JJK is one of this generation’s best shonen series. However, compared to the One Pieces and Narutos of the world, the series is infamous for its extremely high death count. Gege Akutami has successfully broken the hearts of his fans, killing off one favorite after another.
It’s clear that in the world of jujutsu, no sorcerer or curse is safe from the eternal war. The manga has recently concluded, and over 60 deaths have been accounted for. This proves how perilous the world of jujutsu can be no matter which side of the coin characters are on.
Sorcerers and curses know what’s at stake, and laying their lives down for the cause is a simple prerequisite to achieving their desired outcome. “Most of the people in this world are neither good nor evil. Death is the final destination for all of us, but no one dies the same death,” Nanami Kento expounds in his final moments, establishing everyone meets their inevitable death at some point. From entertaining and annoying side characters to significant and overpowered figures in the shonen series, all must meet their ends, and here’s how the most important ones met theirs.
1. Rika Orimoto
Rika Orimoto was Yuta Okkotsu’s childhood best friend. The two were inseparable, even promising marriage with a ring at such a young age. Unfortunately, Rika died in a car accident and manifested as a vengeful special-grade cursed spirit that protected Yuta.
After the events of JJK 0, Rika’s soul was finally freed and passed peacefully to the afterlife. The cursed spirit, however, stayed loyal to Yuta, helping him become one of the strongest sorcerers in JJK history.
2. Suguru Geto
Suguru Geto was Satoru Gojo’s best friend and former classmate at Jujutsu High. After an unfortunate series of events, he became a sorcerer who wanted to eradicate all humans who couldn’t use jujutsu to create a world free of curses—his means to an end.
After battling Yuta and Rika in JJK 0, he was fatally wounded. Geto managed to flee the scene and recuperate in an alleyway but was met by his best and oldest friend, Satoru Gojo. After an emotional dialogue between the two friends, Gojo struck the final blow. Well…he had to!
3. Wasuke Itadori
Wasuke Itadori is Yuji Itadori’s grandfather and one of the first characters to be introduced in the anime series. He was responsible for Yuji after his parents passed and became his father figure growing up.
He was a strong old man and always kept his grandson disciplined and morally correct. Wasuke eventually died in the hospital due to his battle against lung cancer. Before dying, he requested Yuji to lend a hand to his peers to ensure he wasn’t alone on his deathbed like himself.
4. Junpei Yoshino
Junpei Yoshino was a normal high school student who was bullied until he met Mahito who used his cursed technique to kill Junpei’s bullies and awaken his powers. However, in a disgraceful plot that involved killing Junpei’s mother, Mahito convinced the high school student that Shota was behind his mother’s unfortunate death.
After that, a traumatized Junpei storms into his school to confront Shota with the intent to kill, Yuji tries to stop him from making a regrettable mistake. But soon, Mahito arrives at the scene to turn Junpei into a transfigured human in front of Yuji. This was the scene where all fans of the series realized that JJK doesn’t mess around with deaths—that even the most innocent and unexpected ones will meet their demise.
5. Kechizu and Eso
Kechizu and Eso were two Cursed Womb: Death Paintings created by Kenjaku in Noritoshi Kamo’s body. Unlike their brother Choso who flaunted Blood Manipulation, the two manifested different cursed techniques like Rot and Decay.
They died in a nerve-wracking battle against Yuji Itadori and Nobara Kugisaki. At that point in the series, they were already strong curses with physical bodies. They had the potential to finish the series right then and there but things did not go their way. Their deaths brought about an emotional scene where Yuji questioned his beliefs of being a pacifist, to which Nobara comforted the protagonist, telling him it was necessary for the mission.
6. Riko Amanai
Riko Amanai was the most recent Star Plasma Vessel destined to merge with Tengen, an immortal sorcerer who maintained the barriers of jujutsu. Despite having her whole life ahead of her, she took pride in contributing to the jujutsu world by sacrificing herself for the betterment of it.
However, the Time Vessel Association plotted against these vessels and didn’t want to taint Tengen with a civilian’s body. They contracted Toji Fushiguro, who made light work of Gojo, Geto, and Misato Kuroi assigned to protect Riko, effectively killing the vessel during the Gojo’s Past arc.
