I hate to admit but Yuji actually saved Jujutsu Kaisen's ending

Jujutsu Kaisen has a very divisive ending in the sense that it has a lot of underdeveloped plot points, characters who never truly thrived from a narrative perspective, and it is overall quite rushed. On the other hand, one of the small triumphs that author Gege Akutami had with the conclusion of the series is shown through the protagonist, Yuji Itadori.

While most of the cast didn't have a satisfying conclusion in Jujutsu Kaisen, Akutami makes Yuji's compassion and kind nature shine through, which is depicted when he offers Ryomen Sukuna a degree of mercy even after the final arc ends. It is something that affects the King of Curses and is shown during his final conversation with Mahito in the story.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from the manga/anime and reflects the opinions of the writer.

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Explaining why Yuji Itadori's conclusion is Akutami's best element in the Jujutsu Kaisen ending

Sukuna and Yuji's dynamic is Akutami's best work (Image via Shueisha)

The Shinjuku Showdown arc had a lot of ups and downs for the story, but author Gege Akutami displayed the dynamic between Ryomen Sukuna and Yuji Itadori. Now that it has been confirmed that Yuji hails from the family of the King of Curses, their dynamic becomes a bit more personal, especially considering the conclusion of their fight.

It is important to note that, when trapped in Yuji's Domain Expansion, the protagonist offers Sukuna a chance to live, with the latter visibly insulted by the proposition. However, this wasn't the protagonist lying or pretending to get what he wanted, but was him being genuinely kind—a trait that has remained consistent throughout the series.

Once the final battle reached its conclusion, Itadori once again offers mercy to Sukuna, which is reflected in the latter in the afterlife when meeting Mahito. This is a version of the King of Curses who has decided to reincarnate at some point and live his life in a different way, which goes to show the degree of impact that Yuji Itadori had on him.

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The ups and downs of Yuji's character

Yuji fighting as seen in the anime (Image via MAPPA).

There is no denying that Yuji Itadori is one of the most well-known modern battle shonen protagonists, but his role in Jujutsu Kaisen was certainly divisive. Akutami manages to make the character shine in the final chapters, especially when it comes to his last few interactions with Sukuna, but the road to get there wasn't easy and not without its fair share of criticism.

After all, a running comment in the online community is that Yuji doesn't feel like a protagonist for most of the story, as evidenced by the endless opinions of people who think Satoru Gojo was much more fitting for the role. However, it is Itadori who manages to show that kindness and compassion don't make a person weaker, which is part of the reason why Sukuna has a change of heart in the afterlife.

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Final thoughts

The Jujutsu Kaisen ending is bound to be divisive for a long time, but there is no denying that Yuji Itadori's conclusion is quite satisfying. This is mainly because his dynamic with Ryomen Sukuna is one of the strongest elements of the series, which is something that a lot of people tend to agree with.

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