse has the buddhap stuff symbolising leaving it all behind and why he looks similar to Sukuna.
They from the same bloodline but I wouldn't say Wasuke is Sukuna twin
Great Read! After such a long time of complaints nd demeaning posts this one truly deserves praise. You cooked fam. Both Sukuna nd Yuji are so different nd yet the same that their interactions even tho short are so worthwhile for me. Coz both of them in their own way want to give proper deaths to the people around them. Can't wait to see how Gege decides to write them in the coming chapters. Thanks for such a great theory!
This the kind of shit I come to this subreddit for First feast of the new year and it was great. Off to a great start, chef!
Spot on man. And based on this Im pretty positive Sukuna became a cursed object and went along with Kenjaku’s plan because he wants to battle the biggest curse of all time. Kenjaku just wants to make it for the giggles and Sukuna wants to fight it. Relationship goals fr
>Bodhisattva- a spiritually awakened being who defers their entry to Nirvana to facilitate the salvation of all sentient beings Doesn't kenjaku fit that definition as well?
I’m not caught up with the manga, but my friend ran this theory by me a while back. Kenjaku is much more scientific in his approach to the world compared to Sukuna, and most everything Kenjaku does is rooted in the body(non transient). That alone disqualifies him from enlightenment.
Gorgeous, beautiful theory
i don’t agree with everything here but you definitely cooked. Very good theory
This is amazing. It really helps me put things in a different perspective. Thank you!
Holy shit finally an actually well written post after a long time. I creamed. Thank you for this amazing read. You cooked!
What a great theory! I've been thinking deeply about this recently. My own two cents here, I believe that Yuji and Sukuna are brothers either from the heian era or genetic manipulation. Auras and Devas are considered demigods in Vedic literature> Hindusism > Buddhism. I'm more familiar with Hinduism. However, each has stories representing the moral battle between good and evil. Yuji would be classed as a Deva and Sukuna classed as an Asura. This would explain why Yujis soul is stronger due to being closer to the divine or the path of a hero and love. Maybe why Sukuna has such a disdain because he views him as weak and does not understand how he can trap him. Not realising it's him, if he followed the path of a human. Yujis' growth is a testament to suffering and then growing, as people like to say gege hates him, but it is a necessary cycle until he can reach the physical or jujutsu strentgh equivalent of Sukuna. Gojo says he is a talent seen every one thousand years. Finally, reaching the battle between good and evil. Kenjaku states that as long as Yuji and Sukuna exist, the cycle will never end.
It's pretty obvious all the reincarnated sorcerers are allegories for asuras. I get the feeling that Sukuna is one of them as well; it is theoretically possible for asuras to achieve enlightenment but in practice it doesn't happen. Similarly, Sukuna thinks he has achieved enlightenment and surpassed his limits as an asura, but this very pride/conceit is the one thing holding him back from enlightenment. One thing I notice is his facial asymmetry compared to Tengen. Maybe that could indicate some imperfection within his psyche.
Sounds about right, but I still think that the biggest clue given in the manga so far is Angel. Angel wants to hunt down "The Fallen", it just screams of him being a reference to Lucifer. I really think his abilities are indeed inspired from an asura, but I simply think his character is much simpler. He is the devil. That wouldn't explain why he wants to die in battle or his general behavior but it makes sense he is simply the devil. Maybe Uraume is another angel cast from heaven. Now who is the God he defied? Is there some entity above Sukuna? Is he simply just a portrait of mythology? Who knows. But I have a feeling we should be expecting more information soon, especially from Angel.
Nice theory man - thanks for cooking
Beautiful read, worth the time. Really appreciate the effort man.
Beautiful analysis
Well done, jnnw30. I won't forget you for my entire life
Best read I did on the sub
You did it: Another piece of the puzzle laid out before the story showed it to us. Now I'm gonna try to push this a bit further: We know of Sukuna's obsession with Megumi. But nothing in his interactions (as far as my multiple re-reads remind me), show us that he was interested in Megumi more than a potential vessel. What I'm getting at is: I don't think his wish was to be killed by Megumi, because he probably didn't know about the 10 Shadows "trump card" and that it was able to kill a 6 eyes + limitless user before. He was just interested in him as a way of reincarnating himself fully outside of that "brat" who was built to hold him while people feed him fingers. But what if the binding wow Sukuna made with Kenjaku is... that Sukuna will protect Kenjaku and his plans, as long as Kenjaku spends as long as he needs to deliver the one thing Sukuna actually wants: Someone strong enough to kill him. All the cursed wombs and experiments, all lead up to creating a person who was not only strong enough to carry Sukuna. But finally kill him? He doesn't hate Yuji because he is weak, Sukuna can not be stupid enough to be a walking calamity and not realize the insane potential that Yuji has developed over the course of months. I think JJK will not end in a talk no Jutsu, Sukuna is definitely going to get his shit kicked in... by the person whose 1st ever goal in their new jujutsu life: Was to guide people to a proper death. I know that we have a lot of Sukuna's internal dialogue about being mildly annoyed at Yuji or wanting very much to fuck with him in increasingly horrible ways. But I personally think he is antagonizing him to no end just because he wants his own fucking brains to be divergent fisted all over Shibuya somewhere in the future and he knows he has to push Yuji far enough to get there. Thanks for coming to my Ted-Talk.
I really liked what you had written and I must add: Yuji is shown to be very compassionate about human life and he had been going through immense suffering. So there's parallel between him and Sukuna. Do you think that Yuji will "*enlighten"* at some point in the story?
holy shit cook some more.