7. Toji Fushiguro
Toji Fushiguro was part of the Zen’in Clan and was most famously known for being Megumi Fushiguro’s father. Despite being one of the strongest characters in the series at the time, the clan cast him aside for his absence of cursed energy.
He made a name for himself with his heavenly-restricted body that sharpened all five senses—making him incredibly fast and powerful. With his superhuman attributes and absence of cursed energy (that made him undetectable), he was a headache for even Gojo and Geto. After Gojo learned the Reverse Cursed Technique following Toji’s fatal attack, Gojo returned and killed the infamous Sorcerer Killer with a blast of Hollow Purple.
8. Kokichi Muta (Mechamaru)
Kokichi Muta, also known as Mechamaru, was a student at Kyoto Jujutsu High. He was born with a Heavenly Restriction that allowed him to control massive amounts of cursed energy from a distance, but in exchange, he had a frail body that would burn even in the moonlight.
He served as Kenjaku and Mahito’s mole so he could get his body back. After successfully providing them with the information that they wanted, he finally acquired his body but was soon betrayed by Mahito, who proved stronger than Kokichi’s upgraded Mechamaru.
9. Hanami
Hanami was a Special-Grade cursed spirit born from humanity’s mistreatment of the environment. They were on the receiving end of multiple epic fights, including one against Todo and Yuji.
Hanami allied with fellow cursed spirits Mahito, Jogo, and Dagon and planned to imprison Gojo in the Prison Realm alongside Kenjaku during the Shibuya Incident arc. Hanami was the first of Gojo’s victims in the subway, dying after the sorcerer ruthlessly pulled their branch eyes and crushed them into the wall with a slowly strengthening Infinity.
10. Naobito Zen’in
Naobito Zen’in was the 26th head of the Zen’in Clan and a powerful sorcerer who fought alongside the sorcerers during the Shibuya Incident. There weren’t too many scenes showcasing his abilities, but the one time he was shown in action was against the special-grade cursed spirit Dagon.
He was crucial in letting zombified Toji land the killing blow on the curse, even after losing an arm. However, as Dagon’s Domain Expansion broke, Jogo ambushed the group and severely injured Naobito with his flames. He was then transferred back to his household, where it was revealed that he died after sustaining his injuries.
11. Jogo
Like his partner Hanami, Jogo is a Special-Grade cursed spirit born from humanity’s fear of volcanoes and fire—explaining his appearance. Despite being bested in most battles, he is prideful of his abilities and powers as a curse.
His shortsightedness in killing the human race made him one of the most dangerous cursed spirits in the series, especially early on. After forcefully feeding Yuji ten of Sukuna’s fingers, Jogo hoped that the King of Curses would see him as an ally. Little did he know that he would have to fight the player that he revived with his own hands. He died peacefully after being praised by Sukuna following an exciting flame-filled battle that destroyed most of Shibuya.
12. Kento Nanami
Kento Nanami—who didn’t love this man? He was a former student at Tokyo Jujutsu High and became a salaryman after graduating. However, after four years, he returned and continued working as a jujutsu sorcerer and was even ranked as a Grade 1 sorcerer. He was one of JJK‘s fan favorites, and his death was one of the series’ lowest moments.
He was a skilled combatant who chopped through curses with ease. During the Shibuya Incident, Nanami accumulated fatal injuries in Dagon’s domain and was seemingly finished off by Jogo’s surprise attack. But that wasn’t enough for the badass that was Nanami. He persevered through hundreds of transfigured humans, even on the brink of death, until he encountered Mahito. Soon after telling Yuji he’s got it from here, Nanami died through Idle Transfiguration—adding to Yuji’s hunger for revenge against Mahito.
13. Mahito
Mahito’s death was personal, and it couldn’t have been more satisfying. He was responsible for many of the fan favorite’s deaths, including Nanami’s and Junpei’s. Albeit truly evil, he was a strong, Special-Grade cursed spirit with eyes on a world inhabited by curses like himself. As evidence of his strength, he was only beaten by the combined efforts of Todo and the one who wanted to kill him the most, Yuji.
