- Jujutsu Kaisen -

When monsters (Curses) attack his friends, Yuji swallows the finger to save them. Sukuna takes over briefly but finds Yuji can suppress him. , the world’s strongest sorcerer, arrives. He decides Yuji won’t be executed immediately but will instead collect all 20 fingers, then die by having Sukuna removed from him.

— a young, playful, sadistic special-grade Curse born from human hatred of each other — becomes the main villain of the first half. He can reshape souls (and bodies) of anyone he touches. He kills many innocents and sorcerers. - jujutsu kaisen

This premise sets Jujutsu Kaisen apart immediately. The protagonist is not trying to save the world to become the king of anything; he is trying to save people because he knows his death is the endgame. When monsters (Curses) attack his friends, Yuji swallows

Months after Sukuna’s death, Yuji, Megumi, and Nobara (using an eyepatch) sit together in a ramen shop. They talk about the future. Yuji says: “We’re not heroes. We just want people to live normal lives.” Megumi smiles faintly — the first time in the entire series. He decides Yuji won’t be executed immediately but

The foundation of the series' world-building is "Cursed Energy," power fueled by negative human emotions like grief, fear, and hatred. These emotions coalesce into "Curses," malevolent spirits that haunt populated areas. This system serves as a literalization of societal trauma; the more humanity suffers collectively, the more dangerous their world becomes. The power system, "Cursed Techniques," is noted for its logical complexity