Yuji’s Act of Kindness in Jujutsu Kaisen

Jujutsu Kaisen’s 251st chapter unveiled Megumi’s true state and how it had ultimately caused him to lose hope in life. While a portion of the fandom viewed this as a plausible reaction to his circumstances, others began to criticize Megumi’s actions and felt he should have been able to recover and join the battle against Sukuna.

Despite the fandom’s comparison of Megumi’s decision to give up to Yuji’s unwavering determination, Yuji himself addresses Megumi’s choice in chapter 266. This chapter can currently be read on Viz Media’s official website and Shueisha’s MANGA Plus platform.

Please note that this article includes spoilers for the Jujutsu Kaisen series.

Jujutsu Kaisen: Yuji’s First Choice Given to Megumi

Ever since chapter 251, where it was revealed that Megumi had lost all motivation to live due to the loss of his loved ones and father figure, discussions surrounding his circumstances have been a major topic among the fandom. This specific chapter has caused a division within the Jujutsu Kaisen community, prompting various analyses of Megumi’s predicament and its potential resolution.

Many theories were proposed about Megumi’s potential growth and the ultimate payoff of the build-up. However, a considerable portion of the fanbase expressed anger towards Megumi for his inability to move on from the losses of his sister and Gojo. The primary argument against Megumi was that he should simply overcome his past traumas and join Yuji in the battle against Sukuna.

Despite facing similar hardships, Yuji has persevered through the loss of nearly everyone he was close to at the hands of Sukuna, Mahito, and the three disaster curses. He continues to fight against Sukuna with unwavering determination. However, some fans have unfairly criticized Megumi for not measuring up to Yuji’s resilience, ignoring the fact that their circumstances are vastly different.

Megumi as shown in the anime (Image via MAPPA)

Despite the fact that Megumi, a 15-16-year-old, needed time to process everything and his life was destroyed, a significant portion of the fandom ignored this and instead focused on Yuji’s addressing of the issue in Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 266. In this chapter, Yuji acknowledged that his own strength and resilience are not the norm, which makes it difficult for him to comprehend the decisions made by others during challenging moments.

Despite his previous inability to comprehend others’ decisions, Yuji’s time at Jujutsu High has exposed him to countless tragedies, leading him to believe that it would be too cruel to tell Megumi to move on and carry on with his life. Yuji recognizes that the traumas that Megumi has endured are overwhelming, and it would be unjust to expect him to simply overcome them.

Yuji offers Megumi a decision in these specific panels – to either continue living or to give up on life altogether. It is worth noting that the setting of the panels is in the same alley where Gojo initially discovered Yuji, possibly serving as a symbolic representation by Gege. This encounter between Gojo and Megumi ultimately resulted in the latter being taken in by Gojo instead of being exploited by the Zenin clan.

Despite the fact that many fans may perceive it as the preferable outcome, Gojo’s decision was not entirely voluntary for Megumi due to the extreme absurdity of the circumstances. The acknowledgement from Yuji of Megumi’s plight and challenges represents the first instance where Megumi was granted a choice. This compassion from Yuji further reinforces his overarching theme of being a truly enlightened and Buddha-like figure, surpassing even Gojo in his enlightenment.

Concluding Remarks

Although Megumi’s survival remains uncertain, readers will have to wait for future chapters to determine if he will emerge from the fight alive. The highly anticipated Jujutsu Kaisen chapter 267, set to be released on August 25, 2024, will also serve as the conclusion to the intense Sukuna battle.

Jujutsu Kaisen creator Gege Akutami compared to My Hero Academia’s Horikoshi for rushing the final arc
My Hero Academia ends without answering its greatest mystery
8 insane Kenjaku theories from Jujutsu Kaisen fans that are simply too much