Unlocking the Secrets of Jujutsu Kaisen's Divine Limitations

Highlights

In Jujutsu Kaisen, Heavenly Restrictions are limitations placed on sorcerers at birth in exchange for certain abilities or attributes.

As a consequence of Kokichi Muta's Heavenly Restriction, he suffered the loss of his right arm and lower portion of both legs. However, in exchange, he acquired a significant amount of cursed energy and gained mastery over puppet control.

On the other hand, Maki Zenin's Heavenly Restriction bestowed upon her enhanced physical strength and expertise in cursed tools, but at the cost of depleting her cursed energy.

Most Jujutsu sorcerers in Jujutsu Kaisen possess immensely powerful abilities that are inherent to them from birth. These abilities reflect their identities and can be used with devastating impact. However, a select few sorcerers have had to relinquish something meaningful at birth to stand alongside their peers. These specific sorcerers are assigned "Heavenly Restrictions," which act as limitations on their powers.

In the world of Jujutsu Kaisen, there are currently only three known characters who carry these Heavenly Restrictions. Although they may lack in one aspect, they compensate by gaining something else in return. This allows them to make exchanges and modify their abilities. There are two types of Heavenly Restrictions, both of which we will explore in this article.

What is a Heavenly Restriction?

A Heavenly Restriction is a limitation placed upon a sorcerer from birth. It involves a contract where the cursed energy within the sorcerer's body is altered in exchange for something else. The most well-known type of Heavenly Restriction involves significantly reducing or eliminating the inherent cursed energy within a sorcerer. This results in a tremendous enhancement of the sorcerer's physical abilities, as demonstrated by Toji and Maki in the Culling Game.

On the other hand, the second type of Heavenly Restriction operates in the opposite manner. It involves sacrificing physical abilities in exchange for a large amount of cursed energy that can be used for cursed techniques. Users with this Restriction possess an unusually high level of cursed energy. This was exemplified by 'Mechamaru', or Kokichi Muta, who exchanged most of his physicality for a massive pool of cursed energy. Examining these characters provides insight into how the Heavenly Restriction affects them and helps us gain a better understanding of this concept.

Mechamaru/Kokichi Muta

Kokichi Muta's Heavenly Restriction is an extreme case. This pact resulted in him being born without his right arm and the lower parts of both legs. His skin is so delicate that even moonlight is said to be able to burn it. Additionally, he constantly experiences excruciating pain, likened to being stabbed all over his body. To alleviate this pain, he must always be seated in a water-filled bathtub and covered in bandages.

Despite these hardships, Kokichi Muta gained an enormous amount of cursed energy and the ability to control multiple Mechamaru puppets simultaneously. Remarkably, the range of his technique surpasses that of any other character in the series, as he can manipulate his puppets within a radius equivalent to that of Japan. However, he does not consider this a fair trade. He despises his condition and would willingly exchange his cursed energy for a normal body if given the chance.

Maki Zenin

Maki was born into the world of Jujutsu with the opposite type of Heavenly Restriction compared to Mechamaru. From birth, she had very little cursed energy, but she compensated for this by being exceptionally strong and fast, surpassing her peers in physical abilities. However, her Restriction was not fully realized initially due to being a twin, resulting in her being relatively weak at the beginning of the story.

During the Culling Game arc, Maki finds herself thrown into a pit filled with numerous cursed spirits. Initially, she lacks the strength to defend herself against them. It is during this crucial moment that Maki's Heavenly Restriction reaches its maximum potential. She sacrifices whatever remaining cursed energy she possesses in exchange for attaining peak physical prowess. At this stage, Maki becomes as powerful as Toji, sharing his lack of cursed energy within her body.

Toji Fushiguro

Toji earned the nickname 'Sorcerer Killer' for his exceptional abilities and early mastery of his Heavenly Restriction. Unlike Maki, who possessed little cursed energy at birth, Toji was born without any, causing him to be rejected by the Zenin clan, renowned for their emphasis on cursed techniques. Despite being subjected to the same cursed spirits as punishment, Toji only bore a scar on his lip. His resentment towards Jujutsu society stemmed from their mistreatment of him due to his unique ability.

With zero cursed energy, Toji's physical prowess surpassed anyone else's, allowing him to fully utilize his body. While Maki is considered to be equally formidable, many fans believe that Toji's experience and honed skills, developed since his youth with his perfect physique, would still make him the superior fighter. It was these very skills that enabled him to defeat the likes of Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto, special grade sorcerers who posed a threat even to the entire Jujutsu society, ultimately reshaping the world.

Many argue that the limitations placed on sorcerers by Heavenly Restrictions in Jujutsu Kaisen are unfair. However, these restrictions actually give users the opportunity to unlock their full potential, granting them abilities that surpass those of their peers. This is evident through the impressive feats accomplished by Maki and Toji, which place them on a level far superior to other Jujutsu sorcerers.

For fans of Jujutsu Kaisen, the series is available to read through Viz Media and can also be accessed for free on the Shonen Jump and Manga Plus app. Additionally, the Jujutsu Kaisen anime can be streamed on Amazon Prime.