Does Yuko Ozawa return in Jujutsu Kaisen? Explained

Characters come and go in Jujutsu Kaisen, each leaving their unique mark on the story. One such character that had a fleeting yet me­morable appearance in se­ason 2 was Yuko Ozawa.

She was Yuji Itadori's love interest and the first character that was introduced as a love interest for any student from the main trio. Her brief stint re­sounded strongly with fans, sparking discussions and questions about her future appearances in the series.

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Jujutsu Kaisen: Will Yuko Ozawa return?

Yuko Ozawa and Yuji Itadori in Jujutsu Kaisen (Image via MAPPA)

Yuko Ozawa will not return or make another appearance in Jujutsu Kaisen. She stands as a minor character in the series and made her anime debut in episode 6 of the second season and her manga debut in Chapter 64. However, her screen time is limited to just the episode and the chapter.

It is undeniable that she was and still is romantically interested in protagonist Yuji Itadori. She is considerably different from the time she was in high school with Yuji. However, on the inside, she is still the same girl who fell hard for the loveable sorcerer given his sweet nature.

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Who is Yuko Ozawa?

As mentioned, Jujutsu Kaisen's Yuko Ozawa was Yuji's classmate in Junior High. Initially, she was portrayed as a shy and insecure girl who struggled with her weight and lacked the confidence to confess her fee­lings to Yuji. She claimed to "hate all the boys except Yuji".

However, after having to move to Tokyo, she underwent considerable physical change. She had a growth spurt, adding a whole 15cm to her height, and lost weight due to the stress of moving. That made her nearly unrecognizable, as seen in the manner that Nobara reacted when she saw Yuko's before and after.

One day, she happened to overhear a conversation where Yuji confessed that he preferred her among his classmates. He revealed that he liked Yuko because of the way she ate and her elegant writing. She was taken aback by the fact that he saw something in her that she hadn't noticed herself. This led to her developing a crush on him.

Yuko Ozawa during Junior High in Jujutsu Kaisen (Image via Gege Akutami, Shueisha)

Hearing this helped her muster the courage to ask him for a photograph on their graduation day. Later, she spotted him in Tokyo and decided to approach him with her feelings, given her newfound confidence.

However, she decided not to confess her feelings as she realized that she did not want reciprocation from him based on her new looks. She believed that if she had done so, she would end up acting like the people that she hated.

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Final Thoughts

Yuko Ozawa and Yuji Itadori in Jujutsu Kaisen (Image via MAPPA)

At the moment, Yuko Ozawa's screen time in Jujutsu Kaisen has been extremely limited but her brie­f yet impactful appearance was definitely intriguing. Gege Akutami's series does not particularly have themes of love or romance, but with the introduction of Yuko Ozawa, it looks like there just might be.

Anyhow, presently, the series is solely focused on the battle against Sukuna. With Gojo gone, Hajime Kashimo unable to continue fighting and Hiromi Higuruma also down, things do not seem very promising for the sorcerers. Only time will tell how future events unfold. As for Yuko, fans could hope to witness something blossom between her and Yuji in the series' future.