He was confident in his strength, even unlocking a new form called the Instant Spirit Body of Distorted Killing during his final battle. However, Yuji’s thirst for revenge and innate determination was too much for Mahito—eventually falling after tanking Yuji’s barrage of Black Flashes.
Before Yuji could kill the curse, Kenjaku arrived, and Mahito begged to save him. But this was all a part of Kenjaku’s plot to absorb Mahito and add Idle Transfiguration to his massive arsenal of cursed techniques. It may not have resulted in a deservingly violent death, but fans were ecstatic to know Mahito was finally removed from the JJK plot.
14. Masamichi Yaga
Masamichi Yaga was the principal of Tokyo Jujutsu High and was Panda’s father. Before becoming the principal, he was a talented sorcerer who rose to Grade 1 and served as Gojo, Geto, and Shoko’s second-year teacher.
Jujutsu headquarters and the higher-ups were hot on his trail because of his ability to create self-sufficient cursed corpses through his cursed technique. But because of his ties with Gojo, targeting Yaga was impossible. However, since Gojo was sealed in the Prison Realm, headquarters threatened him with the death penalty if he didn’t share his secrets about creating cursed corpses. Well…Yaga refused, and because of that, Kyoto Jujutsu High’s principal, Gakuganji, eventually hunted him down and killed him in Gojo’s absence.
15. Mai Zen’in
Mai Zen’in was part of the Zen’in clan and Maki’s twin sister. Since they were twins, their abilities were halved, with Mai obtaining a cursed technique while Maki only gaining superior physical prowess. During the Perfect Preparation arc, the Zen’in clan planned to kill the twins and Megumi. When Maki reached the clan’s headquarters, Mai had already sustained heavy injuries, presumably from Ogi Zen’in, their father.
They were then both thrown into a pit of Grade 2 curses and left for dead, but Mai decided to sacrifice herself so Maki could fully awaken her Heavenly Restriction. Maki then goes on a rampage with her newfound abilities and kills everyone in the clan, avenging her twin.
16. Naoya Zen’in
Naoya Zen’in was the misogynistic youngest son of Naobito Zen’in. Since he inherited Projection Sorcery, he is unreasonably entitled to be the clan’s heir. After Maki awakened and destroyed the rest of his family members, she fought him last and was satisfyingly victorious.
Although it was her victory, Maki’s mother was the one who took the kill—stabbing his crawling body from the back with an ordinary knife. Since he wasn’t killed through cursed means, he returned as a vengeful cursed spirit during the Culling Game to exact revenge on Maki for besting him. However, despite his best efforts and even a Domain Expansion, he was still defeated by Maki with the help of Noritoshi Kamo, Daido, and Miyo.
17. Yuki Tsukumo
Yuki Tsukumo is one of the most recognized Special-Grade sorcerers in the jujutsu world. She boasted a powerful technique that increased the mass of herself and her shikigami Garuda. Before the Culling Game, Yuki and Choso volunteered to protect Tengen from Kenjaku’s plans while the sorcerers found a way to unseal Gojo from the Prison Realm.
When Kenjaku infiltrated the star corridor, Yuki and Choso sprung into action. It was a close battle, with Yuki having to overuse her cursed technique and add irresponsible amounts of mass to herself—making herself a blackhole to stop Kenjaku. However, the latter prepared countermeasures, making Yuki’s sacrifice for naught.
18. Tsumiki Fushiguro and Yorozu
Tsumiki Fushiguro was Megumi’s older step-sister. During the Culling Game, she was unknowingly chosen by Kenjaku to be one of the many hosts for cursed spirits to inhabit. Before Yuji and Megumi could save the latter’s step-sister, it was revealed that Yorozu, a jujutsu sorcerer from the Heian era, had already inhabited her body.
