Even at the end of Jujutsu Kaisen, Yuji would never forgive Mahito

Modified Jan 10, 2025 07:30 GMT

Even end-of-series Yuji wouldn't forgive Mahito (Image via MAPPA)

In Jujutsu Kaisen, Yuji Itadori is defined by his undying drive to protect human life and stay true to his moral compass, even amidst the chaos of the Jujutsu World. However, the twisted Curse Mahito challenges this resolve in ways that no other villain does. Mahito’s sadistic nature and indifference toward human life, coupled with his repeated attempts to break Yuji make him a unique source of torment.

From the tragic and unfortunate deaths of Junpei Yoshino and Kento Nanami to his sick experiments on regular folk, Mahito represents everything Yuji resents. With the series now over, it is undeniable that Yuji's run-in with Mahito left an indelible mark on the former. Despite all his growth and development, Yuji’s utter hate for Mahito remains deeply personal.

This feature explores why even an end-of-series Yuji wouldn't forgive Mahito, when he was prepared to give Ryomen Sukuna a second chance.

Disclaimer: This article contains the sole opinion of the author.

Jujutsu Kaisen: Even end-of-series Yuji wouldn't forgive Mahito

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At the end of Jujutsu Kaisen, Yuji was ready to give Sukuna another chance at life. Once freed of Megumi Fushiguro's body, the pink-haired teen offered the King of Curses to return to him and continue living. Needless to mention, the latter was too proud to accept and chose death instead. But this moment highlighted Yuji's core quality as his humanity, something which was in short supply in the series. He didn't wish to directly kill off Sukuna, despite the damage caused.

But this same version of Yuji would yet not forgive Mahito, had it come down to it. An important point here is that by the end, Yuji evolved beyond his cog-in-the-machine mentality. He began to value his life more and those of the ones he loved too. This is one of the reasons why he offered such a choice to Sukuna, given that he too was human once and even as a Curse, had values of his own.

However, the same cannot be said for Mahito. Many might debate that Yuji would have dealt with Mahito differently had he been as developed as at the end. But the fact remains that Mahito was nothing but pure evil, i.e., he was practically irrecoverable. Time and again he displayed that he was sadistic and ruthless inside out. Unlike the other Disaster Curses, he had no redeeming points.

Mahito was the product of humans' fear and hatred, hence he was evil to the core. He completely lacked compassion, had no respect towards anyone and showed no gratitude. When it came down to it, had Yuji shown him mercy whilst he was defeated, he would have attempted to pull some underhanded trick on the boy. This was just his nature.

Moreover, unlike the other Curses, he found immense pleasure in killing humans. This was different for Curses like Jogo and Hanami, who simply wanted to live in an equal utopia. But Mahito was driven by his sadism to harm people. He likely found it easier to use his Cursed Technique on people (like Mechamaru) than to appeal to them. To put it simply, Mahito was the definition of an evil Cursed Spirit.

Yuji’s hatred for Mahito ran deeper than any other rivalry in Jujutsu Kaisen. Mahito was among the few who directly challenged Yuji’s humanity, manipulating and murdering those dear to him, like Junpei. The Curse's callous experiments on humans for his own amusement and his philosophy of treating lives as mere tools are in stark contrast with Yuji’s unshakeable belief in the value of life.

In Conclusion

Mahito, Todo Aoi and Yuji Itadori (Image via MAPPA)

Yuji and Mahito's dynamic in Jujutsu Kaisen comprise not just physical battles but ideological clashes. Mahito's ideas were deeply rooted in cruelty while Yuji struggled with intense feelings of guilt and rage. As the series progressed and Yuji matured into a true sorcerer, his inability to forgive Mahito highlights how deeply these encounters shaped his character.

As mentioned, his encounters with Mahito scarred him for good. But in some way, they also helped him grow out his old mentality and adopt a more forward-looking perspective on life and relationships. He came a long way from believing his role was a mere cog to giving it his all to save his friend and protect those he loved. It is all these struggles that make Yuji's growth so organic and relatable.