The Culling Game in Jujutsu Kaisen is a game of death between jujutsu sorcerers, considered by many to be a pure act of terrorism within jujutsu society. The game immediately follows the Shibuya Incident and is orchestrated by Kenjaku with the goal of evolving humanity by optimizing cursed energy. The game functions as a “deadly battle royal” between jujutsu sorcerers who serve as players, and points are scored by killing each other. Players must abide by the game’s strict rules and fight through ten barrier arenas that form a line across Japan.
In this article, we are going to give you the most important details related to the Culling Game in Jujutsu Kaisen, as we are going to explain everything you need to know about this particular game.
What is the Culling Game in Jujutsu Kaisen?
The Culling Game is actually a ritual set up by Kenjaku in order to prepare the Japanese population for Assimilation with Tengen, a very complex and dangerous ritual. Indeed, the Culling Game creates an environment in which each player emits cursed energy within the barriers where the fights take place, which will allow humans to “achieve the awakening”.
In addition, for the smooth running of the ritual, eight rules govern the game. In addition, Kenjaku has imposed certain oaths on himself, the first being that he cannot be the master of the game. Thus, even if he is killed, the game will not end since indeed, everything has been thought out so that the ritual is not interrupted.
Coming back to the game master, it is important to consider the Culling as its own game master. The Culling Game takes place all over Japan and is divided into ten arenas in which the fights will take place. These arenas are magical barriers connected together to form a boundary that humans will cross to “achieve enlightenment”. All the arenas have more or less different sizes but each covers several kilometers.
In addition, the metropolis of Tokyo is divided into two arenas and therefore contains two very distinct battlefields. However, the Hokkaido region is not included in the Game because another group of sorcerers has already erected a barrier there and because its inhabitants are already sufficiently exposed to cursed energy.
On the other hand, any player who has crossed an arena is teleported at random to one of the nine predetermined places of the magic barrier. This rule is not part of the eight rules governing the game but is a rule attached to the arena, a specificity of the barrier in short. Although it really depends on how the Game goes, the ritual will take about two months to complete, and the frontier that humans must cross to “achieve enlightenment” will have covered all of Japan. Thus, all humans will be fit to merge with Tengen.
On the other hand, any player who has crossed an arena is teleported at random to one of the nine predetermined places of the magic barrier. This rule is not part of the eight rules governing the game but is a rule attached to the arena, a specificity of the barrier in short. Although it really depends on how the Game goes, the ritual will take about two months to complete, and the frontier that humans must cross to “achieve enlightenment” will have covered all of Japan. Thus, all humans will be fit to merge with Tengen.
The rules of the Culling Game are as follows:
- Once a player has awakened their cursed technique, they must declare their participation in the Culling Game at the colony of their choice within 19 days: This rule specifies that it is mandatory for the 1,000 awakened sorcerers to participate in the Game. The game gives them 19 days to register. Since they awakened their power on the night of October 31 to November 1 around midnight, they have until the end of November 19 to declare their participation.
- Any player who breaks the previous rule will be subject to cursed technique removal: If a player does not declare himself within the granted 19 days, this player will lose his spell. To be more precise, it is not a restriction but a deprivation having a suppressing effect on the brain. Moreover, this deprivation inevitably leads to death otherwise no one would participate. However, people without spells, like Maki Zenin, and brains, like Panda who is an incarnate, do not risk anything with this rule.
- Non-players who enter a colony become players at the moment of entry and will be considered to have declared participation in the Culling Game: To participate in the Culling Game, a sorcerer must enter an arena. If a non-sorcerer enters it at any time, they will be considered a player. In the case of non-sorcerers already present within a barrier, the game allows them to exit the arena only once. It is therefore important before confining the players, that the latter are more or less aware of having entered an arena of their own free will. Thus, the condition that a person enters the barrier voluntarily, increases the effectiveness of the barrier and traps him in the arena. However, this can only be done once. Once inside, the non-sorcerer or sorcerer can no longer leave the arena in which he entered.
- Players score points by ending the lives of other players: The rule is simple to earn points, you will have to kill other players.
