Jujutsu Kaisen: Are Master Tengen Still Alive?
Jujutsu Kaisen’s second season has recently begun with Gojo’s Past Arc. We anticipate that the entire season and this little “flashback arc” will be very enjoyable, and we also look forward to the upcoming episodes. The main story and this flashback arc are connected by several threads, including Master Tengen, a mysterious figure who had been mentioned earlier but has now—for the first time—become a prominent character in the series. Although this flashback story may appear to be a diversion from the main plot, it has many connections, and Master Tengen is one major connection. Now, we have already told you about who Master Tengen are and in this article, you will find out if they are still alive.
As of the current manga chapter, Master Tengen are still alive and well, mostly thanks to their Immortality technique. Master Tengen has been alive since the Nara period (8th century) and has maintained themselves using their special ability and the Star Plasma Vessels. Although Riko Amanai, the current Vessel, was killed by Toji, Master Tengen have nevertheless managed to stabilize themselves and avoid evolution, later appearing to help the protagonists by providing them with information.
As you’ve probably deduced by now, this article will focus on Master Tengen, the character who is a background focus of the Gojo’s Part Arc, and their story in the Jujutsu Kaisen manga and anime series. We will bring you all the known information about this entity and tell you their story in general so that you know whether they are, as of this moment, alive or not in the series. Be careful, though, as we must inform you that this article will contain many spoilers from the manga, so you have to decide for yourselves how you want to approach it.
Although the Star Plasma Vessel was killed before the merger, Master Tengen managed to stabilize themselves somehow and are still alive and well in the series, albeit under protection
Tengen, better known as Master Tengen, and referred to as ‘they’ in the series, are one of the supporting characters in the Jujutsu Kaisen manga series. They are an immortal shaman who remains sheltered in the Tombs of the Star Corridor at the Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical College.
They possess a cursed technique that grants them immortality and allows them to strengthen the barriers of jujutsu colleges. Every 500 years, they must change their body since their technique does not prevent aging. Other than using their barriers, Tengen does not alter the basic tenets of reality.
The story of Master Tengen actually begins more than 1,000 years ago, in the Nara Period, when a young female jujutsu sorcerer started preaching new Buddhist ideas. These Buddhist ideas would later become the foundation of the modern jujutsu society in more ways than one.
And while the mainstream community rejected her, a group of devout and pious followers formed a cult around her teaching, and thus, the Time Vessel Association was founded. The organization has maintained its monotheistic ideals until modern times and has since become a wealthy religious organization, as we’ve seen in modern times (we’re talking about the year 2006 when the Gojo’s Past Arc takes place).
The members of this organization are, interestingly enough, non-curse users, but they are, nevertheless, highly knowledgeable about the jujutsu society, and due to their wealth and influence, they are an extremely powerful group in the story. The Time Vessel Association is one of the two antagonist groups in Gojo’s Past Arc (along with Q), but the two of them have completely opposing goals.
On the other hand, the jujutsu sorcerers of the Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical College, who are keeping Master Tengen safe in the Tombs of the Star Corridor, have the task of keeping Master Tengen alive and in their current state. Namely, Master Tengen is so powerful, and they are the best sorcerer when it comes to creating barriers, which is why their powers are used to maintain the balance and the defenses of the Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical College, as well as the whole jujutsu society.
But, while Master Tengen won’t die from old age due to their ability, they still go through a 500-year cycle in which their current body deteriorates and has to be replaced with a new one – the Star Plasma Vessel – in order for the balance to remain.
Now, Master Tengen won’t die if the body is not replaced, but it will evolve and enter a new state of existence, becoming more of a curse than a human. If the body is replaced, the whole process, along with the technique, is avoided, and the danger of Master Tengen becoming dangerous is avoided for another 500 years. But, we have to state that the evolved Master Tengen isn’t necessarily a threat to the jujutsu society.
There are two ways that it can go. One, the evolution could be beneficial for humanity as Master Tengen would remain an ally; two, the evolution could be horrific, as Master Tengen could become a mindless enemy of humanity, an enemy the jujutsu sorcerers could probably not take down with ease. This is why the Star Plasma Vessel was so important and why the school cared so much about the whole process.
And while Gojo and Geto managed to stop Q’s attack on Riko Amanai, the current Star Plasma Vessel, who is – by the way – a 14-year-old girl, the story did not go that well, as the Time Vessel Association had other plans. They hired Toji Fushiguro, a notorious enemy of the jujutsu sorcerers, to do their task for them, and Toji ultimately shot Riko Amanai in the head, killing her before the merger with Master Tengen could happen. And while Toji was ultimately defeated, the problem remained.
So, what happened? Did Master Tengen die or evolve? Well, Akutami was a bit lazy here, to be honest, and while he did resolve the issue, he did not provide a proper explanation. Namely, as Yuki Tsukumo revealed later, Master Tengen simply managed to stabilize themselves “somehow,” despite not merging with the Star Plasma Vessel.
We will actually see them in person later, during the Perfect Preparation Arc, when he will help the protagonists and reveal that since he is now more of a curse than anything else, he is afraid of Kenjaku, who could potentially manipulate them because they are now a curse. But that is a story for another article, as we don’t want to spoil everything for you here.
So, long story short, Master Tengen are alive and well. Despite not merging with the Star Plasma Vessel, who was killed, Master Tengen managed to stabilize themselves somehow and are alive and well in the series. They will, later on, even appear in person and provide the protagonists with valuable information related to their current opponents and missions, proving that Master Tengen was never an enemy to begin with.
