Hazenoki's appearance in Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 239 was on point (and Kenjaku's upcoming battle proves it)

The way mangaka Gege Akutami had set up the battle of Yuji vs. Sukuna the previous week, nobody perhaps expected to see Hazenoki in Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 239. However, the leaked spoilers and the raw scans of the chapter have confirmed his reappearance in the manga.

Fans would know that Hazenoki played a crucial role as an antagonist during the Culling Games, where he fought against Fumihiko Takaba. However, the latter's incessant jokes and banters forced the sorcerer to withdraw. As such, their battle ended without any definite conclusion.

Interestingly, Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 239 reintroduced both these characters and pitted them against Kenjaku. While fans were least interested in seeing Hazenoki in Jujutsu Kaisen, his appearance in the chapter glorified Fumihiko Takaba and indirectly confirmed how he would have been the clear winner had he fought Hazenoki again.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 239.

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The death of Hazenoki in Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 239 glorifies Fumihiko Takaba's strength against Kenjaku

The return of Iori Hazenoki in Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 239 was on point, given how the reincarnated sorcerer served as a foil to Fumihiko Takaba, a Culling Game player. According to the leaked spoilers, the chapter focused on Kenjaku striving to kill every player to end the Culling Game and complete the Binding Vow.

Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 239 saw him brutally crushing the head of Takako Uro using a Jellyfish-like curse. Since he had placed a tracker on every Cursed Object, it was easy for him to track down the reincarnated sorcerers and kill them. Once he killed Takako Uro, he was confronted by another reincarnated sorcerer named Iori Hazenoki.

Iori Hazenoki in Jujutsu Kaisen (Image via Gege Akutami/Shueisha)

Kenjaku's arrogance and overconfidence were on full display as he momentarily diverted his attention to watching Gojo and Sukuna's battle. But when Iori Hazenoki tried to escape by throwing an explosive tooth at Kenjaku, the latter killed him brutally. The reincarnated sorcerer cursed the ancient sorcerer before dying a pitiful death.

On the surface level, it may seem like Hazenoki's appearance and death served no purpose in the context of the narrative. However, Gege Akutami masterfully used him as a foil to Fumihiko Takaba, who appeared shortly after his death in Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 239 and stole the show.

Fumihiko Takaba in Jujutsu Kaisen (Image via Gege Akutami/Shueisha)

The Jester turned sorcerer survived a direct attack from Kenjaku in the Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 239, which surprised the latter to a great extent. So, how does Iori have a connection to Takaba? As mentioned, Takaba and Iori Hazenoki fought against each other during the Culling Game.

However, the former's banters and jokes irked Hazenoki so much that he forcefully withdrew himself from the battle. As such, their battle reached no plausible conclusion. But chapter 239 masterfully reintroduced both these characters and saw them fighting against Kenjaku.

The way Takaba, an awakened player, survived Kenjaku's attack, while Iori Hazenoki, a reincarnated sorcerer, failed to do the same, speaks a lot about Takaba's innate strength. In fact, it shows that if the battle between Takaba and Iori had reached a conclusion, the former could have emerged victorious.

Thus, from the narrative's perspective, Iori Hazenoki's inclusion in Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 239 was pivotal. The chapter has answered a long-standing question and emphatically shows Takaba's innate strength as a Jester turned Sorcerer. In other words, Hazenoki has successfully played out his role as a foil to Fumihiko Takaba.

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