Jujutsu Kaisen: Yuji’s Domain Expansion Explained

Yuji performed Domain Expansion for the first time in chapter 264 of the manga. While we don’t have any information about his domain just yet, we believe that we have a good idea about Yuji’s Domain!

In this article, we’re going to look at Yuji’s Domain and what we can understand so far!

Yuji’s Domain Expansion Explained

In short, Yuji unlocked his domain during his fight against Sukuna when he was pushed to his very limits. During the fight, he remembered the time when Gojo taught him that a Domain Expansion allows for a guaranteed hit, and he managed to open his own domain. You can also check out our detailed explanation here! 

Now, let’s take a deep look into Yuji’s domain expansion!

In the chapter, Yuji and Sukuna have reached a train station in the same way that Gojo ended up at the airport. It’s very likely that they’re both representations of hell and heaven respectively, and in the most poetic way possible. 

Yuji is without any injuries, greeting Sukuna in his original appearance.

In this uncharted domain, Yuji very cheerfully asks Sukuna to come along with him which is just hilarious given how much they hate each other. But, what is happening?

The first explanation is that we’re seeing Yuji’s innate domain which is the only place where we saw “two Yujis” which were just the two souls in one body. Domain expansions are essentially a construct of someone’s innate domain that embodies the mind of an individual that they are born with.

Higuruma and Takaba have techniques that embody who they were, a lawyer and a comedian,  even though they only became sorcerers for a few months in the cullin game but they fit them perfectly. 

Kenjaku and Mahito confirmed that techniques dictate their different views of the world. That’s why their views on souls are opposite.

However, Yuji is the embodiment of sincerity , in chapter 61 we are told its his greatest weapon and one of the reasons the sparks of black chose him. A foil to Sukuna, who is chosen for the opposite reason.

Nanami confirmed he feels genuine anger and feels for others, wanting a natural death for all humans just like his grandpa had. Wasuke left a huge impact on his grandson, wishing Yuji would not die alone as a loser like himself, instead, leaving the world surrounded by loved ones and using his immense strength to save as many people as possible.

His final words leave a curse upon Yuji in which he pursues the goal of a “good death”, and it’s actually a trigger that he remembers multiple times in the story.

One plot device that seems valid to me is boarding the train, and with each stop, a significant moment in Sukuna’s life will be revealed. All these would be character defining moments and these stops will serve as flashbacks to the Heian era, finally unveiling the last puzzle of Sukuna’s lore. 

We will likely get more information about the whole Sukuna-Yuji family tree, some Kenjaku and at the end of the chapter, we see what exactly Yuji’s DE is and how it impacted Sukuna.

Thus, Yuji’s domain will transport Sukuna back through his life to see if he will die with regrets. These moments shape the soul, which is precisely what Yuji’s technique targets, having the most immense knowledge regarding them.

Hence, when the domain battle begins, these flashbacks would have inflicted severe damage on Sukuna’s soul without him realizing it, kind of like how Takaba managed to hurt Kenjaku through soul resonance. 

Since the soul cannot be protected, it will lead to Sukuna’s Death. Even In Chapter 239, we see Kenjaku feeling something he has never had before in 1000 years.

His attack was forced not to work and nullified, meaning all his experience was meaningless, Takaba forces his opponents to play by his rules. The events are simulations, but all the damage dealt to him will accumulate steadily.

We already know Yuji’s knowledge and ability with Soul Attacks is much higher. Moreover, the place shown in Yuji’s domain or the afterlife is a station in Kitakami city, Iwate prefecture, which by the way has a long history of demons. A folk dance called Oni-ken-bai or demon sword dance, originated here.

What’s even more noteworthy is that a train station potentially being Yuji’s domain was foreshadowed back in Opening 1 itself.

But that’s not all! The hand sign for his domain can be interpreted in two ways.

The first being Kṣiti-garbha literally translated to “Earth Womb.” It’s important to remember a very popular theory about Yuji here. His progress can be compared to the stages of pregnancy, when we track the events of his life.

Initially, on June 14th, when Itadori swallowed Sukuna’s finger, it marked the end of menstruation. Subsequently, by July 4th, when Itadori and Sukuna established their binding vow, it represented implantation.

Then, the training with Gojo on July 11th symbolized the completion of internal organ formation. Furthermore, on September 5th, during Junpei’s arc, Itadori was acknowledged as a proper sorcerer, akin to the completion of placenta formation.

Additionally, the Shibuya incident on October 31st marked the formation of the brain. Following these dates, the expected date of delivery aligns with Yuji’s birthday on March 20th. In fact, that date is also the spring equinox, a day traditionally believed to be when the gate to the other world opens.

This is really crucial because Kṣitigarbha is known for his vow not to achieve Buddhahood until all beings are free from hell and all hells are emptied. This reminds me of how Yuji solemnly declared that he would hunt down and kill the likes of Mahito as many times needed. In any form, shape, or name, Yuji will make sure that he fulfills his vow to destroy him.

