Jujutsu Kaisen: Who is Hiromi Higuruma?

Hiromi Higuruma is a complex character from the popular manga and anime series Jujutsu Kaisen. As a defense attorney, Hiromi was renowned for his extraordinary intellect and willingness to take on impossible cases to defend the wrongly accused. He strived to uphold the ideal that all deserve a fair trial under the law. However, when the justice system failed one of Hiromi's clients in a way that deeply shook his beliefs, it triggered changes within the lawyer.

Awakening to new abilities, Hiromi has now entered the deadly culling game, gaining notoriety among its players. But who exactly is Hiromi, and what events led this once idealistic attorney to lose faith in the very system he was part of? His story reveals the complexity within even the most upstanding of men when pressed to their moral limits. Hiromi remains an intriguing figure whose motivations and loyalties remain unclear as the game's stakes continue to rise.

Background and career

Born in Tokyo, Hiromi started his career as a defense attorney, specializing in impossible cases where his clients were almost certainly going to be found guilty. Those closest to Hiromi considered him a bit of a masochist for taking on such difficult trials, but it was his passion for justice that drove him. With an extraordinarily brilliant mind that earned him praise even in the rigorous world of law school, Hiromi truly believed in protecting the innocent and giving even the accused a chance at proving reasonable doubt.

Over time, the nature of Hiromi's work and constant exposure to unjust verdicts took their toll on his mental state. While always trying to avoid letting cases affect him personally, the looks of horror on clients' faces when found guilty against overwhelming evidence in their favor haunted Hiromi. It became too much to ignore after his cursed techniques abruptly manifested during a trial where clear evidence proved his client's innocence, yet they were still pronounced guilty. This pivotal moment marked a tipping point that set Hiromi on a much darker path.

A Turning Point

When Hiromi's most recent client was found guilty despite overwhelming evidence in his favor, it represented a failure of the justice system that Hiromi had dedicated his career to upholding. Still coming to terms with his newly-awakened jujutsu abilities, Hiromi lashed out in a moment of rage and grief, attacking the prosecutor and judge. This tragic event weighed heavily on Hiromi, as taking a life went against his moral code. It marked a shift in his perspective, leaving him disillusioned with the laws of man and disconnected from his former role as a defense attorney. He became generally discontented and disconnected from society, claiming to care little for anything at all anymore.

But it was during the culling game that Hiromi's character underwent another change. Initially viewing it as a way to simply observe how the unrestricted rules might play out, Hiromi encountered Yuji Itadori and refused his request for points to help stop the game. This set them on a collision course as antagonists. However, Yuji's willingness to confess to a crime he wasn't guilty of resonated with Hiromi's sense of justice, reminding him why he became a lawyer in the first place.

With Yuji's innocence mirroring that of Hiromi's client, who faced unjust punishment, the former defense attorney had a change of heart. He reoriented himself to prioritize protecting the weak once more. Hiromi's cooperation with Yuji marked an intriguing shift that showcased the complexity within this multilayered Jujutsu Kaisen character.

The Culling Game and Yuji Itadori

Upon entering the Culling Game arena, Hiromi quickly distinguishes himself as one of the top players. With barely any experience in jujutsu aside from what he gained in the short time since awakening, Hiromi reached a level comparable to Grade 1 sorcerers in just twelve days. He exorcised numerous curses and killed at least twenty opponents within the colony.

It was there that Hiromi first crossed paths with Yuji Itadori. After Hiromi had Judgeman confiscate Yuji's cursed energy and sensed his disadvantage, the powerful sorcerer attacked with lethal intent. Yuji only managed to save himself by demanding a retrial, which halted their battle. This close call showed Hiromi's battle prowess and willingness to eliminate any threat.

From that point on, Hiromi cooperated with Yuji's goal of stopping the Culling Game, even using his accumulated points to help save trapped civilians. While briefly parting ways to atone for his past crimes, Hiromi proved himself a valuable, if unstable, ally with potentially world-class skills. His interactions with Yuji revealed new depths to this layered Jujutsu Kaisen character.

Hiromi's Abilities and Domain Expansion

At the core of Hiromi's abilities lie his tremendously high cursed energy and sharp intellectual skills, having unlocked his powers through natural talent and rapid self-study. With his domain expansion "Deadly Sentencing" and cursed tool, the lawyer's hammer, Hiromi stands as a formidable opponent.

Within his domain expansion, Hiromi summons his shikigami judge, who resembles a towering figure in a white mask. The domain takes the form of a circular courtroom, with guillotines surrounding a central stage. As "judge," Hiromi interrogates opponents while Judgeman passively observes, its verdicts influencing conditions within the battle. Once "convicting" an opponent, Hiromi gains an advantage by enlarging his weapon with cursed energy. He wields it with expert martial skill.

What truly sets Hiromi apart is his genius-level intellect and ability to achieve mastery of jujutsu in just two weeks, including barrier techniques. This rapid self-study allowed him to develop his own unique domain expansion, demonstrating his immense potential and love of the law.

In the dynamic Jujutsu Kaisen universe, Hiromi Higuruma emerges as one of the series' most fascinating characters. Starting as a passionate defender of justice turned disillusioned, he undergoes compelling shifts in ideology and allegiance. Although volatile in the aftermath of betrayal by the justice system he devoted his career to upholding, Hiromi demonstrates nuanced layers beneath initial antagonism.

His change of heart and cooperation with Yuji showcase deeper principles of protecting the vulnerable, which first awakened Hiromi to sorcery. Powerful yet intelligent, threatening yet vulnerable, Hiromi intrigues through complex humanity. He personifies how even the most downhearted can find purpose and redemption. In a story celebrating humanity's shadow and light, Hiromi Higuruma stands out profoundly as one of Jujutsu Kaisen's greatest achievements in character development.

Jujutsu Kaisen is available to stream on Crunchyroll.