Gege Akutami’s characterisation in his magnum opus, Jujutsu Kaisen, is always one of the series’ strongest pillars. The author has introduced many characters from Gojo to Jogo in the earlier arcs, but he has been saving a sorcerer student for the Culling Game. Even Gojo Satoru considers him high in his heart, and he is finally making his debut in Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3. It is none other than Kinji Hakari who is set to lend a hand to Yuji and the others in the Culling Game. So, who is Hakari, what are his special powers and domain expansion that caught the attention of Gojo? We have discussed everything we know about him here.
Spoilers Warning:
This article contains spoilers about Hakari from JJK. Read at your own discretion if you want to learn more about his character.
Who Is Kinji Hakari in JJK?
Kinji Hakari is also a student at Tokyo Jujutsu High and is the senior of the Jujutsu Sorcerers, including Yuji, Megumi, Yuta, Maki, etc. He is in his third year at Tokyo Jujutsu High, but is currently serving a suspension after attacking conservative higher officials of the Jujutsu board following a disagreement.
Though Hakari is a delinquent, he is still on the good side of sorcerers. Moreover, Hakari is one of the very few students whom Gojo thought had the potential to rival him in the future. David Fincher’s iconic Fight Club movie inspired Gege Akutami, so the author let Hakari run a Gachinko Fight Club during his suspension period.
During the Culling Games, Maki assigns Yuji and Megumi a mission to recruit Hakari, as they want all the sorcerers on their side in the deadly game. While Hakari initially rejects the invitation, he has a change of heart after clashing with Yuji and participates in the Culling Game.
Who Is Hakari’s Girlfriend in Jujutsu Kaisen?
Kirara Hoshi is Kinji Hakari’s current girlfriend in JJK. They are also third-year student at the Tokyo Jujutsu High School. Following Hakari’s suspension, Kirara remained alongside him and ran the Gachinko Fight Club. Kirara is also a powerful Jujutsu sorcerer, and they have a complex cursed technique known as “Love Rendezvous.”
Although Gege hasn’t completely revealed their romantic relationship in the series, it is heavily implied that Kirara is deeply in love with Hakari. You can learn everything we know about Kirara Hoshi via our linked article.
What Are Hakari’s Powers in JJK?
Even before his official introduction, Hakari has always been teased as one of the strongest sorcerers of the new generation. All the second-year students praised Hakari’s extraordinary powers; Gojo acknowledged Hakari’s potential to reach his level, and even Yuta remarked that when Hakari is in his top form, the gambling sorcerer is essentially stronger than him.
Hakari rose to prominence as one of the strongest Jujutsu Sorcerers of his era, thanks to the wide variety of powers he possesses, from unique cursed energy to hand-to-hand combat skills. Let’s discuss each below:
Cursed Technique
Since Hakari is a gambler by nature, his innate CT is based on a Pachinko game (Japanese gambling slot machines). This technique is called “Private Pure Love Train,” and is themed after a romance manga of the same name. Hakari’s CT comes into play mainly through his domain expansion, which we have discussed in detail below.
Unique Cursed Energy Effect
Unlike other characters, all the sorcerers from Gojo to Yuji have noted that Hakari’s cursed energy works differently due to its rough texture. As Gojo stated, Hakari’s cursed energy is covered in sharp edges. Therefore, whenever Hakari imbues his physical attacks with his cursed energy, his punches feel like being hit with a ‘serrated bat,’ as Yuji once felt during his clash against Hakari. So, his cursed energy’s sharp nature gives him an extra advantage against all of his opponents.
Fighting Style
As you can expect, Hakari is also an expert in hand-to-hand combat, following the steps of Gojo, Yuta, Yuji, etc. But what makes him a standout close-quarters combatant is his unique cursed energy texture, which we discussed right above. Hakari is a mix of master strategist and an all-out brawler at the same time, and switches to one style based on the situation. In either situation, his combat and tactical skills always put him in a better position.
Hakari’s Domain Expansion: Idle Death Gamble
Hakari’s Domain Expansion needs to be addressed in a separate section, as it is inarguably one of the most powerful Domain Expansions in the JJK series. The goddess of luck is always on Hakari’s side, allowing him to perform miraculous feats within his domain. Hakari calls his Domain Expansion the ‘Idle Death Gamble,’ and you can now better understand how his cursed technique works.
Transformation
When Hakari unleashes his Domain Expansion, his surroundings transform into a casino-esque railway station. Inside his domain, the guaranteed hit attack for his opponents isn’t a life-ending strike but a message that lets his enemy grasp how his domain works. A lot goes on behind the workings of Idle Death Gamble, but all you need to know is that Hakari needs to spin the machine and achieve the same number three times (like in a slot machine) to hit a jackpot. It is stated that Hakari’s chance of hitting the jackpot is 1/239.
Gambling Rules
As I mentioned earlier, there are many rules and scenarios within this domain that Hakari needs to pass to successfully hit a jackpot. Even though the odds of hitting a jackpot are 1/239, Hakari defies the odds as the goddess of luck is always on his side. Fortune favours this gambler to a level that Hakari himself said he doesn’t need to spin the machine more than thirty times to hit a jackpot, despite the odds being against him. Hakari is always portrayed as an extremely lucky character in JJK, and it always benefits the gambler with his domain expansion.
Unkillable Mode
So what happens if Hakari successfully hits a jackpot inside his domain? It’s unbelievable, but Hakari enters an unkillable mode, and a song starts playing in the background. He is blessed with an infinite pool of cursed energy, where his Reversed Cursed Technique automatically heals all damage he takes. This miraculous ability essentially makes him immortal inside his domain.
However, this mode will last for only four minutes and eleven seconds, the duration of “Admiring You,” the theme song of the Private Pure Love Train romance series.
So, yes, Hakari turns into a god when he hits a jackpot, and it is game over for his opponents. So once Hakari is in his unkillable mode, he can be considered a special-grade-level sorcerer.
If you are meeting Hakari for the first time in Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3, keep an eye out for him, as this gambling sorcerer’s special powers are a treat to watch on screens. That said, is Hakari one of your favourite JJK characters? Let us know in the comments below.
