If you think about it, Yuji Itadori is a strange character. Most shounen anime protagonists are pretty cookie-cutter, kindhearted, yet courageous underdogs. Yuji is not so different from them in that respect, but with a cast full of fun characters with colorful personalities, it feels like his motivations, thoughts, and feelings are overlooked.
Who would make that split-second decision to consume a mummified finger? Why is Yuji selfless to the point of self-sacrifice? Answers to questions like these are usually found in someone’s childhood.
Yuji is the protagonist of Jujutsu Kaisen, yet he seems to have been just an ordinary kid before the events of the first episode. At the beginning of the series, he seemed like just another shonen protagonist, but that might not really be the case when it comes to Jujutsu Kaisen.
But like most shonen protagonists, Yuji Itadori’s parents weren’t revealed at the beginning of the series because, like other shonen anime shows, the parents of the main character always have something to do with furthering the plot. And that’s precisely the case with Yuji Itadori as well.
So, in this article, we’ll take a look at who Yuji Itadori’s parents are and how they play a significant role in the story of Jujutsu Kaisen!
Who is Yuji Itadori’s Father?
The name of Yuji Itadori’s father is Jin Itadori, and he appeared in a brief flashback scene. While Jin’s presence might not be a prominent aspect of the Jujutsu Kaisen story, his influence on Yuji’s life is undeniable.
From what we saw in the few manga panels, Jin Itadori was a caring and loving father who tragically passed away when Yuji was just a young boy. Even though he isn’t physically present in the series, his memory and teachings profoundly impact Yuji’s character.
After his death, Yuji’s grandfather, Wasuke Itadori, raised him and instilled in him a strong sense of justice and compassion. Yuji was taught to always stand up for what is right, to protect the weak, and to lend a helping hand whenever possible. These valuable lessons shaped Yuji’s moral compass, turning him into the selfless hero we see today.
We see Wasuke Itadori bedridden in the hospital in the first episode of Jujutsu Kaisen. Although he seems kind of grumpy, it’s clear that Yuji and his grandfather loved each other a lot.
Wasuke definitely knew something was up since the beginning. When Yuji was born, he told Jin he would die if he didn’t give up on Kaori, Yuji’s mother. Jin chastised his father, telling him not to say things like that in front of baby Yuji. Kaori, with stitches on her forehead, walks in and interrupts them. The stitches on her forehead give away a significant revelation about who Yuji’s mother actually was.
Even during his final hours, it seemed like Wasuke tried to tell Yuji something about his parents. Yuji cuts him off, telling him to “stop acting cool,” so Wasuke tells him to always help others and build relationships so that he won’t die alone like him.
While we may not have a lot of details about Yuji Itadori’s father, Jin Itadori’s personal background, or his connection to the world of curses and jujutsu, his legacy lives on through Yuji’s unwavering determination and unwavering spirit.
Who is Yuji Itadori’s Mother?
Kaori Itadori, the mother of Yuji Itadori in Jujutsu Kaisen, is also pretty much absent in the overall story of Jujutsu Kaisen and Yuji’s life. While not much is known about her, one important detail is that Kenjaku took over her body upon her death.
In the past, Kenjaku, who currently possesses Suguru Geto’s body, possessed Kaori Itadori’s body and used it as a vessel to give birth to Yuji Itadori. It’s uncertain why this happened, how long Kenjaku inhabited her body, or why Kenjaku decided to possess Kaori’s body and give birth to Yuji.
Although Kaori Itadori’s presence and background are relatively vague, her connection to Kenjaku and the circumstances surrounding Yuji’s birth add a layer of intrigue to the story, especially since we don’t know why he did this in the first place.
But the brief flashback showed us that while Jin Itadori was happy with Yuji’s birth, Wasuke knew something was wrong. Jin seemed unable to cope with his wife’s death, and when Kenjaku possessed her body, he simply overlooked that fact. But Wasuke could keep a calm mind, reminded him about Kaori’s death, and warned him that she might be bad news.
When this information was released, it made many fans realize that the fact that Yuji is Sukuna’s vessel isn’t the only thing that’s special about him. In fact, his becoming Sukuna’s vessel might not have been by chance. Maybe this whole series of events was predicted, or even manipulated, by Kenjaku from the start.
While there’s no information about who Kaori Itadori was or what she liked when she was alive, we do know that she was capable of Jujutsu, as Kenjaku was shown using her Jujutsu abilities later in the story!
Even though we know that much, it’s completely up to speculation about what Kenjaku really plans to do with Yuji because we still don’t know what Kenjaku’s end goal is!
Does Yuji Itadori Have Brothers or Sisters?
Yuji Itadori has three “half-brothers,” but not exactly in the biological sense. They’re related due to Kenjaku.
Back in the Meiji era, the infamous jujutsu sorcerer Noritoshi Kamo, while possessed by Kenjaku, conducted experiments on nine fetuses that were aborted by a woman capable of giving birth to children who were part curse.
Out of these nine fetuses, the first three individuals, named Choso, Eso, and Kechizu, proved to be exceptionally powerful and eventually evolved into special-grade curses. Because they were created by mixing the blood of a Cursed Spirit and a human, they’re theoretically Yuji’s half-brothers.
Yuji’s mother was possessed by Kenjaku when she gave birth to him, so this makes them related to each other in a weird way.
However, they don’t look alike at all. Choso is the only one who looks the most human, though Kechizu doesn’t look humanoid at all. Neither bear any particularly strong resemblance to Yuji.
And there are still six more Death Painting Wombs, so Yuji Itadori essentially has nine half-brothers!
Is Yuji Itadori Related to Kenjaku?
Yes, Yuji Itadori is related to Kenjaku because Kenjaku possessed his mother, Kaori Itadori, when she gave birth to Yuji. We still don’t know why he did this.
You might know that Kenjaku has currently taken over the body of Suguru Geto, a powerful jujutsu sorcerer and Satoru Gojo’s best friend. Because of this, the fandom calls him Pseudo-Geto, which means fake Geto. This is Kenjaku’s innate ability.
Kenjaku can switch bodies with another person, even if they have passed away. He transplants his brain into the body of his chosen target, which is why you can see a Frankenstein’s-monster-esque scar on the foreheads of all his former vessels, including Kaori Itadori, Noritoshi Kamo, and Suguru Geto.
After the transplant, Kenjaku can fully access the host’s cursed energy, their inherent techniques, and memories. Surprisingly, even those who possess the Six-Eyes ability can’t detect him because he retains the original host’s cursed energy. By transferring his brain from one person to the next, Kenjaku is virtually immortal.
Kenjaku can also use the cursed techniques of his former hosts, despite the fact that they’re long dead. This is an incredibly strong ability, but it has a cap. There’s a limit to the information his brain can store before reaching max capacity.
Conclusion
While Yuji Itadori’s parents are absent in the story, their presence and influence are undeniably significant—especially Kaori Itadori, who gave birth to him while possessed by Kenjaku. We still don’t know the consequences of this, but it’s definitely going to have a significant impact on the story.
As the story unfolds, we hope to uncover further glimpses into the lives of Jin and Kaori Itadori, understanding the profound impact they have had on their son’s destiny as he continues his path as a jujutsu sorcerer.
