This article provides an in-depth explanation of Atsuya Kusakabe a character from Jujutsu kaisen. It includes details about his abilities, past episodes, and images of his appearances in the anime.

What is the Anime Jujutsu Kaisen Where Atsuya Kusakabe Appears?

Jujutsu Kaisen (呪術廻戦) is a dark fantasy series that began serialization in Weekly Shonen Jump in March 2018. The story follows Yuji Itadori, a high schooler who enters a world of curses and sorcery after unsealing a powerful “Cursed Object.” The series concluded in September 2024.

The Jujutsu Kaisen manga has surpassed 100 million copies in circulation. The anime adaptation aired its first season from October 2020 to March 2021, becoming a massive hit. The success continued with the theatrical release of Jujutsu Kaisen 0 in December 2021 and the highly acclaimed Season 2 airing from July to December 2023. Fans can also look forward to the production of Jujutsu Kaisen: The Culling Game Arc.

Atsuya Kusakabe's Official Plofile

Name: Atsuya Kusakabe (JP: 日下部篤也)
A Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer and a teacher at Tokyo Jujutsu High. He played an active role in Shinjuku during the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons. Like Satoru Gojo, he is a faculty member at Tokyo Jujutsu High and serves as the homeroom teacher for the second-year students, including Toge Inumaki, Maki Zenin, and Panda.

Age: Around 37 years old
Height: Approximately 180 cm
Affiliation: Tokyo Jujutsu High, Homeroom Teacher for the Second-Years
Cursed Energy Rank: Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer
Hobbies & Skills: Fishing
Favorite Food: Toro-Taku Maki (Fatty Tuna & Pickled Radish Roll)
Least Favorite Food: Tuna Eyeballs
Biggest Stressor: Missions in general
Innate Cursed Technique: None
Domain Countermeasure: New Shadow Style: Simple Domain

Atsuya Kusakabe's - Character Overview

■Personality
In Jujutsu Kaisen, Atsuya Kusakabe is portrayed as a lazy and unmotivated individual. Despite being a Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer, he appears to be timid and cowardly at heart. He is highly reluctant to engage in combat against superior opponents and deliberately avoids encountering powerful enemies during the Shibuya Incident. Instead of confronting Special Grade Cursed Spirits or fighting against the group that sealed Satoru Gojo, Kusakabe prioritizes civilian evacuation—a move that some see as a means to stall for time and avoid battle.

Unlike most of the Tokyo Jujutsu High faculty, Kusakabe supports Yuji Itadori’s execution, believing that eliminating potential threats is the safest course of action.

However, his actions are not purely driven by self-preservation. He has demonstrated a selfless side, such as when he protected Kasumi Miwa from Suguru Geto’s Maximum: Uzumaki attack, putting himself in harm’s way for his comrades. His colleagues Mei Mei, Kento Nanami, and Satoru Gojo acknowledge that although he constantly complains, he never compromises on intellectual integrity—which, in their words, essentially means he is a kind-hearted person at his core.

■Relationship
Kusakabe has a younger sister who suffered from severe psychological distress after losing her son, Takeru. Hoping to save his sister, Kusakabe approached Masamichi Yaga and requested the creation of a Cursed Corpse infused with Takeru’s soul information. While the resulting Cursed Corpse was not truly Takeru, it exhibited the same speech and behavior, helping his sister regain her will to live.

This act left a deep sense of gratitude in Kusakabe, and he holds Masamichi Yaga in high regard for saving his sister’s life.

Atsuya Kusakabe's Abilities

■New Shadow Style: Simple Domain (シン・陰流 簡易領域)
Kusakabe specializes in Simple Domain, a barrier technique designed as a "weaker domain" to counter the guaranteed-hit effect of an opponent’s Domain Expansion. Unlike conventional barriers, Simple Domain does not nullify the enemy’s Cursed Technique but rather serves as a defensive countermeasure to weaken its effects.

One of the known practitioners of New Shadow Style is Kasumi Miwa from Kyoto Jujutsu High, who is also a disciple of the style. As a traditional family-inherited technique, teaching its secrets to outsiders is strictly prohibited by a binding vow.

While Kusakabe’s lack of enthusiasm makes him appear indifferent, his actual combat prowess is undeniable. During an interview published in Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #15 (March 11, 2024), Mei Mei, Kento Nanami, and Satoru Gojo were asked, "Who is the strongest Grade 1 Jujutsu Sorcerer?"—all three named Kusakabe as their top choice. This recognition highlights his exceptional skill and battle potential, despite his usual reluctance to fight.

Atsuya Kusakabe’s Key Scenes in the Anime

■Shibuya Incident
During the Shibuya Incident, Atsuya Kusakabe was assigned to work alongside Panda. As Mahito’s transfigured humans began attacking civilians, Kusakabe’s team, along with Nanami’s team and Zen’in’s team, entered the barrier to address the crisis.

Although Kusakabe wanted to avoid areas with Special Grade Curses, he strategically framed his actions as search and evacuation efforts for civilians, ensuring that he and Panda would not run into powerful enemies. However, his plan fell apart when he encountered Toshihisa Negi and other members of Suguru Geto’s faction, escalating into a potential battle.

