Jujutsu Kaisen’s manga is praised for its thrilling battles and complex power systems. However, when it comes to the ending, let’s just say there are a few things that could’ve been better. The final arc is action-packed but lost a great opportunity to delve deeper into the lore and character conclusions. This is especially true when it comes to Kenjaku, one of the series’ major villains. He was an ancient curse user and a central character in the story. Kenjaku lived for over a millennium thanks to his cursed technique, which allowed him to switch bodies.
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If that wasn’t enough, he had an unimaginable number of powerful cursed techniques in his arsenal, making him one of the strongest sorcerers in history. Even so, his death was nothing short of underwhelming. His comedic face-off with Fumihiko Takaba wasn’t exactly a conventional battle. However, his ending at Yuta’s hands was too quick and didn’t leave much of an impact. Thanks to Takaba’s distraction, Yuta decapitates him in Chapter 243. A brief flashback in Chapter 249 confirms his death. You’d think the story would delve deeper into that mysterious character later on, but that’s not the case. While Kenjaku passed down the responsibility of the merger to Sukuna, nothing happened later on.
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Jujutsu Kaisen Final Volumes Neglect Kenjaku Completely
Kenjaku’s past and mystery died along with him. The manga never delved deeper into his story. Even his past as Yuji’s mother was buried. A lot of things about him are truly intriguing and mysterious, including his true appearance. Additionally, Kenjaku’s relationship with Tengen remains a mystery. They were either friends centuries ago, or perhaps they worked closely together. Either way, the manga only shows that they know each other but never explain anything.
Jujutsu Kaisen’s final volumes were the last hope fans had of finding out more about him. The volumes include extra illustrations, and Volume 30 even has a 16-page epilogue centering around Nobara Kugisaki, Yuko Ozawa, Panda, and Uraume. Unfortunately, none of them remotely mentions Kenjaku. The epilogue even has a Heian-era flashback revealing Uraume’s first meeting with Sukuna. Meanwhile, the extra illustrations feature a lot of minor characters but not Kenjaku. He remains a mystery even long after the manga’s ending. While there are several speculations, nothing is specifically confirmed.
Kenjaku Had a Greater Role in Jujutsu Kaisen Than Sukuna
Kenjaku is the mastermind behind Yuji’s birth. He created Yuji for the sole purpose of being Sukuna’s vessel. In a way, Kenjaku could be considered a catalyst of the story. Kenjaku also created the Death Paintings, which later serve an important role in the story. He’s also the one who orchestrated the Shiya Incident and sealed Satoru Gojo. Things only go downhill from that point on.
And let’s not forget he’s the only reason Culling Game even began. Sukuna, despite being the primary antagonist, was a bystander for most of the story, while Kenjaku did all the work. Hence, his contribution to the story can’t be denied. Even so, he gets a confusing conclusion after being defeated without showcasing his true offensive abilities. In Jujutsu Kaisen Chapter 270, we briefly see Takaba and someone who appears to be Kenjaku, which again raises questions. Does he really die in the end? We can’t be too sure. Hence, most of the questions about this villain remain unanswered, which is truly a wasted potential.