Even in chapter 220, Yuji admitted that he is ready to eat anything if that means killing Sukuna which reflects his similarity to the Buddha. Moreover, the Buddha is the saviour of the oppressed, the dying and is often regarded as the guardian of children, patron deity of deceased kids and aborted fetuses in Japanese culture.

This really plays into how Yuji’s brothers Choso and the others were all aborted fetuses and by devouring them, he gave them a meaningful existence. Choso himself commented that they will live inside of him. As for deceased children, we don’t need to look too far to see how many people Yuji has lost to curses like Mahito and Sukuna.

Moreover, it is stated that Kṣitigarbha practiced filial piety as a mortal, which eventually led to making great vows to save all sentient beings.

The whole reason that Yuji became a jujutsu sorcerer in the first place is his resolve to save people from improper deaths, which was a vow and curse to his grandfather whom he respected as well as treated as his father figure.

The second interpretation lies in the mudra’s name as it is called Kalesvara mudra which translates literally into “God of Time.” This concept is closely related to the Hindu deity Shiva, who is often associated with time, destruction, and transformation. Shiva, in his aspect as Mahakala, represents the cosmic cycles of creation and destruction which is the main reason for the existences of sorcerers and curses.

Moreover, the mudra is also associated with the third eye chakra and Just as time brings about change, the Kalesvara mudra symbolizes personal transformation and renewal. This is clear as day that Yuji has stepped over the wall that differentiates good and great sorcerers, he’s easily special grade now, if not beyond that.

Not only that, this mudra also represents having power over the mind and specifically memories. As we know there were two stark instances involving Yuji and memories, Todo and Choso. They both witnessed an event that changed their perspective on Yuji, which might also hint at the fact that Sukuna might be getting memory treatment after being born in his brain as well!

But most importantly, this scene of Yuji and Sukuna comes back to the concept of how the king believes love is trash.  To find fulfillment in another is to feel love, and feeling love is an intrinsic part of being human, which in turn involves embracing vulnerability. However, that means saying goodbye to being the strongest or an inhuman force of nature, a calamity. 

By prioritizing strength above all else, Sukuna gave up his humanity entirely, leaving no trace of it behind, no yearning for connection, no longing for love, and no trace of vulnerability, waiting for someone to arrive to challenge him and die in the end as he admitted in Chapter 238.

As Kashimo describes it, this represents “absolute perfection,” embodying a state free from weak and pathetic human emotions or desires. Unlike Sukuna, Gojo was unable to achieve this level of perfection because he could not entirely forsake his humanity and longing for human connection.

Sukuna, on the other hand, carries no burdens since he lives solely for himself. Even in the afterlife, Gojo expressed regret that he didn’t fully challenge Sukuna, suggesting that if he had, Sukuna might have experienced the same kind of connection that Gojo felt with him, similar to what Yorozu said.

It’s not that Sukuna is unaware of what Yorozu means when she claims to teach him about love. In fact, he understands it and what it entails, thus, he simply views it as worthless. This perspective makes sense given that he is the absolute pinnacle of strength in this universe and discards all others as insects. Normal human morality or ethics don’t apply to a deity like himself.

This sets up a fascinating contrast of Sukuna with Yuji, who represents “unwavering humanity,” embracing vulnerability and suffering as essential parts of his journey.

His very existence challenges Sukuna, and since they had to coexist in one body, Yuji forced him to confront someone who embodies ideals he finds worthless.

Remember, Sukuna acknowledges that Yuji isn’t just “another person,” even admitting his invincible soul so he can’t dismiss Yuji’s ideals as inconsequential. He understands that Yuji’s ideals are genuine, and that frustrates him that he could have been living his life wrong the entire time, in Chapter 248 he even ponders why he felt disappointed killing Higuruma.

So While Sukuna can accept the strength of figures like Gojo, Kashimo, or Jogo because he sees their prowess in jujutsu as something he himself possesses, the idea of holding onto an ideal is beyond his comprehension. It shouldn’t matter, yet it enables Yuji to stand against him.

In short, Yuji grasps Sukuna’s nature as a curse that must be eliminated, and Sukuna understands Yuji’s role as a means to that end. This mutual understanding forms a type of connection, a form of “love.”

Although Sukuna claims he has never sought fulfillment from others, that doesn’t mean his existence fulfills him. On the contrary, his dual mouths, his habit of devouring humans, and his hedonistic philosophy reveal an emptiness and a constant craving for new experiences.

Ryu and Kashimo also represented a desire for a final, satisfying conclusion and they found contentment in their deaths. Similarly, Sukuna’s sense of self is defined by his belief that he doesn’t need anyone to be fulfilled. However, if he seeks to validate this by crushing Yuji’s ideals, it would deviate from his true self, much like Toji against Gojo, leading to his eventual defeat.

And since the station they are on is Kitakami which means going north , it fits well with Nanami’s statement that if you’d like to become someone new, Go North!

Thus, Yuji will finally be the one to teach Sukuna about love, by defeating him!