Warning: This article contains spoilers from the Jujutsu Kaisen manga! Gege Akutami’s Jujutsu Kaisen is one of the most famous anime and manga series of recent times, and the franchise only continues to grow in popularity even though the main story ended over a year ago. The series is famous for its complex power system and thrilling battle choreography, but beneath this, the story is deeply nuanced, with several thought-provoking quotes thrown in the middle. The story is set in a broken world full of loss and tragedy, as human emotions give rise to curses that, in turn, attack them, causing thousands of disappearances in Japan each year. Although jujutsu sorcerers exist to combat these curses, they are far too few in number and often find themselves overpowered by these monsters.
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To make matters worse, even humans with such powers take the side of those evils, which only puts the sorcerers in even more danger. Throughout the story, Jujutsu Kaisen has explored the complexity of human emotions, struggles, and sacrifices, as well as the themes of morality and the cost of pursuing one’s ideals. These ten Jujutsu Kaisen quotes perfectly highlight the themes of the story while also adding character depth.
10) I Want to Do Something to Treat the Cause (Season 2 Episode 5)
Among all the characters, Yuki was the only one who actually worked on ethically finding a way to break the cycle of curses. She didn’t follow the orders by the Jujutsu High but instead focused on traveling around and learning more about the curses. Yuki knew that as long as curses exist in the world, the cycle of pain and suffering will never end.
“It’s true that I don’t get along with Jujutsu High’s policies. What they’re doing is just treating symptoms, and I want to do something to treat the cause. Rather than hunt down cursed spirits, I want to create a world where cursed spirits aren’t born.”
– Yuki Tsukumo
Although it was a far-fetched dream, her ideals were intriguing and even contrasted with Kenjaku, one of the main villains in the story. During the flashback arc, she discussed all this with Geto, who focused on the more destructive path to end the cycle and left the school forever.
9) Do You Believe People Have Hearts? (Season 1 Episode 10)
Mahito is easily the most layered villain in the series, although he doesn’t get much attention since his complexity is outshone by the sheer charisma of Ryomen Sukuna. Before dying in the Shibuya Incident Arc, he put forth several philosophical questions and even explained his own thoughts on souls and hearts. As a newly born curse that suddenly gained a lot of power, Mahito was highly immature and even sadistic to some extent.
“Do you believe people have hearts? They don’t. They have souls, but souls aren’t hearts. I’m the only person in the world who understands the composition of souls. After all, I change the shape of other creatures by making contact with them. All emotions are the result of the soul’s metabolism. They’re far too mechanical to call hearts.”
– Mahito
He underestimated those around him and toyed with them while relishing their suffering. Thanks to his cursed technique, he could not only see souls but also manipulate them, which made him one of the strongest characters ever. Whenever he used his technique on someone, Mahito failed to see anyone’s heart, which is why he believed that such a thing didn’t even exist. Although he was proven wrong in the end, this quote highlighted his thoughts on how he deemed lives and feelings worthless, even his own.
8) It’s Not Good Enough For Just Me to Be Strong (Season 2 Episode 5)
Riko Amanai’s death had a major impact on the strongest duo, but in different ways. While Geto was slowly succumbing to his inner darkness, Gojo continued to strive for more power so he wouldn’t fail others again. However, Gojo’s teenage self failed to notice that his best friend was struggling, and by the time he realized, it was too late. Geto killed dozens of people, including his parents, and left the school. After confronting him, Gojo realized that nothing he could say or do would ever bring his best friend back.
“Sensei, I’m strong, right? But apparently, it’s not good enough for just me to be strong. The only ones I can save are those who are already ready to be saved by another.”
– Satoru Gojo
That was when he realized that, despite being strong, there were people he couldn’t save. What he needed most wasn’t more power of his own, but powerful allies who would help him reshape this broken world. This experience caused him to become a jujutsu instructor, someone who was bent on creating a better world for the future generation.
7) Let’s Do It Again (Chapter 268)
The battle against Sukuna was a long and brutal one, with several sacrifices, including Gojo and Choso. However, the sorcerers successfully managed to free Megumi from the villain’s shackles, after which Sukuna’s death was all but decided. Despite suffering because of the villain, Yuji still extended him a hand, believing that no one should be burdened with such a curse.
“Sukuna, you are me. We were born with the burden of a curse, and the monster you became was up to luck. But I had my grandfather. Sukuna, let’s do it again. Not to curse someone, but to live with someone. Even if no one else accepts it, I’m willing to go on living with you.”
– Yuji Itadori
Yuji somewhat pitied Sukuna and saw himself in the villain, wondering if he could’ve taken a different path in life if he had someone like his grandfather. Yuji was ready to accept Sukuna and coexist with him, even if it meant going against everyone. However, the villain’s pride would never allow him to do such a thing, and he chose death instead of lingering in a world he didn’t belong to.
6) If There’s a Next Time, I’ll Change How I Live (Chapter 271)
As someone who was rejected by the world right after he was born, Sukuna lived life unapologetically and on his own terms. He was feared by many not only because of his powers but also because of his selfish and cruel actions. For someone who took pride in his strength and loved fighting alone, he was defeated thanks to the combined efforts of several people. After dying, he met Mahito in a limbo thanks to the latter’s cursed technique.
