Does Riko Amanai die in ‘Jujutsu Kaisen?

Warning: This post contains major spoilers for Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2

11 years into the past, Jujutsu Kaisen fans are being treated to the adaptation of the Hidden Inventory and Shibuya Incident arcs in the popular anime’s second season. Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 debuted its third episode on July 20 featuring the much-anticipated action-packed Toji vs Gojo fight along with a tragic but important incident.

The most significant character of the Hidden Inventory arc, the Star Plasma Vessel, Riko Amanai seems to have been killed in episode 3. Toji Fushigruo, the contract killer for the Star Religious Group and the poster boy of destruction, shoots Riko Amanai in front of Suguru Geto, in an upsetting and horrific sequence. But is she really dead, and who exactly is she?

Who is Riko Amanai in ‘Jujutsu Kaisen’?

Riko Amanai is a 14-year-old second-year student at Renchoku Girls’ Junior High and the designated Star Plasma Vessel for Master Tengen’s merger in 2006. Misato Kuroi, whose family looked over Star Plasma Vessels through the ages, took care of Riko after her parents were killed in a car accident when she was just four years old. She is extremely close to Misato, and later finds friends in her escorts Gojo and Geto.

Riko was chosen to be the Star Plasma Vessel for the 2006 merger with Master Tengen, which would erase Riko’s existence. Master Tengen is an immortal jujutsu sorcerer who has to change bodies with a compatible vessel every 500 years to rewrite his body’s information and counteract his Immortality cursed technique. The merger prevents him from evolving further and becoming a threat to humanity.

Who was behind Riko Amanai’s death in ‘Jujutsu Kaisen’?

Suguru Geto and Gojo Satoru were hired to protect Riko because of threats from the curse user sect “Q”, and the religious group “Time Vessel Association”. Towards the end of episode one, fans were introduced to the Sorcerer Killer Toji Fushiguro, when he accepted the assassination task by the Time Vessel Association to kill Riko, which he completes in episode 3. Toji is the father of Megumi Fushiguro, another key character in the Jujutsu Kaisen series.

Ever since the time for the merger came around, Q and Star Religious Group were hunting for Riko. The union of Tengen and Riko was opposed by both organizations. Q was easily overthrown by Geto and Gojo in episode 2, but the Star Religious Group held a secret weapon in the form of Toji Fushiguro, who would go on to kill Riko in episode 3. Fushiguro also claims to have killed Gojo right after he kills Riko, which leads to a fight between him and Geto.

How does Riko Amanai die in ‘Jujutsu Kaisen’?

When Riko is first introduced, she seemed surprisingly fine with her fate being sealed as a Star Plasma Vessel. But during the course of the three episodes, her character experiences significant transformations. Riko shifts from having a strong sense of purpose in her duty as the Star Plasma Vessel to preferring to have a happy life with other people rather than merging with Tegen.

When Geto came to escort Riko safely from Jujutsu High on the day of the merger, Riko opened up to him about her past:

“Since I was born, I’ve always been special and told that I’m different from others. For me, this kind of special was actually quite normal. I avoid danger as much as possible, living till now for this day. I don’t remember when my parents died, nor do I feel sad or lonely anymore. So, I thought… even if I have to separate from everyone for the sake of the merge, it’s okay. No matter how painful it is, my sadness and loneliness will be gone.”

Breaking down, Riko then revealed to him that she now wants to live. Her last words were “But… I still want to spend more time with everyone. I want to go more places with them, and see all kinds of scenery,” when Toji suddenly shoots her in the head from behind.

Yes, Riko is really dead, but this murder has a bigger impact on the show’s cast as you will see when Jujutsu Kaisen season two continues.

Catch the next episode of Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 on July 27, only on Crunchyroll.