The legendary Batman storyline "Knightfall," which saw the villain Bane break the Dark Knight's back, employed a strategy that has resonated through decades of fiction. Bane’s initial plan was not to directly confront Batman but to orchestrate a mass breakout from Arkham Asylum. This forced Batman into a relentless pursuit of numerous escaped villains, physically and psychologically exhausting him over several days. Only when the hero was at his lowest ebb did Bane make his move, capitalizing on Batman's weakened state to deliver a devastating blow.
This calculated approach bears a striking resemblance to the tactics employed by Toji Fushiguro in Jujutsu Kaisen's "Hidden Inventory / Premature Death" arc. Toji, known as "the Sorcerer Killer," possesses superhuman strength and senses due to his Heavenly Restriction, which negates cursed energy. However, his greatest asset is his cunning and patience, rather than brute force. Faced with the formidable duo of young Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto, Toji recognized a direct confrontation would be futile.
Instead, Toji placed a bounty on Riko Amanai, the Star Plasma Vessel that Gojo and Geto were tasked with protecting. This attracted a host of lesser assassins and sorcerers, all eager to claim the reward. Toji's intention was not for these secondary threats to succeed, but rather to serve as a prolonged distraction. These expendable figures were meant to occupy Gojo and Geto, forcing them into a continuous state of high alert and combat over an extended period, mirroring Bane's strategy of exhausting his prey.
When the bounty expired and Gojo believed the immediate danger had passed, Toji finally launched his own assault. He ambushed Gojo as the sorcerer was entering the perceived safety of Jujutsu High, taking advantage of Gojo's deactivated Limitless technique, which he had been using constantly. Toji then utilized the Inverted Spear of Heaven, a cursed tool capable of nullifying cursed techniques, to incapacitate Gojo. He subsequently killed Riko and defeated Geto, a sequence of events that would have profound implications for the future of the jujutsu world.
While the creators of Jujutsu Kaisen have not cited Bane as a direct inspiration for Toji, instead referencing characters like Kiritsugu Emiya from Fate/Zero and citing actor Jason Statham for Toji’s physique, the parallels in their strategic brilliance are undeniable. Both Bane and Toji are physically imposing figures whose primary weapon is not raw power, but the meticulous planning required to undermine an opponent who appears unbeatable in a fair fight. They both engineer prolonged crises using disposable elements to wear down their targets before engaging them directly.
The "Hidden Inventory" arc, presented as the first five episodes of Jujutsu Kaisen season 2, was initially perceived as a self-contained prequel. However, its events have proven critical to understanding the ongoing Culling Game arc in later seasons. Toji's actions not only led to Gojo's ascension to his seemingly untouchable, awakened state but also marked the beginning of Geto's descent into villainy. More significantly, Riko's death prevented her from merging with Tengen, an ancient jujutsu entity whose altered state now poses a crucial element in the Culling Game's machinations. Kenjaku plans to utilize Tengen's power, amplified by the energy from the Culling Game, to forcibly merge the population of Japan.
Bane's impact on Batman was to prove that even the Dark Knight was not invincible. Toji Fushiguro achieved something arguably more profound within the Jujutsu Kaisen universe: he demonstrated that the established rules of jujutsu society itself could be broken. Both villains understood that overwhelming power does not equate to invulnerability. True victory often comes to those patient enough to strike when the strongest are finally at their most vulnerable.