Jujutsu Kaisen is a member of Shonen Jump's Dark Trio for good reason. Compared to the magazine's Big Three, it's gorier, the story takes darker turns, and the few victories are often pyrrhic. It also has a high mortality rate, so there's no telling what will happen even to fan favorites. Even if they survive until the end, they may be subjected to a fate worse than death. This sense of stakes can be good, but it can also compel anime-only fans to read the manga and learn what happens to certain characters. Unfortunately, that doesn't always mean they'll find the hopeful answer they're looking for. It's at its worst when that answer aligns with the manga's most recent plot twist.
For example, Season 2 Episode 9, "Shibuya Incident - Gate, Open" saw something terrible happen to Satoru Gojo. Incidentally, the latest chapter of the manga also covers Gojo's fate, but anime fans hoping for a good outcome will likely be disappointed by what they find. Manga readers who know what happens might have to advise their anime-only friends to avoid Chapter 236's spoilers. This will at least need to continue until the spoilers for that chapter can be replaced by newer, less relevant spoilers to Gojo's fate. Those who don't care can hear that Gojo gets sealed, unsealed, and everything that comes afterward with a clear conscience.
What Happened to Gojo Satoru in the Anime?
Gojo Satoru has been heralded as the most powerful sorcerer of his time. He has a rare combination of Inherited Techniques, Limitless and Six Eyes. This, combined with his general mastery of jujutsu sorcery, makes him virtually untouchable. Gojo's borderline invincibility also means that for any central antagonist's plans to work, they need a solution to stop Gojo from interfering. Thus, Pseudo-Geto Suguru devised a Machiavellian scheme to seal Gojo in Shibuya. This would require the help of several powerful cursed spirits, hundreds of civilian hostages, and one special-grade cursed object not even Gojo could counteract. Thus, the plan to seal Gojo in Shibuya was enacted. Sure enough, Pseudo-Geto's plan worked. He successfully sealed this all-powerful jujutsu sorcerer by creating a situation where Gojo would be within four meters of his Prison Realm cursed object for one minute.
It cost him one of his best special-grade allies, but it was worth it to clear his most dangerous enemy from the field of play. With this, Gojo would be put out of commission for a long time. His fate wouldn't be revealed for another 20 days in the series' time. As for readers, they had to wait 131 chapters in manga time, which took around three years to release. Depending on how the anime adapts the manga, anime fans may have to wait at least three or four more years for the same answers. The urge to read ahead at a time like this must be resisted, no matter how tempting. Whether the answer is positive or negative, tension can never be recreated. Avoiding these spoilers and arriving at plot twists naturally is the ideal way to enjoy any series. If it's that hard to wait, now would still be an inopportune time to learn what happens. The best option would be to at least wait until the end of Season 2 to read ahead.
Does Gojo Survive in the Manga?
Gojo was unsealed in JJK Chapter 221, "Gain and Loss." Again, this is 131 chapters after his sealing in Chapter 90, "The Shibuya Incident, Part 8." Yuji and his friends find a jujutsu sorcerer with an ability that could nullify the Prison Realm and free his teacher.
Unfortunately, while Yuji and Co. sought a way to free Gojo, Sukuna transferred to and took over Megumi Fushiguro. When Gojo was freed, his first order of business was to challenge Sukuna to a duel on Dec. 24. Sukuna obliged.
The battle between Gojo and Sukuna lasted between Chapters 223 and 236. It presented readers with some of the most brilliant uses of jujutsu sorcery in the manga thus far. By the end of Chapter 235, Gojo seemed to have won the match. Sadly, Chapter 236 revealed that Gojo had lost his life to Sukuna. The chapter has him greet several long-lost friends before passing on to the other side, including Haibara, Amanai, and Geto.
Fan reactions and responses to Gojo's death have been varied. Some say they'll drop the series over this. Despite his arrogance, many people were attached to this character. Ironically, Gege is one of the people who dislike Gojo and how popular he is.
Some claim this isn't the end for Gojo. This could mean he survives or pulls off one last miracle even as he's passing on. In any case, it's a safe bet that Gojo will leave behind a lasting legacy, even if he isn't there to see it.
Some say this was an expected outcome since it's the only way for the story to move forward and maintain its tension. This means the next generation of jujutsu sorcerers he was so keen on raising can step up and do everything he couldn't, including finishing off Sukuna. There are people within this group who are sad to see Gojo go, but it feels like the correct choice from a storytelling perspective.
Can the Remaining Jujutsu Sorcerers Survive Without Gojo?
While Gojo was supposed to be the jujutsu sorcerers' ace in the hole, his death shouldn't mean the end for them. He always believed others like Yuji Itadori and Yuta Okkotsu had what it took to one day surpass him. Of course, with him gone, that day may have to come sooner rather than later.
Some fans are suggesting the jujutsu sorcerers jump the exhausted Sukuna, and that's not a bad sentiment to have. Chapter 236 ended with Hajime Kashimo immediately jumping in to pick up the fight where Gojo left off. However, even if the others join him, there will probably be something to get Sukuna to safety so he can heal his wounds and fight his next big battle at full strength.
That said, Sukuna's recovery period may be a window for the jujutsu sorcerers. They could either use this time to try and assassinate him or develop so they could fight him at his best, as Gojo did. Yuji, in particular, could certainly use such a window to master some cursed techniques beyond the basics.
Even if none of the jujutsu sorcerers are good enough to beat Sukuna one-on-one, they might still win as a group. This will mean not seeing Gojo's hopes brought to life before the story ends, but it should make fighting Sukuna a reasonable challenge for those brave enough to face him, knowing they're at a disadvantage. If Yuji and Yuta surpassed Gojo now, they would probably beat the King of Curses without breaking a sweat.
In any case, having Gojo sealed (anime) and killed (manga) within the same week can be a harsh blow for any fan of the character. Those who watched the anime would be better off waiting at least another week to pick up the manga and learn Gojo's fate at their own pace. Those who are up to date on the manga but aren't satisfied with Gojo's death should keep reading to see whether things get any better for the story.
