Yuta returning to fight Kenjaku has Jujutsu Kaisen fandom breathing a sigh of relief

Ever since Satoru Gojo met his end at the hands of Ryomen Sukuna in the Jujutsu Kaisen manga, things have been looking bleak for the Jujutsu sorcerers. Furthermore, Yuta Okkotsu was nowhere to be seen, and Yuji Itadori and Hiromi Higuruma jumped in action to face Sukuna before the narrative completely shifted to Takaba's fight with Kenjaku.

For a long time now, fans have been wondering what Yuta was up to all this time, considering that he was previously prepared to jump into the fight to help Gojo defeat Sukuna. This led to a lot of fans making fun of Yuta for seemingly disappearing when he was needed the most.

However, with the recent release of the raw scans for chapter 243 of the Jujutsu Kaisen manga, fans breathed a collective sigh of relief when they saw Yuta returning and ready to take on Kenjaku in an unfolding fight.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the Jujutsu Kaisen manga. Reader's discretion is advised.

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Fans celebrate as Yuta returns to fight Kenjaku in chapter 243 of the Jujutsu Kaisen manga

Yuta had been absent from the Jujutsu Kaisen manga ever since Satoru Gojo died while fighting Sukuna. At one point in the fight, when Gojo was in a 3-on-1 disadvantage against The King of Curses, Yuta was ready to intervene and fight alongside his Sensei. However, he was eventually stopped by Maki and the other Jujutsu sorcerers, who believed that they would simply prove to be a hindrance for Gojo.

Consequently, fans expected Yuta to be the first person to face off against Sukuna after Gojo and Kashimo died. However, Itadori and Higuruma rushed to face The King of Curses instead, with Yuta nowhere to be seen. This seemingly did not sit well with certain fans, who mocked him for 'running away' from the fight.

Fan reactions to Yuta's return in Jujutsu Kaisen manga (Image via Sportskeeda)

However, the general opinion of fans changed when the raw scans for chapter 243 of the Jujutsu Kaisen manga came out. This chapter featured the bizarre battle between Takaba and Kenjaku finally coming to an end, as the former finally succeeded in making his opponent laugh and acknowledge his comedic talent. All of a sudden, Yuta Okkotsu appeared out of nowhere and attacked Kenjaku.

During their brief fight, Yuta ended up beheading Kenjaku, as the latter lay on the ground, wondering how he did not notice Yuta's high Cursed Energy output. He soon realized that it was Takaba's doing, which Yuta confirmed. Moments away from death, Kenjaku reflects on his battle with Takaba and claims that his will and desire will be inherited. The chapter concludes with Kenjaku's apparent death, marking the first instance in the series where he got outplayed by his opponents.

Fan reactions to Yuta taking out Kenjaku (Image via Sportskeeda)

To say that fans were elated to see Yuta return and take out one of the main antagonists of the story would be an understatement. Kenjaku's apparent death also meant that Yuta fulfilled his promise of killing him, as he wanted to prevent Gojo from killing his best friend for a second time.

Despite Kenjaku's defeat being suspiciously a bit too easy, fans are breathing a sigh of relief to see Yuta return. As he explained, Takaba's Cursed Technique could never kill anyone, which is why he had planned to attack Kenjaku after Takaba wore him down. This chapter singlehandedly restored the faith of the fanbase in Jujutsu sorcerers with the apparent death of Kenjaku.

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Final thoughts

Chapter 243 of Jujutsu Kaisen looks to be a massive turning point for the story, as it features the death of one of the main antagonists of the series. Even if Kenjaku were to miraculously survive, he would need to find a new body to take over, which seems unlikely as Yuta might finish him off before he gets the chance. It's also worth noting that there is no break for chapter 244 as well, so fans can look forward to witness the aftermath of this chapter next week.