The Dark Reason Why Sukuna has 4 arms in Jujutsu Kaisen (And Their Power)

No character in Jujutsu Kaisen matching the grotesque power of Ryomen Sukuna, the undisputed king of curses. He is the embodiment of pure evil, causing even the most powerful wizards of the ancient and modern eras to fall one by one to his merciless might. At the mere mention of his name, most of the characters unite in fear of his destructive power.

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Like apex predator of Jujutsu KaisenRyomen Sukuna embodies horror in its truest form. With four arms, two faces, and a mouth on his stomach, Sukuna looks less like a wizard and more like a living calamity ruling the world of Jujutsu. That's why his troubling form continues to raise questions about the meaning behind his four-armed appearance in the series.

Japanese folklore inspired Sukuna's four-armed form

Meet Japanese folklore's Ryomen Sukuna

It's no secret that Gege Akutami draws inspiration from Japanese folklore, urban legends and Buddhist mythology, from the Death Painting Wombs to the names used for the various domain expansions in the series. Ryomen Sukuna is no exception, as his four arms clearly pay homage to the legendary Ryomen Sukuna of Japanese folklore, who first appeared in the 65th year of Emperor Nintoku's reign in Hida Province.

Much like the King of Curses himself, Ryomen Sukuna possesses four arms. According to legend, he is described as a 18-meter-tall figure with two faces, one at the front and one at the back, along with four legs that have knees but no heels. His form alone suggests that he possessed incredible power, strong enough to allow him to pillage people and even defy the Emperor's orders.

IN Jujutsu KaisenSukuna revels in chaos and the torment of others, almost as if Gege Akutami plucked the legendary Ryomen Sukuna from Japanese folklore and unleashed him in the series to wreak relentless havoc. These two individuals share many similarities, from their multiple limbs to their merciless nature.

How Ryomen Sukuna gained four arms through his twin

Sukuna's first horror arc

Now that we know Sukuna's folklore roots, it's time to look at the reason why he has four arms in the universe. Originally, Sukuna was a human sorcerer, born of a human mother and father, making him fully human in origin. No man is born with four arms, not even in the world of Jujutsu Kaisenso Sukuna's extra limbs must have formed while he was still in his mother's womb.

Sukuna's mother also did not have a healthy pregnancy, as she suffered from severe starvation to the extent that even the unborn Sukuna and his twin brother were badly affected.

To make matters worse, twins enter Jujutsu Kaisen considered as a single entity, with each twin limiting the potential of the other simply by existing. The perfect example of that is Mai and Maki Zenin, whose powers are inherently limited by their twin bonds. Maki enjoyed the full power of her Heavenly Restriction only after Mai sacrificed her life, thereby correcting the imbalance caused by their connection.

Going back to Sukuna, he eventually consumed his twin brother in order to survive, an act that possibly bonded their bodies together. As a result, Sukuna no longer faced the problem of shared potential holding him back, allowing him to fully manifest his power. In other words, he basically consolidated all power in himself. While Gege Akutami never directly confirmed the exact reason why Sukuna gained extra limbs, it is strongly implied that the unnatural circumstances of his birth, combined with his cannibalization, contributed to his extra arms, eyes, and mouth.

Sukuna's four arms provide unparalleled combat advantage

The deadly edge of Sukuna's four arms

Sukuna is the only character in Jujutsu Kaisen with four arms, giving him an edge over other wizards who only rely on two hands. He can perform hand seals with his extra arms while fighting his opponent head-on, effectively casting powerful cursed techniques without interrupting his attacks and defenses. In short, he can unleash cursed techniques in rapid succession.

Additionally, Sukuna can easily handle multiple opponents at once, even if they are on the same level as Yuji Itadori and Gojo Satoru. His extra arms made it easier for him to defend and attack at the same time, a feat difficult for other wizards limited to two arms.

Meanwhile, Sukuna's extra mouth allows him to cast spells faster than anyone else. His extra body parts allow him to simply multitask in battle, keeping him one step ahead of his enemy at all times. Handling offensive pressure is a walk in the park for someone like Sukuna, whose versatility is on a god-like scale.

Release date

October 3, 2020

Network

TBS, MBS, CBC, Tulip Television, BSN, tys, NBC, HBC, RKK, i-Television, SBS, IBC, BSS, MRO, OBS, TUF, RSK, TUY, tbc, RKB, SBC, KUTV, RBC, UTY, RCC, MRT, atv, MBC

Directors

Ryohei Takeshita, Masataka Akai, Chie Nishizawa, Daisuke Tsukushi, Tomomi Kamiya, Kakushi Ifuku, Ken Takahashi

Author

Hiroshi Seko

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  Yuichi Nakamura

  Satoru Gojo