At the same time, the fight between Sukuna and Jogo erupted in the area, dragging Kusakabe into the chaos.

Jujutsu kaisen Characters List

■Tokyo Prefectural Jujutsu High School
Yuji Itadori (虎杖悠仁, いたどり ゆうじ)
Megumi Fushiguro (伏黒恵, ふしぐろ めぐみ)
Nobara Kugisaki (釘崎野薔薇, くぎさき のばら)
Satoru Gojo (五条悟, ごじょう さとる)

Maki Zenin (禪院真希, ぜんいん まき)
Toge Inumaki (狗巻棘, いぬまき とげ)
Panda (パンダ, ぱんだ)
Yuta Okkotsu (乙骨憂太, おっこつ ゆうた)

Kinji Hakari (秤金次, はかり きんじ)
Kirara Hoshi (星綺羅羅, ほし きらら)

Shoko Ieiri (家入硝子, いえいり しょうこ)
Masamichi Yaga (夜蛾正道, やが まさみち)
Atsuya Kusakabe (日下部篤也, くさかべ あつや)
Kiyotaka Ijichi (伊地知潔高, いじち きよたか)
Akari Nitta (新田明, にった あかり)

■Special Grade Cursed Object / Incarnated Body
Sukuna Ryomen (両面宿儺, りょうめん すくな)

Choso (脹相, ちょうそう)
Eso (壊相, えそう)
Kechizu (血塗, けちず)

■Kyoto Prefectural Jujutsu High School
Aoi Todo (東堂葵, とうどう あおい)
Noritoshi Kamo (加茂憲紀, かも のりとし)
Momo Nishimiya (西宮桃, にしみや もも)
Mai Zenin (禪院真依, ぜんいん まい)
Ultimate Mekamaru (究極メカ丸, あるてぃめっと めかまる)
Kasumi Miwa (三輪霞, みわ かすみ)
Arata Nitta (新田新, にった あらた)

Yoshinobu Gakuganji (楽巌寺嘉伸, がくがんじ よしのぶ)
Utahime Iori (庵歌姫, いおり うたひめ)

■Jujutsu Sorcerers
Kento Nanami (七海建人, ななみ けんと)
Takuma Ino (猪野琢真, いの たくま)

Mei Mei (冥冥, めいめい)
Ui Ui (憂憂, ういうい)

Yuki Tsukumo (九十九由基, つくも ゆき)
Tengen (天元, てんげん)

Naobito Zenin (禪院直毘人, ぜんいん なおびと)
Naoya Zenin (禪院直哉, ぜんいん なおや)
Ogi Zenin (禪院扇, ぜんいん おうぎ)
Jinichi Zenin (禪院甚壱, ぜんいん じんいち)

■Curse Users
Suguru Geto (夏油傑, げとう すぐる)
Uraume (裏梅, うらうめ)
Ogami (オガミ婆, おがみばば)
Mago (オガミ婆の孫, おがみばばのまご)
Jiro Awasaka (粟坂二良, あわさか じろう)
Haruta Shigemo (重面春太, しげも はるた)

■Cursed Spirits
Mahito (真人, まひと)
Jogo (漏瑚, じょうご)
Hanami (花御, はなみ)
Dagon (陀艮, だごん)
Locust Guy (蝗GUY, こうがい)

Rika Orimoto (折本里香, おりもと りか)

■Hidden Inventory / Premature Death
Riko Amanai (天内理子, あまない りこ)
Misato Kuroi (黒井美里, くろいみさと)
Shiu Kong (孔時雨, こん しう)
Yu Haibara (灰原雄, はいばら ゆう)

■Suguru Geto's Group
Larue (ラルゥ, らるぅ)
Manami Suda (菅田真奈美, すだ まなみ)
Toshihisa Negi (祢木利久, ねぎ としひさ)
Mimiko Hasaba (枷場美々子, はさば みみこ)
Nanako Hasaba (枷場菜々子, はさば ななこ)
Miguel Oduor (ミゲル・オドゥオール, みげる おどぅおーる)

■Culling Game Players
Tsumiki Fushiguro (伏黒津美紀, ふしぐろ つみき)
Hiromi Higuruma (日車寛見, ひぐるま ひろみ)
Fumihiko Takaba (髙羽史彦, たかば ふみひこ)
Reggie Star (レジィ・スター, れじぃ すたー)
Hana Kurusu (来栖華, くるす はな)
Ryu Ishigoori (石流龍, いしごおり りゅう)
Takako Uro (烏鷺亨子, うろ たかこ)
Hagane Daido (大道鋼, だいどう はがね)

■Other characters
Toji Fushiguro (伏黒甚爾, ふしぐろ とうじ)
Wasuke Itadori (虎杖倭助, いたどり わすけ)
Junpei Yoshino (吉野順平, よしの じゅんぺい)
Yuko Ozawa (小沢優子, おざわ ゆうこ)

Source : Jujutsu kaisen Official