Does Yuji Itadori kill Mahito in Jujutsu Kaisen? Explained

Many fans have questioned who killed Mahito in Jujutsu Kaisen. As season 2 came to an end, anime fans finally had the answer that manga fans always knew. Mahito was finally wiped from existence by none other than Kenjaku.

Jujutsu Kaisen episode 19 of the second season came out on Thursday, November 30. But it was a lot more heartbreaking for fans since Mahito, who had already killed Nanami Kento, went and killed Nobara Kugisaki as well. His rivalry with Yuji Itadori had been built since Mahito killed Junpei, and now they will have their definitive showdown in Shibuya.

Considering everything that has happened between them, many anime-only viewers have asked this question: Does Yuji kill Mahito in Jujutsu Kaisen? They have been fighting each other for quite some time, and both want to kill the other, so it makes sense that Yuji, being the protagonist of the series, would be the one to take the Curse of Hatred down.

Disclaimer: This article contains massive spoilers for the Jujutsu Kaisen series.

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Yuji Itadori isn't the one who kills Mahito in Jujutsu Kaisen

There is no denying that the rivalry between Yuji Itadori and Mahito is one of the best parts of Jujutsu Kaisen and one of author Gege Akutami's best moments as a writer. He crafted a strong dynamic between these two characters, especially as Mahito killed Junpei, Nanami, and Nobara right in front of Yuji, cementing the latter's hatred.

On that front, many fans who are only watching the anime have asked this question: Does Yuji kill Mahito? The straight answer is no, Yuji Itadori doesn't kill Mahito. It is Kenjaku, or Pseudo-Geto, who kills, or exorcises, Mahito at the end of the Shibuya Incident Arc. However, there is more to that, and anime-only viewers can rest assured that Yuji got his payback after everything Mahito had done.

As they fight, Mahito gets stronger because of his ability to evolve and learn, with Yuji close to giving up. But soon, Aoi Todo shows up and aids Yuji in the battle. The two sorcerers get the upper hand on Mahito as the combat continues. However, the curse decides to run away, which is when Kenjaku shows up and absorbs Mahito with Geto's Cursed Technique as part of his plan.

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The rivalry between Yuji and Mahito

Yuji and Mahito are direct opposites when it comes to themes and philosophies, which is why they work so well as natural foes to one another in Jujutsu Kaisen. Mahito is a selfish and cruel individual, while Yuji is kind and selfless. This makes them naturally clashing and wanting to take each other down, with the Shibuya Incident arc being the peak of their rivalry.

It is also worth pointing out that one of the reasons Mahito worked so well as a counter to Yuji is because the latter was allowed to kill people close to the main character in the series. Jujutsu Kaisen author Gege Akutami took a huge risk by killing two popular characters, Nanami Kento and Nobara Kugisaki. Still, it helped raise the stakes and build some major adversity for Yuji to overcome.

They are two characters who do well with one another, and many fans cannot help but have a very cathartic feeling as Yuji fights and defeats Mahito, which is a long time coming.

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Final thoughts

The conclusion of the battle between Mahito and Yuji Itadori is bound to become one of the biggest highlights of the Jujutsu Kaisen anime. Yuji doesn't get the kill in this battle, but he definitely does defeat Mahito and has him running away for his life.

Mahito ultimately met his end at the hands of Kenjaku and was completely devoured by him. By doing so, Kenjaku amped up the efficiency of Uzumaki and also gained Idle Transfiguration which he would use for his final goal of the ultimate merger.

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