Yuji Itadori is a Japanese high school student whose life transformed when he ingested a cursed object containing a finger of Ryomen Sukuna, becoming the vessel for the King of Curses. He possesses a lean, muscular physique, spiky pink hair, and large light brown eyes. Consuming Sukuna's finger granted him temporary extra eyes and markings when Sukuna manifested, features that disappeared after Sukuna moved to a new vessel. He bears scars between his eyes and on his mouth from Mahito during the Shibuya Incident and later lost his left pinky finger to Sukuna and his left ring finger to enable Yuta Okkotsu to copy Sukuna's technique. Initially in casual clothing, he later wore a customized Tokyo Jujutsu High uniform: a black gakuran-style shirt over a red hoodie, black pants, and red shoes. Raised by his grandfather Wasuke, Yuji internalized Wasuke's dying words to "help others" and "die surrounded by people," shaping his core motivation to ensure others experience a "proper death"—a peaceful end rather than one caused by curses. This drove him to swallow Sukuna's finger to save Megumi Fushiguro and classmates during a curse attack. Despite initial naïveté about the jujutsu world, he enrolled at Tokyo Jujutsu High after convincing Principal Masamichi Yaga that containing Sukuna was his unique responsibility. His early personality was energetic, empathetic, and comedic, focused on saving lives and avoiding taking human life unless absolutely necessary, reflecting his belief in life's inherent value. Yuji exhibits superhuman physical abilities, including immense strength capable of destroying walls and throwing cars, speed allowing him to run 50 meters in 3 seconds, and sharp reflexes. As Sukuna's vessel, he developed poison resistance and the ability to perceive souls, enabling him to harm Mahito. He mastered martial arts, particularly the acrobatic Taido style, and integrated cursed energy into combat. His initial technique, Divergent Fist, delivered delayed cursed-energy impacts. Under mentorship from Satoru Gojo and Aoi Todo, he learned precise cursed energy control, achieving the high-impact "Black Flash" technique. During a confrontation with the special-grade curse Hanami, he landed four consecutive Black Flashes, matching a record set by sorcerer Kento Nanami. His potential led Gojo to rank him alongside Yuta Okkotsu and Kinji Hakari as students capable of surpassing his own strength. Significant trauma marked Yuji's development. His friendship with Junpei Yoshino ended when Mahito manipulated and killed Junpei, igniting Yuji's first intense hatred and desire to kill. The Shibuya Incident worsened his struggles: he witnessed Nanami and Nobara Kugisaki's deaths, and Sukuna massacred civilians while controlling his body. This caused severe guilt and a mental breakdown, leading Yuji to view himself as a "cog" existing solely to exorcise curses. His personality grew solemn and self-punishing; he accepted blame for Sukuna's crimes and isolated himself emotionally, though underlying kindness remained. During this period, he formed a bond with Choso, who recognized Yuji as his half-brother due to shared bloodline ties—later revealed to stem from Yuji's mother, "Kaori Itadori," whose body was possessed by Kenjaku. His resolve hardened when Sukuna possessed Megumi. Yuji vowed to "eat anything" to kill Sukuna and free Megumi, training relentlessly for their confrontation. During the Shinjuku battle, Yuji fought Sukuna physically and ideologically. He trapped Sukuna in a domain showcasing childhood memories, expressing pity for Sukuna's cursed existence while reaffirming his commitment to kill him if Megumi wasn't freed. This clash refined Yuji's philosophy: he abandoned his fixation on "proper deaths," recognizing that value comes from life's accumulated memories, not death's circumstances. He concluded humans are not predetermined tools and that treating lives as worthless is unforgivable. Yuji's relationships with antagonists shaped his growth. Mahito, embodying human malice, challenged Yuji's ideals by distorting human souls. Their enmity culminated in Yuji rejecting justifications for killing, promising to eradicate Mahito "again and again." Conversely, Sukuna represented inherent nihilism, dismissing human weakness. Yuji countered by asserting his will to protect others despite suffering, framing their conflict as a clash of fundamental natures.