‘Jujutsu Kaisen’ Shinjuku Showdown explained

Jujutsu Kaisen has had fans in a chokehold since 2018, but all good things must come to an end. Jujutsu Kaisen is in its final arc: the Inhuman Makyo Shinjuku Showdown, and manga readers know that serious matters have gone down. For those not exactly caught up, here’s an explanation of the Shinjuku Showdown that’s taken quite a few fan-favorite lives.

The battle for survival

The Shinjuku Showdown arc kicked off with Chapter 222, has been broken down into 36 parts (and counting), and has been a wild ride. It’s packed with action, intense battles, and major sacrifices, as our favorite characters go head-to-head with the King of Curses, Sukuna. We know that for most of the series, Sukuna was chilling inside Yuji Itadori’s body, popping out every now and then to stir up trouble. But all that changed at the end of the Culling Games arc. 

Remember that binding vow Sukuna made with Yuji way back in Chapter 11? Well, he finally cashes it in, takes over Yuji’s body one last time, and then does the unthinkable—he transfers himself to Megumi Fushiguro. This move frees Yuji from Sukuna’s curse, but it turns Megumi into the new vessel for the most powerful sorcerer and curse in history. Once Sukuna is unleashed in Megumi’s body, all the remaining Jujutsu Sorcerers band together to take him down.

The arc kicks off with the epic battle everyone’s been waiting for: Ryomen Sukuna versus Satoru Gojo. It’s a clash between the strongest sorcerer in history and the strongest sorcerer of today. Sadly, it ends in heartbreak with Gojo’s death, marking the first major loss in this final showdown. But Gojo doesn’t go down without a fight—he manages to deal some serious damage to Sukuna, setting the stage for what comes next.

Sorcerers unite

After Gojo’s death, you’d think that things would come to an end, right? Well, the arc doesn’t slow down at all. Wave after wave of sorcerers jump into the fray, each trying to stop Sukuna from bringing a new era of chaos. It’s a non-stop barrage of battles, with only brief moments to mourn the losses and reflect on the sacrifices being made. We get to see some new faces from the Culling Games, along with old characters who’ve been MIA since the Shibuya Incident. It’s like a reunion tour but with way more life-or-death stakes.

Unfortunately, Gojo isn’t the only one who falls. Characters like Kashimo, Higiruma, and Choso all meet their end trying to take down Sukuna. But in a surprising twist, some thought-to-be-gone characters, like Aoi Todo, make a comeback to help in the fight. Even Yuta Okkotsu, who’s often considered the strongest sorcerer after Gojo, makes a huge sacrifice by using Kenjaku’s technique to keep fighting Sukuna within Gojo’s body.

So who’s left standing during the Shinjuku Showdown?

As it stands, Yuji Itadori is the last one left standing. In a final attempt to end the chaos, Yuji unleashes his newly discovered Domain Expansion. And that’s where the Shinjuku Showdown arc is currently at. The action is reaching its peak, with manga artist Gege Akutami giving fans the battles and team-ups they’ve been dreaming of since the early days of the series. It’s been a wild, chaotic ride, but it feels like we’re finally nearing the end. All eyes are on Yuji now as he faces off against Sukuna in what’s sure to be an unforgettable finale. With the final chapters on the horizon, it’s only a matter of time before we see how it all ends.