Hakari: Was Hakari overhyped in Jujutsu Kaisen? Explored

Kinji Hakari was a Jujutsu Kaisen character who was shrouded in mystery and hype. Gojo Satoru himself spoke of Hakari's immense potential as one of the most powerful sorcerers of his generation. Given his lax yet rebellious attitude, this did not seem so given but was highlighted when he revealed his Domain.

Being granted near-immortality for a brief period was just one of the character's many selling points. With this and other unique abilities, expectations for his character were sky-high. This led to the fandom pondering whether or not he was being overhyped. Considering the story's events, Kinji Hakari lived up to the hype he generated and silenced almost all doubts.

His battles in the Culling Games against Charles Bernard and Hajime Kashimo were a testament to his skill, tactical intellect, and sheer willpower. Hakari's hype was not overblown but earned and justified.

Disclaimer: This article contains the sole opinion and views of the author.

Jujutsu Kaisen: The hype of Kinji Hakari

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Introduced in Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 156, Kinji Hakari was a third-year at Jujutsu High who was suspended following a clash with authority. Serving his suspension, Hakari ran the Gachinko Fight Club - a fight club witnessing hand-to-hand combat between sorcerers for monetary gain. He was a gambler by nature, always ready to take risks, which uniquely extended to this Cursed Technique (CT).

Kinji Hakari's character was not overhyped, considering how powerful he was and his show of it. Even Gojo himself acknowledged his abilities and tipped Hakari to one day surpass him. His abilities were on display specifically during the Culling Games Arc when he fought Charles Bernard and Hajime Kashimo one after another. They are prime examples of him justifying his hype.

His fight against Charles was an enlightening demonstration of his skill and personality. Hakari's brutal, mostly, straightforward and unrelenting fighting style shone brightly when he took on the manga-obsessed sorcerer.

Despite Charles’ technique of using G Warstaff to predict his opponents' moves, Hakari overwhelmed him with raw power and confidence, exhibiting how dominant he could be.

Kinji Hakari in Jujutsu Kaisen (Image via Gege Akutami, Shueisha)

Next, the fight against Hajime Kashimo stood as the true test of Hakari's abilities and hype. Kashimo, a battle-hardened veteran sorcerer from the Heian Era equipped with deadly lightning-based techniques, pushed Hakari to his limits. It was in this fight that fans were treated to Hakari's Domain, Idle Death Gamble. Thanks to his unbelievable luck, he kept securing jackpots.

A jackpot meant that Hakari would enter his "Unkillable Mode" for 4 minutes and 11 seconds. As such, for that duration, he would receive limitless Cursed Energy (CE), thus powering his moves and reflexively healing any damage sustained.

Hence, his fight against Kashimo was a seesaw spectacle of strategy and endurance, with Hakari showcasing immense resilience and creativity in combat. He defeats Kashimo by outsmarting him and an expert use of the last of his CE.

Again, his role in the Shinjuku Showdown Arc needs to be accounted for as well. As per the plan formulated by Team Jujutsu High, Hakari was tasked with occupying Uraume while the others focused on Ryomen Sukuna. From whatever was shown, the gambler proved highly resilient and kept up with Uraume for the entire duration of the main fight, stopping only when Sukuna was finally beaten.

A missed bet

Uraume in Jujutsu Kaisen (Image via MAPPA)

With all of Hakari's glory, there was one missed bit that could have really elevated his character to the next level. But this missed bet doesn't stem from the Jujutsu High third-year, but from creator Gege Akutami. Not to be mistaken, Akutami did a stellar job in showcasing prowess for Jujutsu and his complicated CT.

However, there was one thing that fans wanted which remained an unfulfilled desire - the battle between Hakari and Uruame. It was merely glimpsed in a few panels of the Shinjuku Showdown Arc but delved into. The fandom has no clue what happened between the two or how long each sorcerer fought. It was disappointing to see Hakari built up only to later disappear for the final bout.

If not a lot of detail, Akutami could have dedicated a few chapters or even a couple of scattered panels on their fight. Undoubtedly, viewers were keen to see Hakari in action again, but his last time in the spotlight was the Kashimo fight. Many can argue that this point diminished some of the hype created around Hakari's character.

Final thoughts

In conclusion and to reiterate, Hakari lived up to his hype. This he did by demonstrating not only overwhelming power but also unshakable confidence and adaptability. His unusual yet very highly effective and creative Domain Expansion underscored his potential as a high-level sorcerer.

The fights against Charles Bernard and Hajime Kashimo only solidified him as a character capable of standing alongside Jujutsu Kaisen’s finest. Although to be frank, a greater showing of him taking on Uruame would have been the cherry on top.

But even so, maybe Akutami purposely did not want to add that detail to allow fans to use their imagination and stage their own epic version of it. All in all, Kinji Hakari was appropriately built up and justified the buzz around him.