Sukuna’s Use of a Dead Character’s Hand Sign to Open his Domain in Jujutsu Kaisen Chapter 258

The latest release, chapter 258 of Jujutsu Kaisen, revealed intriguing advancements. Despite being in a tough situation, Ryomen Sukuna once again demonstrated his unrivaled power as the King of Curses.

The chapter featured the opening of Sukuna’s Domain, Malevolent Shrine, although it was not yet complete. It also provided closure to the enigma surrounding the soul-swapping between Yuji Itadori and Atsuya Kusakabe. Additionally, Sukuna utilized one of his well-known techniques, Fuga, also known as Fire Arrow or Divine Flame.

Moreover, the most intriguing and concerning aspect was when Sukuna activated his Domain. This was done in a rather peculiar manner, as he used a hand gesture that is widely recognized and will be discussed further.

Jujutsu Kaisen Chapter 258:

In the opening of Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 258, Sukuna took the Jujutsu High sorcerers by surprise when he unleashed his Domain. Despite not being fully healed, this action came with some challenges. Nevertheless, he was able to accomplish it by altering his hand gestures, utilizing an untapped area of his brain, employing a barrier technique, and making an impromptu Binding Vow.

The outcome was a 99-second Malevolent Shrine that had a slightly reduced effective range, but still had the guaranteed-hit effect. Interestingly, the hand sign used by Sukuna appears to be identical to Gojo Satoru’s. This is because Gojo also uses the same hand sign, known as Taishakuten-In, when utilizing his Infinite Void technique.

While it does mention the change of hand signs as one of the necessary factors to activate Domain Expansion, it is quite intriguing why he specifically chose this particular hand sign.

What does the hand sign mean?

Gojo Satoru in Jujutsu Kaisen (Image via Gege Akutami, Shueisha)

As it is widely known, Gege Akutami has drawn heavily from Hindu mythology in his series, leading to connections to religion in certain aspects. In a similar vein, Gojo’s hand sign is linked to the deity Indra from Indian mythology, who is revered as one of the most powerful gods.

By using the hand sign, Gojo solidifies his position as the most powerful sorcerer and harnesses the power of Infinite Void. This is not the first instance where Gege Akutami has referenced Hindu mythology. Sukuna’s Kamutoke is inspired by Indra’s Vajra, while his Fuga resembles Shiva’s trident, which transforms into a Fire Arrow when launched.

Final Thoughts

Regardless of the reason behind Sukuna’s choice of that specific hand sign, it is evident that he was influenced by Gojo. This could be attributed to its simplicity, or perhaps as a way of taunting Gojo after his defeat, or it could be for a different motive altogether.

Despite his efforts, he was unable to replicate Gojo’s Reverser Cursed Technique (RCT) circuit. While Gojo was able to create a unique RCT loop and distribute the function and burden onto another part of his brain in an awakened state, Sukuna was unable to do the same. This was because Yuji had punched in between Sukuna and Megumi Fushiguro’s soul, preventing any potential recovery.