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Jujutsu Kaisen has received a lot of criticism since the manga's conclusion last year for not properly developing many characters, moments, and plot points, with probably the most controversial being Yuji Itadori's widely regarded iconic scene in the Shibuya Incident arc. This takes place after he defeats Mahito in their memorable clash, and the protagonist tells the villain that he is just like him and will destroy Curses.
While it is undoubtedly a powerful moment for Yuji, the vast majority of the Jujutsu Kaisen fails to grasp the aftermath of this sequence and what it means. Yuji does not say these words to power out of pride but rather ends up reducing himself to the Curse's level by saying they are the same.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the series. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda as a publication.
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Explaining why Yuji's iconic Shibuya incident doesn't work in Jujutsu Kaisen
Mahito and Yuji Itadori had a strong rivalry throughout the series, culminating during the tail end of the Shibuya Incident arc, where the protagonist defeated him after many tragedies. Once the powerful Curse was beaten, Yuji got closer and told him they were the same, which has been heralded as an uplifting moment for the character, but it's the contrary.
While it is certainly a great scene to witness and one of Yuji's highlights in the story, he reduces himself to someone of Mahito's level and accepts that he is just a tool meant to destroy Curses. This is not the biggest offender, though, since characters can have low moments that serve as a springboard for development. However, the issue is that the protagonist doesn't change much after this event.
The truth is that Yuji Itadori doesn't change after claiming he is just a tool to kill Curses since the story switches to dealing with new sorcerers in the Culling Games arc. Yuji doesn't get the chance to show this so-called new mentality, and nothing he does for the rest of the story is out of character for his pre-Shibuya version.
More issues with Yuji's development
It is quite powerful to witness Yuji see that he is now going to be a part of the sorcerer society's machinery, but Jujutsu Kaisen never puts him in a situation to test that new mindset.
Nothing the character does for the last part of the story reflects significant changes. This is highlighted especially when Ryomen Sukuna leaves his body since he no longer has to decide whether to live or die to eliminate the King of Curses.
It is widely acknowledged by fans that the conclusion of the series suffered from many structural issues because author Gege Akutami didn't develop many characters and ideas. In many ways, Yuji is one of the best-written in the series, which says a lot when considering how he was handled.
Final thoughts
There is no denying that Yuji's moment in Shibuya has become one of the most iconic in Jujutsu Kaisen, but this doesn't mean that it didn't have its issues. It is still a great scene, but the aftermath makes it a bit more disappointing in hindsight.
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