Facebook
Reddit
Email
Discover whether Jujutsu Kaisen needed to give Kenjaku a proper backstory. Additionally, explore other facets of his character.
Jujutsu Kaisen features the arduous struggle of the sorcerers against evil curses for the sake of societal peace. In contrast to heroic characters such as Itadori and Gojo, powerful villains like Sukuna and Mahito exist. Among the various fascinating antagonists of the series, Kenjaku is one figure who was introduced later but fascinated most fans.
His ambiguous goals, manipulative personality, and immense strength pushed him to the center of all significant events in the story. Unfortunately, with the conclusion of the manga, many readers believed that he never reached his full potential. This was mainly attributed to his lack of a proper backstory, making him not reach the heights expected of him.
Hence, here is a closer look at why Jujutsu Kaisen needed to give Kenjaku a proper backstory.
Who Is Kenjaku in Jujutsu Kaisen?
Kenjaku is one of the main antagonists of Jujutsu Kaisen who was properly introduced in the Shibuya Incident Arc. He had already appeared in Geto’s body before this, but his shocking presence in front of Gojo revealed the truth of his identity.
Kenjaku is a great sorcerer and curse user who has existed for thousands of years. He can occupy bodies by transplanting his brain into them. Therefore, soon after the events of Jujutsu Kaisen 0, he took over Gojo’s best friend’s body. This allowed him to trap humanity’s strongest sorcerer in the Prison Realm.
As one can probably tell from this series of events, Kenjaku is an ingenious mastermind who arguably has the highest intellect in Jujutsu Kaisen. For the sake of his goals, he conducted the Culling Game, freed Sukuna, and had a hand in every single atrocity in the series. Despite these monumental contributions to the story, there was still very little known about Kenjaku as a person.
Fans were hoping for the manga to expand upon his character, giving insight into his origins and upbringing. Regrettably, the series never delivered on this front.
Kenjaku’s Appearances Throughout History
Kenjaku is an immortal sorcerer who has constantly shifted bodies and had an immense impact on Jujutsu society. He was believed to have existed in a similar period to the original Tengen, given his extreme knowledge regarding the pillar of the Jujutsu world.
Following this, Kenjaku was present in the Heian Era during Sukuna’s rise as a sorcerer. He helped extend the life of the King of Curses by splitting his soul into cursed fingers. He then appeared in the form of a different host during Kashimo’s reign 400 years ago. After sharing how the God of Lightning wasn’t as strong as Sukuna, he convinced him to be turned into a cursed object for his future plans.
Kenjaku’s appearance after this was possibly his most infamous – as Noritoshi Kamo. In the Meiji Era, Kenjaku committed unspeakable crimes, experimenting on multiple women for the sake of creating human-curse hybrids. He called them Death Paintings, with Choso and his brothers being the notable names.
Most shockingly, Kenjaku is also the mother of the protagonist, Yuji Itadori. He took over the body of Kaori Itadori during the modern era, giving birth to their son with the motive of creating Sukuna’s vessel. Soon after achieving this, he shifted bodies to Geto, putting his centuries of planning into action.
Kenjaku’s Motivations in Jujutsu Kaisen
We have now seen the immeasurable brainpower of Kenjaku, having influenced modern-day Jujutsu sorcery and scheming for an extremely long time. While this certainly aroused the curiosity of fans, Jujutsu Kaisen never properly delved into the proper motivations of Kenjaku’s character.
Gege justified this antagonist as a person with unquenchable curiosity, simply doing things because he found them “fun”. Given Tengen’s unique position in society, Kenjaku’s goal in the series was to merge him with the Japanese population and create a new species. He was unsure of what would be made, which led to his relentless efforts to finally see the results.
Some fans enjoyed the nature of Kenjaku being a villain for no deeper reason, but others felt it made him more hollow. Jujutsu Kaisen features an abundance of antagonists who are evil just for the sake of it. This was best seen through Mahito, who represented humanity’s negative feelings, or Sukuna, a sorcerer who simply chased after strength.
Among such figures having similarly ambiguous motivations, Kenjaku not having a proper backstory did more harm than good. He did not embody chaotic destruction, but rather a cold and calculating mastermind. Hence, not providing context for his vision seemed irregular.
Kenjaku’s Controversial Ending
A major reason for the controversy surrounding Kenjaku is his abrupt ending. As a man who had been planning his grand goals for thousands of years, he merely played a supporting role in the concluding Shinjuku Showdown Arc.
When Sukuna and Gojo were having their battle, Kenjaku got trapped in a loop of comedic scenarios against Takaba. After several chapters of bad jokes delivered between the two, he was taken by surprise when Yuta beheaded him.
This marked the end of an antagonist who was built up to be the smartest in the series. Notwithstanding Takaba’s lack of significance till that point, Kenjaku dying because he was distracted was underwhelming for many readers.
He had made knowledge regarding curses known to foreign nations and even involved them in the Culling Game. However, none of this ever paid off since he simply died in a manner unbecoming of his development till that point. Given his role as the overarching manipulator of the series, his defeat lacked the gravitas one would expect from such a significant antagonist.
Some surmise this to be because of the shift of importance from Kenjaku to Sukuna. However, considering how crucial Kenjaku was to Itadori and Gojo’s lives, his character’s death left more questions than answers.
How a Proper Backstory Would Elevate Kenjaku’s Character
As we have seen, Jujutsu Kaisen generated a lot of excitement regarding Kenjaku’s character only to kill him off with no explanation. His lack of a complex reason for his actions may appeal to some, but a proper backstory could have elevated his character to another level.
A proper backstory doesn’t allude to a layered past riddled with loss and tragedy, but rather one that helps us understand where a figure comes from. Kenjaku never had this, and providing him with one would help us connect deeper with his character. Despite being present throughout history, only glimpses of his different forms are seen through flashbacks. If these were expanded upon, they would have created a deeper fascination about him.
Most importantly, a backstory would have greatly enhanced the emotional impact of Kenjaku’s defeat. The main issue with the antagonist’s death was that fans felt indifferent to it. Unlike those such as Nanami whose death was heartbreaking, Kenjaku had started and ended as an “intriguing” antagonist.
Gege never attempted to make him anything more, whereas the potential for his development was always present. Expanding on his connection with Sukuna, Kashimo, Gojo, and Itadori would have provided the necessary depth to his character. Therefore, even if he had to die at the hands of Takaba and Yuta, it would have had a more long-lasting impact on fans.
Conclusion
Kenjaku is one of Jujutsu Kaisen’s most interesting villains, but his character remains incomplete due to the lack of a proper backstory. His ability to possess bodies and manipulate history makes him unique, yet his true motivations and origins remain elusive. Due to this, Kenjaku remains a wasted opportunity in an otherwise masterfully crafted series.
Looking For More?
Thank you for reading the article. We provide the latest news and create guides for Baldur’s Gate 3, Starfield, ARK Survival Ascended, and more. Also, watch Deltia play games on Twitch or visit his YouTube channel!