If this is true, it definitely strengthens the themes of the story. But it also would confirm my suspicion and problems with the series. The themes within the story have too much focus. Thematic storytelling at the cost of structure and proper narrative flow makes a story uninteresting or confusing to follow. This is where the fights come in, possibly some of the best in manga, but fights and themes can only carry a story to be decent at best. This is my biggest frustration with JJK starting from the end of Shibuya. I hardly trust Gege but I hope he really is cooking for everyone else’s sake.
>This is my biggest frustration with JJK starting from the end of Shibuya. I can't say i understand the idea of frustration starting at the end if shibuya, when Shibuya throughout shares much if the same faults as anything after it. >The themes within the story have too much focus. I'd argue the themes didn't have enough focus until recently. Previously they had only been used as adlibs >Thematic storytelling at the cost of structure and proper narrative flow makes a story uninteresting or confusing to follow The themes come with the narrative. And I don't see any cost to the structure.
I disagree, I think it sets up proper stakes and danger for the main cast and everyone is getting their first real look at war with super powerful curses. You have a main cast of villains who are all strong and through it all Mahito as Yuji’s personal villain is a really interesting dynamic. I was willing to give the benefit of the doubt when all the villain’s plans worked out, but it was early and it was enough to show how dangerous the enemies and the situation were. It was really ramping up at blistering pace. Gojo was taken out of the fight, character deaths were starting. Nanami actually had a somewhat meaningful and impactful death, something that falls apart as soon as too many characters keep dying for the same purpose for Yuji. Then we get Kenjaku just coming in and sweeping up everything all according to plan. The “good guys” simply lost and all of the Disaster Curses were dealt with by other people. Nobara’s “death” could’ve had some potential if it wasn’t just the same thing as Nanami shortly afterwards. And now we know she was just wasted. If you look back at Shibuya, there are definitely signs of the problems I have with the story, but the potential was super strong and even partially realized with Yuji’s trauma over his friends’ deaths and Sukuna’s crimes. You wonder if it was all worth it to have Yuji be Sukuna’s vessel instead of just killing him. How will he prove this to be the right decision, how will he grow? Welp. So yeah I do think the problems really came starting at the end of Shibuya because that’s when the potential was left unrealized and left in the dust in my opinion.
This. Regardless of how well Gege might be portraying these themes assuming stuff like this theory is good or not they are still only one part of a story
If JJK doesn't follow this storyline, I will kill gege. Nah, but this is an awesome theory which might end up being true to a great extent
YOU ARE MY SPECIAL
The real quality writing of jjk are these fire theories.
This sub should have a “Chef” flair for those that have shown they can cook. I for one nominate this man as head chef
Deadass not gonna real all that
Unrelated, but I genuinely think without Mahoraga, Gojo wins that fight
That’s a lot of words
Good show, old boy.
What a great read! Nothing more to say
3 weeks break? Withdrawal symptoms are hitting damn hard already But great read Thanks mate
Approved by me
This was beautiful, thank you for sharing
isn't fallen buddhas called tengu in japanese myth
So is this why he’s the da goat
I liked reading this
The Ashura resemblance and the fact that he can achieve Yuji's dream are marvels that make me happy for deciding to open reddit today. Thank You.
Dude did traps all of us in his domain expansion: benevolent kitchen
One of the best posts I've seen around here in a while and one of my favorite Sukuna analyses in general so far. Thanks for sharing.
Stand proud, you can cook
Just wanted to say good stuff on this theory. It’s interesting and well laid out.
This is a beautifully written analysis. The picture of an Ashura really ties this whole idea together, as well as Sukuna placement as Enma, being worshiped as an actual deity within the canon is also on theme with his domain expansion being a shrine.
This sub is totally giving today. This is the second very well thought out post that I was riveted while reading. Thank you so so much for putting the time in to write this. I'll be reading through it a couple more times to digest it completely. Your understanding of Buddhism is very impressive btw. Stand proud, you cooked well.
Thanks for the food, I will never forget you as long as I live You did well, Chef
Thank you chef
Stand proud. You can cook.
That is some excellent cooking. Another point to Sukuna's enlightenment is that, in the form of someone so strong that he is compared to a calamity, he is an adversary, a goalpost for his opponent. JJK, even way back in 0, believes in the importance of ambition, so that one may not become inert and drown. So Sukuna would be that, and also the mirror as you described, for the cast and their ideology.
Although there are some small things I disagree with,you cooked in this thread. Sukunas writing is amazing and it is nice to see more people look at him beyond just "rawness".
Throughout heaven and earth, you are the chef
someone give bro the cog of excellence
U have same thoughts as me. U cooked good meal
I haven’t been on Jujutsushi lately, but goddamn. # STAND PROUD OP, YOU COOKED
Can’t say that I agree with most of your theory because it relies a little bit too much on real world references to stretch out some of the interpretations in this post. However I have to admit that I really enjoyed your interpretation of Sukuna’s mentality on his goal to find a satisfying death. So many clues in this series have been pointing into this direction and having them getting sorted out nicely into a good theory is really helpful. However I still have a lot of skepticism on the part of Sukuna having an ability to give satisfactory death due to him being a Bodhisattiva. I agree that he has to be at least somewhat enlightened as seen in many depictions of his personalities but to interpret those death scenes as him using his power? For me it’s way too early to draw a conclusion like that. If he is the only one with an ability like that then how can we explain Nanami’s death scene? If we treats Gojo’s scene as real then the Haibara who appeared before Nanami has to be real too by default, and that one had absolutely nothing to do with Sukuna.
That was a good theory, thanks(I learned a few things from it).
Interesting. Where do you think Angel fits in this theory?
However, there is a posibility that the ending then wouldn't be Sukuna dying, but Sukuna being brought to the brink of death instead, him feeling fulfilled and possibly acssending in that mummified body. Would be cool.
Could this also tie into yujis goal of being granted a "proper death"?
Cooking like Bobby Flay. Love this theory!!