Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 231: Gojo races against time to defeat Sukuna as Domains can no longer be used

Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 231 comes preceding a break in both the manga and the anime’s second season. As such, it bore the burden of living up to a lot of expectations, given that the entirety of Shueisha will be going on a break for Obon next week. However, the chapter was more of a pause in the ongoing influx of information and continuous action.

While the chapter was much less informative or monumental than the previous two chapters, it offered no less insight into the nature of Gojo and Sukuna’s antagonism. It clarified that while Gojo’s goal is clearly to eradicate the curse first, what Sukuna plans to archive remains unclear.

On the other hand, Mangaka Gege Akutami summarily used this opportunity to torment his readers further by bringing back Nanami in a flashback. He also made Megumi’s already precarious chances of rescue slimmer with a throwaway dialogue. Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 231 is titled Inhuman Makyo Shinjuku Showdown, Part 9.

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Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 231 shows Gojo and Sukuna set an end-line to their battle as new information about Mahoraga emerges

In the previous chapter, Sukuna used Mahoraga to break Gojo’s Domain and had Megumi’s soul bear the burden of said adaptation. The repeated attempts to cast a Domain had rendered Gojo unable to cast it anymore, and the effects of Unlimited Void on Sukuna’s body prevented him from expanding Malevolent Shrine. As such, they were reduced to fighting by the end of the chapter.

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Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 231 summary

Sukuna evading Gojo's attack in Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 231 (Image via Gege Akutami/Shueisha)

In Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 231 Kusakabe explained that Gojo imbues his hits with Limitless, which makes his hits unpredictable and dangerous. Yuji remembered that Nanami once said the same to him. Back on the battleground, Gojo beat Sukuna to his heart’s content, but Sukuna seemed to recover from it rather quickly.

He explained that Mahoraga’s wheel turns as it is, and by default, its user adapts to a technique. Gojo figured out that it would take 4 turns to adapt to his limitless. Even though Sukuna could no longer use Domain Expansion, Domain Amplification was still fair game. The issue, however, was that while using Domain Amplification, Mahoraga could not adapt to anything.

As the battle continued, Gojo promised Sukuna that he would kill him within the next 3 turns. Sukuna, in turn, replied that Gojo would be the one to perish. Hana questioned whether Gojo had forgotten that Sukuna currently occupied Megumi’s body, and Yuji feared that his teacher might have actually forgotten that.

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Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 231 review and analysis

Yuji and Hana worried about Megumi in Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 231 (Image via Gege Akutami/Shueisha)

What seems to be a constant running theme throughout this arc is Gojo’s indifference toward Megumi. While it is evident that he does plan to save Megumi, his actions continue to suggest otherwise to the point that even Akutami is forced to make Yuji acknowledge the possibility of Gojo having forgotten about Megumi’s rescue.

On a more serious note, The time delay and conditions regarding Mahoraga’s adaptation were previously unknown to the readers. Many readers have pointed out that Akutami seems to bending the rules and introducing new concepts in this battle to an alarming degree. However, one must keep in mind that Gojo and Sukuna are both hailed as the strongest of their time and as such, could not unleash their full power against any other opponent but each other.

Mahoraga's wheel turns in Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 231 (Image via Gege Akutami/Shueisha)

In the case of the Ten Shadows, and Mahoraga in particular, Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 231 makes it more clear that no one has as much information about the Shikigami as Sukuna and Gojo. Before being possessed by Sukuna, Megumi had not managed to tame Maghoraga, making it impossible for the boy to have any practical knowledge about it.

It does make one question how Gojo has so much information on Mahoraga. He could be deducing all of this from this battle itself, but that seems too unlikely and arbitrary. A more plausible reason would be for him to have researched this for the time when he believed Megumi would be able to tame Mahoraga. This also invites the question of whether he shared said knowledge with Megumi, and whether that is how Sukuna has gained it.

Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 231 highlights one other point, the importance of which fans seem to have ignored in favor of ridiculing it. Sukuna and Gojo are both enjoying this battle, and this is evident from both of them allowing each other breathing space and exchanging banter. The stoplight scene in the chapter, where they exchanged words while the sign was yellow and started fighting only when it was green, is a good example of this.

Sukuna and Gojo are both fighters, not just in the sense that they are aggressive or strong, but in that they enjoy fighting. They both enjoy the battle, not just the combat, but the violence and uncertainty of it – Sukuna openly, and Gojo surreptitiously. As such, it makes sense that they would enjoy this particular battle to a degree where they would want to prolong it, even if it means allowing the opponent a few moments of respite.

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Announcement

Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 231 will be followed by a one-week break as Weekly Shonen Jump will observe a publication-wide break due to the Obon Holiday in Japan. Additionally, season 2 of the anime has also finished airing the Gojo’s Past arc and will broadcast two recap episodes before going on a one-week break.

Jujutsu Kaisen will return on Monday, August 21, at 12 am JST with chapter 232. The anime will start the Shibuya Incident arc on Thursday, August 31, at 11:56 pm JST.

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Here are the links to the detailed season 2 release schedule and the list of series on break for Obon.

Be sure to keep up with more manga news and anime updates as the series progresses.