- The point value of a player’s life is decided by the game master. As a general rule, sorcerers are worth 5 points and non-sorcerers are worth one point: Lives taken have different values. Each player will receive a Kogane, a pet that simply acts as an intermediary for the game master, who will transmit to them the value of lives depending on the situation.
- Excluding the point value of the player’s own life, a player can expend 100 points to negotiate with the game master and add a new rule to the game: With this rule, it is important to note that a player that has at least a minimum number of points can add a rule and not delete one. He can on the other hand try in certain cases to circumvent it.
- n accordance with rule 6, the game master must accept any proposed new rule as long as it doesn’t have a long-lasting effect on the game: No player has the right thanks to the previous rule to add a rule that jeopardizes the smooth running of the game. For example, he will not be able to add a rule that allows him to delete some or suddenly put an end to the Culling Game. Moreover, this rule implies a certain impartiality between the players and the investigator of the game, Kenjaku. Thus, if something does not go in his direction, he will not be able to pronounce it.
- If a player’s score remains the same for 19 days, they will be subject to cursed technique removal: This is the last of the basic rules and surely the most important, if a player does not earn points, he will have to die. (See rule 2 for the consequences of deprivation of techniques.) In another case, if a player keeps the same number of points for 19 days, he will again see his fate deprived, so he will die. Thus all the players will have to continue to participate in the Culling Game until the end of the ritual.
- Players gain access to information on other players, such as their name, amount of points, number of rules added, and their current colony: This rule was added by one of the players in the Game, Hajime Kashimo, thanks to rule number 6. As it indicates, this rule allows each player to have access to the information stated on the other players via the Kogane and at any time.
- Players may transfer any number of points between one another: This rule was added by one of the tracking players, Hiromi Higuruma thanks to rule number 6. Taking into account the point variation required by rule number 8, all players can freely exchange points.
It all began at the very end of the Shibuya Incident, when Kenjaku wasconfronted by the surviving sorcerers. The latter explains to them that his goal is neither more nor less to awaken the buried potential of the cursed energy and that this is where the next of humanity is. Understanding that he is limited, however, Kenjaku must bring to life something even greater than what he has already created, an uncontrollable chaos even for him.
Extracting Mahito’s spell using Spirit Manipulation, Kenjaku used Absolute Alteration on two types of non-sorcerers. The first type are people who have ingested relics, like Yuji Itadori. The second type are people who, like Junpei Yoshino, possessed techniques without being aware of them. Thus, by adjusting the structure of their brains to that of exorcists with Absolute Alteration, Kenjaku granted the first type enough strength to become vessels and the second the ability to use spells.
Many non-sorcerers have been put into a long sleep after being marked by Kenjaku. After the latter also breaks the seal on all the relics he had the future vessels ingest, many of them begin to awaken. Besides, the relics he offered were the remains of the sorcerers and curses Kenjaku had made a deal with over a thousand years ago. However, each of these pacts lost value when Kenjaku obtained Suguru Geto’s body.
In order to further the understanding of cursed energy to these non-sorcerers, Kenjaku plans to have them kill each other. Convinced that the coming conflict will mirror the Heian era, the golden age of exorcism, Kenjaku flees from Shibuya, unleashing countless curser. It is then that the Culling Game is launched, during this tragic night.
Who are the participants of the Culling Game in Jujutsu Kaisen?
As per the manga, the participants of the Culling Game, based on the arenas they’re fighting in, are:
- Tokyo 1: Hana Kurusu, Hiromi Higuruma, Fumihiko Takaba, Hanyu, Rin Amai, Haba, Remi, Reggie Star, Chizuru Hari, Iori Hazenoki, Yuji Itadori, Megumi Fushiguro
- Tokyo 2: Hajime Kashimo, Charles Bernard, Kinji Hakari, Panda, Momo Nishimiya
- Sendai: Dhruv Lakdawala, Ryu Ishigori, Takako Uro, Kurourushi, Yuta Okkotsu, Kasumi Miwa
- Sakurajima: Noritoshi Kamo, Cursed Naoya Zenin, Maki Zenin
- Others: Tsumiki Fushiguro
