In Gege Akutami’s masterpiece Jujutsu Kaisen, cursed energy is something that comes up almost every chapter or episode. This is one of the most amazing power systems in all of anime because of its complexity, diversity, and capabilities. Anyone who has cursed energy can use it, see cursed spirits, become a sorcerer at Jujutsu High School, or manipulate cursed energy.

It’s the invisible force behind every fight, every technique, and every curse. But what is cursed energy, really? How does it work? And why is it so important for sorcerers in the Jujutsu Kaisen world?

Let’s break it all down in this post in a way that makes total sense and is easy to understand.

So, no complicated sentences or anything, just clear explanations and excellent examples straight from the series.

What Is Cursed Energy?

Cursed energy in Jujutsu Kaisen is a supernatural force born from negative human emotions such as fear, anger, sorrow, and frustration. Also, emotions such as suffering, depression, envy, guilt, and jealousy are strong sources of cursed energy, resulting in more powerful cursed spirits.

It constantly leaks from people who don’t know how to control it. That leaked energy becomes the breeding ground for curses, which are dangerous and evil spirits that cause harm to people. Even though the world is full of these cursed spirits, normal humans

The world is filled with cursed energy, but ordinary people can’t see it, nor can they see cursed spirits.

But Jujutsu Kaisen sorcerers aren’t ordinary people. They’re trained to manipulate cursed energy consciously. By controlling their emotions and mastering their internal energy, they can fight against curses and even use that power to enhance their physical abilities and perform Jujutsu Kaisen techniques. Cursed tools, cursed objects, and cursed corpses all contain cursed energy.

In short, cursed energy is both the problem and the solution in the Jujutsu Kaisen universe. Why? Negative emotions are born as long as humans exist, and curses are then born as well.

How Cursed Energy Is Used by Sorcerers

In Jujutsu Kaisen, the sorcerers use cursed energy in ways that make every Jujutsu Kaisen fight scene feel intense, tactical, and emotional. Why? Because Jujutsu sorcerers have better control over their cursed energy, they have a sensei like Gojo Satoru to teach them. As a result, sorcerers use this controlled negative energy to their advantage to turn it into a technique or to enhance their powers. There are many ways a sorcerer can use cursed energy, such as

• Enhance their bodies with raw energy for greater speed and strength
• Execute cursed techniques, which are unique to each individual
• Activate Domain Expansions— a high-level move that locks opponents inside a zone where the user’s attacks are guaranteed to hit
• Use cursed energy control to detect curses and other users by sensing their energy flow

Learning how to use cursed energy properly requires cursed energy training, often guided by senior sorcerers or instructors at Tokyo Jujutsu High. It’s more than just strength; it’s about mastering how to suppress, redirect, and even reverse your energy under pressure.

Types of Cursed Energy and Techniques

There are over 16 applications of cursed energy in Jujutsu Kaisen. Let’s explore a few important ones:

• Standard cursed energy: The basic form that fuels physical attacks and basic cursed energy usage
• Reverse cursed technique: Converts negative energy into positive energy, often used for healing — Gojo and Yuta are known for this
• Cursed speech technique: Toge Inumaki’s powerful ability to embed commands into his voice using cursed energy
• Straw Doll Technique: Nobara Kugisaki’s iconic style of transferring damage through nails and dolls
• Domain Expansion: An advanced and devastating technique where sorcerers trap their opponents inside a personalized space
• Black Flash: A phenomenon where cursed energy is applied within 0.000001 seconds of a hit, amplifying the impact by several times, used by

Each of these represents a unique approach to cursed energy manipulation, showing just how flexible and creative this Jujutsu Kaisen power system really is.

Cursed Techniques: The Reverse Cursed Technique

Among all the cursed techniques in Jujutsu Kaisen, the Reverse Cursed Technique is one of the most difficult and rarest.

By multiplying negative cursed energies together, skilled sorcerers like Gojo and Ryomen Sukuna can create positive energy. This positive energy can regenerate flesh, heal internal injuries, and even restore lost limbs. However, the process is complex, requiring precise control and tremendous skill.

Learning the Reverse Cursed Technique is exceptionally hard because it goes against the natural nature of cursed energy. Even geniuses like Satoru Gojo struggled to master it. After a near-fatal encounter with Toji Fushiguro, Gojo instinctively awakened the Reverse Cursed Technique to heal himself, marking a major turning point in his power.

Other notable sorcerers who can use the RCT are Itadori Yuji, Yuki Tsukumo, Aoi Todo, Yuta Okkotsu, Shoko Ieiri, and Ryomen Sukuna.

The importance of the Reverse Cursed Technique cannot be overstated. In cruel fights where injuries are constant, the ability to instantly recover can mean the difference between life and death.

The technique demands not only a deep understanding of cursed energy but also the ability to manipulate it with exceptional precision. One of the primary challenges is the conversion process itself; since cursed energy is inherently negative, transforming it into positive energy goes against its natural state.

What Are Cursed Restrictions and Heavenly Restrictions?

Heavenly Restrictions are natural, binding conditions placed on a sorcerer’s body when they are born. These restrictions create a trade-off: the sorcerer loses something, usually cursed energy, but in exchange, they gain extraordinary physical abilities or other special traits.

In short, Heavenly Restrictions force balance in the Jujutsu Kaisen universe. You can’t have it all. If you lack cursed energy, your body compensates with superhuman strength, speed, reflexes, or durability.

Living with a Heavenly Restriction isn’t easy. While it grants certain advantages, it also imposes serious limitations:

• Lack of cursed energy means no innate techniques or barrier creation
• Sorcerers must rely purely on physical combat and cursed tools
• Seeing curses naturally becomes difficult without outside help (like special glasses)
• Emotional and physical risks are much higher, especially in battles against high-grade curses

Mastering life with a Heavenly Restriction demands intense discipline and creative strategy. It’s why figures like Toji Fushiguro and Maki Zenin stand out so much because they fight and win in a world where most battles are decided by energy manipulation.

Also, characters like Kokichi Muta (Mechamaru) represent a different type of Heavenly Restriction. For example:

His body was extremely fragile, and he was born without an arm, with sensitive skin, and extreme physical vulnerabilities. However, in return, he was gifted with a vast reservoir of cursed energy. Using this, he operated multiple puppet bodies remotely, giving him an incredible reach and strategic advantage in battle.

What Are Cursed Restrictions?

Cursed Restrictions are slightly different. They are typically self-imposed conditions, binding vows or deals that sorcerers create consciously. In exchange for putting themselves under a specific limitation, they can gain significant boosts in power, speed, or technique precision.

For example:

• A sorcerer might vow not to use a technique except under certain circumstances, making it drastically stronger when those conditions are met.
• Restrictions can also be innate or develop over time through the natural flow of cursed energy.

While Heavenly Restrictions are imposed at birth, Cursed Restrictions can be negotiated by the sorcerer to strengthen specific abilities.