What happened to Yuta in ‘Jujutsu Kaisen?’

Warning: The following article contains spoilers for Jujutsu Kaisen 0.

Since its premiere in 2020, Jujutsu Kaisen went on to become one of the most popular anime series around the globe. The story follows Yuji Itadori, a teenager who, after swallowing a cursed, severed finger, becomes the host of Ryomen Sakuna, an extremely powerful Curse. Because he is able to somewhat control Sakuna as it inhabits his body, Itadori is enlisted to help find (and then eat) all of the Curse’s fingers so it can be finally destroyed. For that to happen, though, the boy becomes a Jujutsu Sorcerer.

The world of Jujutsu Kaisen gathered massive interest from anime lovers, and its source material is currently one of the best-selling manga of all time, surpassing other highly popular series like Berserk, Haikyuu!!, and Tokyo Revengers. Of course, part of the series’ success is owed to its cast of characters, who have impressive abilities that easily draw in shonen fans.

Among some of Jujutsu Kaisen‘s most powerful characters is Yuta Okkotsu, a second-year student at Jujutsu High. Despite being one of the students there and a fan-favorite for his strength in combat, Yuta has not yet made an appearance in the anime series, instead being introduced to the screen in the movie Jujutsu Kaisen 0. In this installment, the character’s backstory is also revealed, along with the reason for his absence during the anime’s first season. For those who need a reminder ahead of the season two premiere, we’ve certainly got it covered.

What happened to Yuta and why isn’t he in the Jujutsu Kaisen anime?

As a child, Yuta witnessed the death of his 11-year-old friend, Rika Orimoto, who was hit by a car. Sadly, Yuta’s rejection of the tragic accident cursed Rika and turned her into a vengeful cursed spirit, who haunted Yuta for years. Rika then became extremely powerful, reaching the status of one of the strongest cursed spirits in Jujutsu Kaisen‘s history. The incident resulted in Yuta becoming a special-grade cursed human, and eventually, joining Tokyo Jujutsu High under Satoru Gojo’s mentorship.

Even after Rika’s curse was broken and her soul crossed over to the afterlife, her cursed spirit remained bound to Yuta, which allowed him to maintain his status as a Jujutsu Sorcerer. As part of his training as a student at Jujutsu High, the boy leaves Japan, joining Miguel in Kenya, and stays overseas until after the Shibuya Incident. This explains why Yuta was not present during the events of Jujutsu Kaisen‘s first season, but he’s expected to make an appearance in season two.

Jujutsu Kaisen is available for streaming on Crunchyroll.