Jujutsu Kaisen has some of the best fights in the world of modern anime. The powers of the characters really come to the forefront and with such great animation, we can only marvel at what Jujutsu Kaisen has to offer. Now, among the moves seen in the series, the Heavenly Restriction is certainly among the most interesting ones we’ve seen so far. This special move absolutely deserves our attention and in this article, we are going to explain what exactly is this Heavenly Restriction.
Heavenly Restriction refers to a type of Binding Vow that is imposed from birth and is not the result of choice. They severely restrict the physical abilities of those who receive them, but the benefits they grant are however substantial, in proportion to the tribute they inflict. Currently, it is impossible to determine exactly how a person receives this type of restriction and what factor favors this, one of the tracks could be simply chance.
In the rest of this article, we are going to tell you all the details about the Heavenly Restriction technique. You’re going to find out all the necessary details about the technique, how it manifests, and what it can do. We’re also going to answer some additional, yet related questions about the technique that will help you understand it better.
What is Heavenly Restriction in Jujutsu Kaisen?
Heavenly Restriction refers to a type of Binding Vow (or restriction) that is imposed from birth and is not the product of a choice. They greatly limit the physical capabilities of persons who receive them, yet the advantages they offer are still great compared to the cost. Right now, it is impossible to pinpoint exactly how someone comes to experience this kind of restriction and what influences it; one of the contributing factors could be pure luck. However, due to how drastically different each example is from the others, it is still quite fascinating to examine each one. Apart from this, there isn’t much information available regarding the approach, so we’ll describe what Binding Wovs are in general.
A Binding Vow is an agreement formed with Cursed Energy with oneself or others in return for limitations. All Cursed Energy users regard Binding Vows as one of the fundamental tenets of exorcism. They are essentially pacts that a person might make, either with himself or another person, to use Cursed Energy. Following the guidelines and limitations outlined in these contracts may lead to increased power or the accomplishment of a goal, but breaking a Binding Vow has unpredictable effects based on the situations listed below.
The fastest way for a person to develop their skills is to make a Binding Vow by risking their life. The amount of Cursed Energy a user has and the potency of their skills can both grow with the employment of Cursed Energy that can be expended quickly. His skills get more powerful when circumstances are added to them. The resistance and/or size of the barrier, or in other words, its effectiveness, are prioritized in the specific instance of magic barriers. The thrower raises the chance of being found and, hence, increases the barrier’s resistance by deviating from the fundamentals of barrier-throwing tactics, such as by remaining beyond their own curtain.
In this particular situation, it is evident that the greater the barrier, the more obvious the launcher’s location must be. In the event of a Domain Expansion, giving the enemy a way in or even explaining to him how the territory works can allow the barrier’s areas of action to be expanded in the first scenario or increase the territory’s influence and efficacy in the second. The user can also boost their hitting power by establishing guidelines on how to use their Black Energy and adhering to those rules. Loss of whatever is earned through a self-imposed Binding Vow is the consequence of breaking it.
A Binding Vow that is related to a third party differs from one that is made to oneself. The punishment is the first distinction. The only consequence of breaking a previously Binding Vow with oneself is the loss of the acquired skill. However, if a mutual Binding Vow is broken, the offender may suffer an impossible calamity if the agreement is not upheld. One of the core tenets of exorcism is that doing what you desire often comes with a high price. For this reason, Binding Vows made with others are seen as unbreakable.
Therefore, upholding the Vow’s conditions is in everyone’s best interest. Because they were well aware of the dangers, the parties reached an agreement in exchange for a few concessions. They are frequently employed in situations where it is best to take a Binding Vow, such as when exorcists and plagues do not trust one another. Relics can also have binding vows attached to them to restrict the spells they can cast. This is how exorcism schools handle the S-class artifacts they amass. Relics are ensured to endure through the years with a specific Binding Vow because they are S-class and cannot be destroyed.
Who has Heavenly Restriction in Jujutsu Kaisen?
So far, only three characters have been shown to have/use Heavenly Restriction. They are Kokichi Muta, Maki Zen’in, and Toji Fushiguro. In this section of our article, we are going to tell you about each of them and how the technique works with them.
Kokichi Muta is one of the most extreme examples when it comes to Heavenly Restriction. He was born without his right arm and with his legs severed at the knees, feeling nothing in his entire lower body. Moreover, the young man’s skin is so fragile that he cannot stand the sun or even the moonlight without getting burned. He constantly experiences extreme tingling which he describes as “if someone were constantly sticking needles into his flesh”. But, after accepting this, he was given vast amounts of Cursed Energy which he uses to control countless puppets of various shapes and sizes. He declared that he would give up everything to receive a healthy and normal body.
Toji Fushiguro is a second extreme case of Heavenly Restriction. If Kokichi had received an immense amount of energy in exchange for his physiological faculties, in the case of Toji it was quite the opposite. Indeed, the latter did not have an ounce of occult energy in him in exchange for superhuman physical ability. It is not uncommon to find exorcists whose occult energy is limited by a Heavenly Restriction to the point of reaching the level of an ordinary person, however, Toji was the only one in the world whose energy was completely deleted, making him a real superman.
Maki Zen’in is a much more atypical example than the two previous ones. As explained above, there are several cases in which the energy is lower due to a Heavenly Restriction, sometimes reaching the level of an ordinary person. This was the case with Maki who possessed a small amount of dark energy.
The latter could neither see the plagues nor manipulate what little energy she had left in exchange for increased physical ability. Upon Mai Zenin’s death, Maki lost all the low amount that was inside her, carried away by her late sister. Since from the point of view of the exorcism, the twins are one, it is logical that in this precise case, the occult energy was divided between the two twins. An explanation was given by Mai. As of this event, Maki no longer possessed a single ounce of energy, all in exchange for superhuman physical ability, becoming a similar case to Toji.
