Yuta Okkotsu: Yuta Okkotsu could be the price Jujutsu Kaisen fans have to pay for a sequel

In Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 269, fans were shocked to see the unexpected return of Hiromi Higuruma and Yuta Okkotsu—two characters who were presumed dead during the Shinjuku Showdown arc.

In the chapter, Yuta, who had been thought to be permanently trapped inside Satoru Gojo's body after Kenjaku's cursed technique had burnt out, miraculously returned to his original body, which is something almost no one deemed to be possible anymore.

While Yuta explained that his return was only made possible through the efforts of Rika, who apparently held his original body together, several fans speculated that this unexpected development might actually be a cleverly disguised twist by Gege Akutami, which could potentially set the stage for a sequel to Jujutsu Kaisen.

Disclaimer: This article contains potential spoilers from the Jujutsu Kaisen series.

Jujutsu Kaisen: Popular fan theory sees Kenjaku returning inside Yuta's body

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Ever since the Jujutsu Kaisen manga was announced to be ending on September 30, 2024, fans have been struggling to come to terms with the fact that their beloved manga would end in such an abrupt manner, especially with numerous unresolved plotlines and unanswered questions.

The announcement led to widespread speculation among fans that the manga could follow a similar trajectory to Tatsuki Fujimoto's Chainsaw Man, which continued with a part 2 after the conclusion of the first part of the series.

This speculation gained further momentum following the release of Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 269, where the unexpected return of Yuta Okkotsu and Hiromi Higuruma, along with the set-up for a decisive battle between the Gojo and Kamo clans, fueled fan theories that their beloved manga is far from over.

Yuta Okkotsu as seen in the anime (Image via MAPPA)

One popular fan theory, circulating on the social media platform X, suggested that mangaka Gege Akutami may have subtly hinted at Kenjaku returning inside Yuta's body in Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 269, which might lead to a potential sequel to the series.

This theory was shared by the user @KashimoCT on X, who claimed that the person inside Yuta's body in chapter 269 wasn't actually Yuta, but rather Kenjaku in disguise. The user further speculated that the ancient sorcerer Kenjaku might have been the Body-Swapping cursed technique itself and that his brain may have been nothing more than a diversion, meant to hide his true self.

However, before further exploring this theory, let us first look at the explanation that Yuta provided for his miraculous return.

Yuta and Rika as seen in Jujutsu Kaisen 0 (Image via MAPPA)

In Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 269, Yuta explained it was all thanks to Rika that he was able to return to his original body. He initially believed that his connection to Rika was severed, when he noticed that she didn't follow him into Satoru Gojo's body. However, he later realized that Rika was using the Reverse Cursed Technique to hold his body together after it was treated by Shoko Ieri.

When Yuta burned through Kenjaku's cursed technique after using Unlimited Void, he got trapped inside Gojo's body and was unable to move any further. At the time, he considered it to be the end of the line for him, as he was rendered completely helpless inside his teacher's corpse.

That said, he noticed that Kenjaku's technique had eventually recovered after a while, following which he entered a state of suspended animation. Fortunately for him, he managed to reconnect with the external storage of his copied cursed technique, which led him back to his original body.

Kenjaku as seen in the anime (Image via MAPPA)

The writer of the theory, @KashimoCT, emphasized the part about Yuta entering into a state of suspended animation and somehow returning to his body with Rika's help, and claimed that it was actually Kenjaku who had returned inside Yuta's body, and not Yuta himself.

The user backed up their theory by making another bold claim, where they stated that Kenjaku might be the Body-Swapping cursed technique itself.

They further said that if it was truly Yuta inside his body, he could have easily healed the stitch marks on his forehead. Since he did not do so, the user believed that it was Kenjaku inside Yuta's body, who deliberately chose not to heal the stitches, which could be a part of a Binding Vow.

As fans may realize, such a major development at this juncture of the story cannot be resolved in a matter of two chapters. Therefore, this theorized development could potentially set the stage for a sequel to Jujutsu Kaisen, which would deal with the fallout of Kenjaku's return.

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However, the majority of the fans on X refused to believe in this theory, especially since it could be debunked in several ways.

Firstly, Kenjaku being a cursed technique is unfathomable to begin with, since he was depicted as a brain during the Shibuya Incident arc. Additionally, Rika was stated to have eaten Kenjaku after Yuta killed him, which allowed the latter to copy the Body-Swapping technique.

Lastly, Jujutsu Kaisen getting a sequel is highly improbable at the moment, since Gege Akutami himself stated that he was working to create a definitive ending that would satisfy the majority of the fans.

This theory is certainly an intriguing one, especially as a lot of fans are reluctant to Jujutsu Kaisen ending so abruptly. On the other hand, some fans are hesitant to entertain this theory as a possibility, since it implies that the only way for the series to get a sequel would be at the cost of Yuta Okkotsu's life.