Jujutsu Kaisen: Who is Kinji Hakari?
This article provides an in-depth explanation of Kinji Hakari a character from Jujutsu kaisen. It includes details about his abilities, past episodes, and images of his appearances in the anime.
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 first TV season aired from October 2020 to March 2021, followed by the hit film Jujutsu Kaisen 0 in December 2021, which grossed 26.5 billion yen worldwide. The second season aired from July to December 2023, and the third season, Jujutsu Kaisen: Culling Game Part 1, will premiere in January 2026.
Kinji Hakari’s Plofile
Name: Kinji Hakari
Affiliation: Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical College (Tokyo Jujutsu High), 3rd Year Date of Birth: Unknown Method of Enrollment: Unknown Cursed Technique: Gambling / Pachinko-based technique Domain Expansion: Idle Death Gamble (坐殺博徒 / Zasatsu Bakuto) Colony: Tokyo No. 2 Colony Voice Actor: Kazuya Nakai
Overview of Kinji Hakari
Kinji Hakari is a third-year student at Tokyo Jujutsu High. Due to being suspended alongside the other third-year students, he did not participate in the Goodwill Event held in 2018.
During Suguru Geto’s Night Parade of a Hundred Demons, Hakari was dispatched to Kyoto. However, after clashing violently with members of the conservative faction within the jujutsu world and severely beating them, he was handed a suspension lasting nearly a year.
Personality and Character
Hakari has a rugged, intimidating appearance, with an older-looking face and perpetually unshaven stubble. Despite his rough demeanor, he is not openly hostile toward authority figures he respects.
At present, Hakari operates an underground gambling arena in Tochigi Prefecture known as the “Gachinko Fight Club Tournament.” In this illegal venue, non-sorcerers place bets while jujutsu sorcerers and curse users engage in brutal hand-to-hand combat. Hakari acts as the organizer and bookmaker, using the profits to sustain himself.
Notably, Hakari harbors no resentment toward Satoru Gojo or Masamichi Yaga, referring to them as people he is indebted to. As a result, he was deeply shaken upon learning of Gojo’s sealing and Yaga’s execution.
According to Gojo himself, Hakari has the potential to become a sorcerer on par with Gojo one day. Gojo even ranked him at a level comparable to Yuta Okkotsu, highlighting Hakari’s exceptional latent ability.
Kinji Hakari’s Abilities
Cursed Technique and Domain Expansion While the full mechanics of Hakari’s cursed technique have not been completely disclosed, it is fundamentally a materialization of a gambling system, specifically modeled after pachinko.
According to Atsuya Kusakabe, Hakari’s technique is similar to Hiromi Higuruma’s Deadly Sentencing in that it comes with a Domain Expansion built into the technique by default.
Hakari’s Domain Expansion, Idle Death Gamble, recreates the presentation and mechanics of a real pachinko machine: “CR Private Railway Pure Love Train 1/239 ver.”
・Pachinko-style visual sequences begin automatically. ・Hakari can attack while the sequences play. ・If he hits a “jackpot,” he receives massive buffs that allow him to dominate the fight. ・Opponents are forcibly taught the rules of pachinko and are made to witness Hakari enthusiastically enjoying the game, making the domain psychologically disorienting as well as combat-oriented.
When Hakari lands a jackpot inside Idle Death Gamble, a special sequence triggers. During this state:
・The theme song of Private Railway Pure Love Train plays for approximately four minutes. ・Hakari gains effectively unlimited cursed energy. ・His attacks become overwhelmingly destructive. ・His body is continuously healed through an automatic Reverse Cursed Technique, rendering him nearly impossible to kill.
Even after this invincibility period ends, Hakari’s cursed technique immediately resets, allowing him to activate Idle Death Gamble again without delay.
What makes this ability especially terrifying is Hakari’s extraordinary luck. Although the first jackpot is statistically difficult to obtain, Hakari consistently forces a win through sheer good fortune. Once he hits the first jackpot, consecutive wins often follow, turning battles into one-sided endurance matches that heavily favor him.
Key Relationships
Kirara Hoshi Kirara Hoshi is a third-year student at Tokyo Jujutsu High. Currently suspended alongside their classmate Kinji Hakari, Kirara is known for their unique personality and strong bond with Hakari.
Role in the Story
Hakari’s existence was hinted at earlier through Gojo’s recollections, but he officially debuted at the beginning of the Culling Game arc.
He was operating the underground fight arena at an abandoned multi-story parking facility in Tochigi alongside fellow third-year student Kirara Hoshi. After encountering Yuji Itadori, Hakari took interest in Yuji’s passion and resolve, eventually recruiting him—and later himself and Kirara—into the Culling Game strategy team.