Riko Amanai proved in Jujutsu Kaisen that even the non-fleshed-out side characters could majorly contribute to the plot. Introduced in Chapter 65, the young girl got acquainted with Suguru Geto and Satoru Gojo after the latter came to know about her being a vessel. The two sorcerers changed her perspective and redeemed her interest in ‘living’ but she unfortunately met a tragic fate.
As the Star Plasma Vessel of Master Tengen, Amanai was supposed to merge with the sorcerer and completely erase her existence. She evoked readers’ sympathy as a character who nonchalantly cared about others such that she was ready to be Tengen’s vessel. The moment she tried to break away from the cycle, she became a victim of the cruel politics in the world of Jujutsu Kaisen.
Riko Amanai died in Chapter 72 of the manga and in Season 2 Episode 3 of the anime. Even though her story lasted seven chapters, readers were left heartbroken by her exit. A fan theory suggests that the young girl was re-born into a Cursed Spirit but was killed by her previous assassin, Toji.
Also Read: Toji Fushiguro May be Single-handedly Responsible for the Entire Plot of Jujutsu Kaisen
Riko Amanai May Have Become A Cursed Spirit After Dying From A Non-Cursed Object
Characteristic of Gege Akutami’s slice-of-life depiction in Jujutsu Kaisen, Riko Amanai didn’t have the best life. Her parents died when she was young after which she was taken under the wing by Misato Kuroi. The Renchoku Girls Junior High student hoped for a simple life but she got caught in the dangerous world of cursed energies.
The Star Religious Group, a cult that worshipped Tengen, was on the hunt for Amanai. Despite being protected by Geto and Gojo, the group was able to assassinate the girl with the help of Toji Fushiguro, who shot a bullet in her head. The corpse was then escorted to the House of Children of the Star, seemingly marking Riko’s last appearance.
An interesting fan theory suggests Riko Amanai was reincarnated into the Cursed Spirit named Dagon. Multiple strong points justify the assumption. Given that Amanai was able to detect curses, she may have possessed cursed energy, such that her death at the hands of Toji Fushiguro from a non-cursed method would potentially make her a spirit.
Dagon’s unique headwear also bears a semblance to Amanai. The Cursed Spirit wore a nun’s habit and this can be co-related to Riko’s background because she went to a missionary school. Lastly, the most notable connection between the two characters is the Domain Expansion technique of Dagon, a cursed womb that possessed aquatic powers.
Instead of violent tsunamis or floods, Dagon’s Domain Expansion took place on a sunny, tropical island. Jujutsu Kaisen fans were quick to note how it could have been projecting Riko Amanai’s last memories in Okinawa. The aquatic creatures in the Domain Expansion may also have been a reflection of Amanai’s time at the aquarium when she was alive.
Toji Fushiguro Killed Riko Amanai Twice In Jujutsu Kaisen According To A Fan Theory
Riko Amanai’s doom was foreshadowed after the non-cursed user mixed with the likes of special-grade sorcerers like Geto and Gojo. The Star Religious Group wanted her to be eliminated because they believed her merger with Tengen would’ve corrupted their God’s form and mindset. She was on the hit list of two groups, the Q group, and the Time Vessel Association.
Based on the fan theory, Toji first killed Riko with a gunshot after which he destroyed Amanai’s spirit form by a series of strikes with his Playful Cloud technique. Dagon prided itself on its ability to use cursed energy but didn’t realize that Fushiguro was a master hand-to-hand combat artist while also possessing raw cursed energy techniques and tools.
There are still loopholes to the fan theory, though. Cursed energy users can become cursed spirits after being killed by non-cursed modes although nowhere it is written that they can become ‘disaster’ spirits which represent the fear of natural disasters. Even with Kenjaku’s brilliance, Riko transforming into a disaster spirit rather than a vengeful spirit is a long shot.