“I could’ve chosen how to live. I had two chances. But I had to vomit out the curse writhing in my entrails. I was afraid of immolation by my own curse. If there’s a next time, I’ll change how I live.”
– Ryomen Sukuna
For the first time, Sukuna accepted that he could have had another way to live, but he chose this life instead. In the end, he even came to fear himself and declared that he would choose the other option if he had another shot at life. Sukuna took Uraume with him and passed on to the afterlife while gracefully accepting his defeat, leaving Mahito shattered and alone.
5) I Think I’ll Live For Others (Chapter 268)
Megumi didn’t have a major role in the final battle, but he was a pivotal character considering how Sukuna forcefully made him his vessel. The villain even mentally broke the young sorcerer, so he couldn’t even think about fighting back. Throughout the main battle, Megumi was drowning in despair since his sister Tsumiki’s death, but he also couldn’t keep ignoring Yuji’s pleas to return.
“I never intended to love a normal life. The world is full of people besides myself. Once more, I think I’ll live for others.”
– Megumi Fushiguro
Sukuna tried his best to continue manipulating him, but Megumi had made his decision to continue living for others. It’s almost tragic that even in the end, he never wanted to get out of hell for himself, but for others, especially when the whole reason he became a sorcerer was to save his sister.
4) I Want to Be Needed By Someone (Jujutsu Kaisen 0)
Yuta Okkotsu was born with an unimaginable power that he didn’t become aware of until it was too late. Having lost his childhood sweetheart in a terrible car accident, Yuta didn’t know that asking her not to die would eventually curse her and turn her into a special-grade spirit. Since then, Rika stuck with him as a curse, often hurting others to protect him. Drowning in despair, Yuta locked himself away and even tried to kill himself, but she wouldn’t allow such a thing to happen to him.
“I…don’t want anyone to get hurt anymore. I tried to lock myself away and disappear. But I was told it’s lonely being all by myself, and I couldn’t argue. I want to interact with someone. I want to be needed by someone. I want the confidence to say it’s okay that I am alive!”
– Yuta Okkotsu
Thanks to Gojo, he realized that he had been lonely the entire time and that he had the right to live just like anyone else in the world. He uttered these heartbreaking words after Maki asked him why he even came to Jujutsu High. After this, Yuta gathered all his strength to save her and the two children who were eaten by a powerful curse.
3) No Curse More Twisted Than Love (Jujutsu Kaisen 0)
As a powerful human emotion, love is one of the most profound themes in Jujutsu Kaisen, and it’s not only limited to romance but also expressed through various relationships. After his fight with the curse was over, Yuta told Gojo that he was the one who had cursed Rika, despite having believed the opposite for years. Gojo’s simple remark about love being a twisted curse doesn’t only refer to Yuta’s situation but also to his own.
“This is just my personal theory, but there’s no curse more twisted than love.”
– Satoru Gojo
Yuta struggled for years because of his feelings, while on the other hand, despite everything Geto did, Gojo could never bring himself to hate him. They were best friends, and Gojo truly believed that no one else in the world could understand him more than Geto.
2) Are You the Strongest Because You’re Satoru Gojo? (Season 2 Episode 5)
Shortly after leaving Jujutsu High, Geto decided to meet Shoko and confessed that the charges against him weren’t false. Shoko told Gojo the address, and the former strongest duo crossed paths once again, but this time, they were on opposite sides. Gojo was shocked to learn that Geto planned to kill all non-sorcerers and told him how impossible that dream was.
“You could do it, couldn’t you, Satoru? Yet you would try to convince someone else that it’s impossible to do something that’s possible for you? Are you the strongest because you’re Satoru Gojo? Or does being the strongest make you Satoru Gojo?”
– Suguru Geto
With a hint of annoyance and slight envy, Geto asked his former friend why he was trying to convince him that it was impossible when Gojo himself could easily achieve that goal. He also asked Gojo whether he was born with his strength and if it defined his identity, or if he became the strongest because of his actions or choices. It’s one of the most famous and thought-provoking quotes in the series, but the meaning behind it is simpler than it sounds.
1) I Am You (Season 2 Episode 21)
Mahito took pleasure in destroying Yuji mentally and physically, while the young sorcerer often found himself on the losing end. The villain was finally let loose in Shibuya, and after killing more than a thousand people there, he brutally murdered Kento Nanami and inflicted a fatal injury on Nobara Kugisaki. Mahito had every intention of killing Yuji as well, who had all but given up on fighting back. However, thanks to Aoi Todo’s help, Yuji once again found the courage to keep on fighting.
“I’ll accept it, Mahito. I am you. I wanted to reject you. I wanted to pretend I didn’t understand what you said. But that’s different now. I’ll just kill you. And if you’re ever reborn as a new curse, I’ll kill you then, too.”
– Yuji Itadori
He ultimately cornered the villain and accepted that Mahito’s words weren’t wrong. They were both two sides of the same coin; one killed humans without thinking, while the other killed curses with the same indifference. Even so, Yuji stopped thinking about what Mahito’s words meant and instead accepted his role in the world as nothing more than being a big cog in the wheel. He declared that he would keep killing cursed spirits until his dying breath.
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