Atsuya Kusakabe

Atsuya Kusakabe, also known as Kusakabe Atsuya, plays a supporting role in the Jujutsu Kaisen series. As a grade 1 jujutsu sorcerer, he serves as an instructor for the second-year students at Tokyo Jujutsu High.

Appearance:

Atsuya is characterized by his tall stature, spiky brown hair, and piercing dark eyes. He typically dresses in a dust brown peacoat layered over a crisp white dress shirt paired with a jade necktie, black trousers, and polished black shoes.

Personality:

Kusakabe seems to prioritize his safety above all else, often appearing fearful and resorting to deceit to protect himself. This was evident during the Shibuya Incident when he repeatedly lied to Panda, keeping him close for safety while steering him away from the area where Gojo was sealed to avoid confrontation with special grade curses. Despite this, Kusakabe has shown moments of bravery, such as when he shielded Kasumi Miwa from Kenjaku’s powerful technique, Maximum: Uzumaki.

Abilities

Kusakabe is highly skilled despite lacking an innate technique, holding the esteemed rank of grade 1 sorcerer. Renowned for his mastery of the New Shadow Style swordsmanship, he is respected within the jujutsu community. Mei Mei, acknowledging his prowess, noted that Kusakabe is a rare example of a grade 1 sorcerer without an innate technique, a testament to his exceptional abilities. Both Kento Nanami and Satoru Gojo have praised his strength, with Satoru specifically highlighting Kusakabe as the strongest grade 1 sorcerer, albeit with the caveat that this assessment might change if considering sorcerers from influential families.

Despite receiving accolades for his prowess, Kusakabe openly acknowledges his limitations, admitting that he stands no chance against special-grade curses and actively avoids confronting them. However, he remains confident in his ability to defeat adversaries of lesser caliber, such as curse users Toshihisa Negi and Manami Suda, whom he considers beneath his skill level.

During a critical moment when fellow jujutsu sorcerers were engaged in a perilous battle to obtain the Prison Realm from Pseudo-Geto, Kusakabe intervened just in time to safeguard the lives of his allies. His swift action drew recognition from Pseudo-Geto, who acknowledged Kusakabe’s proficiency in the New Shadow Style, indicating a level of respect for his combat abilities.

Kusakabe’s mastery of swordsmanship serves as his primary asset in combat, showcasing exceptional skill in wielding his blade. Utilizing the techniques of the New Shadow Style, he demonstrates a high level of proficiency in swordplay. Employing techniques like Batto-Sword Drawing, Kusakabe swiftly dispatches adversaries, as demonstrated when he effortlessly defeats three curse user henchmen in a single, decisive motion.

Cursed Tool:

Kusakabe’s weapon of choice is a traditional katana adorned with a gold guard and featuring a dark red handle. This katana serves as his primary instrument in combat and remains infused with his cursed energy at all times, imbuing it with formidable power comparable to that of a cursed tool.

Information:

According to the Jujutsu Kaisen Official Fanbook, Kusakabe Atsuya has the following characteristics and preferences:

Hobby: Fishing

• Favorite Dish: Torotaki-maki (fatty tuna and pickled radish roll)
• Least Favorite Dish: Tuna eye
• Cause of Stress: All missions
• In the Popularity Polls, Kusakabe Atsuya ranked:
• 39th in the second Popularity Poll with 58 votes.
• 25th in the third Popularity Poll with 197 votes.

Regarding his name:

His surname, “Kusakabe,” has the Nanori reading for “day” (日 kusa?), the Kan-on reading for “underneath, end” (下 ka?), and the Kun reading for “division, section, department” (部 be?).

His given name, “Atsuya,” has the Kun reading for “cordial, warm-hearted” (篤 atsu?) and a Jinmeiyo kanji “to be” (也 ya?).

These details provide additional insights into Kusakabe Atsuya’s character and background as depicted in the series.