Ryomen Sukuna is the primary antagonist of Jujutsu Kaisen, created by Gege Akutami. Known as the King of Curses, Sukuna was a human sorcerer who lived during the Heian Era — the golden age of jujutsu — over a thousand years ago. He was so overwhelmingly powerful that no sorcerer could defeat him, and after his death, his power was preserved across twenty indestructible fingers that became cursed objects of immense power. In the modern era, the story begins when high school student Yuji Itadori swallows one of these fingers to save his friends, becoming the vessel for Sukuna's reincarnation and setting the events of Jujutsu Kaisen into motion.
Sukuna's combat abilities place him at the absolute pinnacle of the Jujutsu Kaisen power system. His innate technique consists of two slashing attacks — Cleave (which automatically adjusts its power to match the target's toughness and cursed energy) and Dismantle (a default slash effective against inanimate objects and unprotected targets). He also possesses a fire-based technique called Open (Fuga), the Reverse Cursed Technique for self-healing, and mastery over Domain Expansion. His domain, Malevolent Shrine, is unique in that it requires no barrier — by giving up the defensive advantage of a closed barrier through a binding vow, Sukuna's guaranteed-hit effect gains a massive effective range, blanketing the area in relentless slashing attacks.
The dynamic between Sukuna and Gojo Satoru represents the central power conflict in Jujutsu Kaisen. Gojo, the strongest sorcerer of the modern era, is often compared to Sukuna, the strongest of the ancient era. Their long-awaited battle in the manga's Shinjuku Showdown arc became one of the most discussed fights in recent manga history. Sukuna, having taken over Megumi Fushiguro's body to gain access to the Ten Shadows Technique, summoned and adapted the divine shikigami Mahoraga to develop a counter to Gojo's Infinity. The battle ended with Sukuna's victory and Gojo's death, cementing Sukuna's status as the most powerful entity in the series.
Sukuna's character is defined by an absolute philosophy of strength. Unlike villains who seek world domination or revenge, Sukuna's motivation is almost existential — he views himself as the pinnacle of power and finds meaning only in combat against worthy opponents. He treats everyone else, including his vessels Yuji and Megumi, with cold contempt. His relationship with Uraume, his only loyal subordinate from the Heian Era, offers a rare glimpse of something beyond pure malice in his character. Kenjaku, the ancient sorcerer manipulating events from the shadows, orchestrated much of the modern storyline to facilitate Sukuna's return to full power.
Sukuna's impact on the Jujutsu Kaisen narrative is all-encompassing. The Shibuya Incident, during which Sukuna took control of Yuji's body and devastated a section of Tokyo, marked a turning point in the series — shifting it from a conventional shonen story into something darker and more unpredictable. His decision to inhabit Megumi's body, suppressing Megumi's consciousness within his own mind, gave the heroes a devastating personal stake in the final conflict. As both a character study of pure power and an antagonist who fundamentally reshapes the story around him, Sukuna stands among the most memorable villains in modern manga.