This traumatized and weakened Megumi, allowing Sukuna to switch vessels from Yuji to Megumi. Yorozu and Sukuna then meet in a stadium, with her intending to kill the King of Curses to profess her love for him. However, even with her cursed technique and Domain Expansion, Yorozu was no match for Sukuna as she was overwhelmed with his newly-acquired Ten Shadows Technique.
19. Satoru Gojo
Satoru Gojo worked as a teacher at Tokyo Jujutsu High and was a special-grade jujutsu sorcerer—widely known as the strongest to have ever lived. Undoubtedly the most tragic death in JJK, Gojo’s passing blew up the internet and broke many many hearts.
During the Shinjuku Showdown, he fought against the King of Curses, Sukuna, in a battle that would dictate the future of jujutsu and possibly all of anime (Yeah, it was that good!). After watching Mahoraga bypass Gojo’s Infinity, Sukuna let off an advanced slashing technique designed to cut the space Gojo’s body inhabited. In a surprising turn of events, the strongest sorcerer of the modern era was bisected, hailing Sukuna as the winner of the battle of the strongest.
20. Hajime Kashimo
Hajime Kashimo was among the many revived ancient curse users during the Culling Game. He was a strong combatant, able to take on Hakari by only manipulating his electrified cursed energy and without using his strongest cursed technique reserved only for when he fights Sukuna. After the King of Curses defeated Satoru Gojo, Kashimo took the first dibs in fighting Sukuna and unleashed his cursed technique.
His Mythical Beast Amber transformation made him a powerful epitome of the God of Lightning, but it proved ineffective after Sukuna manifested his original body. Their battle ended with Sukuna performing an enormous net of Dismantle that even the fast and elusive Kashimo couldn’t dodge.
21. Fumihiko Takaba
Fumihiko Takaba was a comedian-turned-sorcerer during the Culling Game. Unironically, his cursed technique was one of the strongest in the verse—turning whatever he thought was funny into reality. He was assigned to fend off Kenjaku alone, and it brought the most entertaining fight in Jujutsu Kaisen. After multiple sappy punchlines and hilarious skits later, Kenjaku finally brought down Takaba following the comedic duo’s sentimental performance… or so we thought.
Takaba makes a surprising appearance in JJK 270, leaving his current status in the air. The chapter saw him talking to a mysterious silhouette (who looks like Kenjaku/Geto) about inappropriate jokes and their next comedic gag. What do you think? Is Takaba really dead?
22. Kenjaku
Kenjaku served as one of JJK‘s main antagonists since early on in the series. He possessed a unique cursed technique called Brain Transplant, allowing him to swap bodies with whoever he wished.
For most of the series, he inhabited Geto’s body and collected cursed techniques and spirits. Sprinkle that in, with a thousand years of jujutsu knowledge and an evil obsession with unethical experimentation, he was definitely a world-shattering nuisance. After fighting Takaba during the Shinjuku Showdown arc, Yuta Okkotsu and Aoi Todo ambushed him in the forest, with the former decapitating him.
23. Choso
Choso was an incarnated Cursed Womb: Death Painting, first introduced as an antagonist in the series. After discovering that his two brothers, Kechizu and Eso, were killed by Yuji, he planned to avenge his brothers by killing the protagonist. However, after realizing he had a familial connection with Yuji through Kenjaku, he decided to team up with the sorcerers.
As the older brother, he stopped at nothing to fight for his siblings—even if it meant death. He died protecting Yuji from Sukuna’s Divine Flames during the Shinjuku Showdown, creating a blood barrier that kept his younger brother safe at the cost of his life. Yep, he was awesome!
24. Sukuna
As the final boss of JJK, Sukuna was feared by every sorcerer in the world. Known as the King of Curses and the Disgraced One, he was one of the series’ main antagonists. During the Golden Age of Jujutsu, he was praised and worshipped as an idol while hoards of sorcerers gave everything to stop Sukuna, but to no avail.
Sukuna transformed himself into twenty special-grade cursed objects, most notably created from his fingers to live on after his death. He was then reincarnated in Yuji’s body after the latter consumed one of his fingers. After consuming a significant number of fingers, Sukuna then ultimately planned and transferred himself to Megumi, anticipating to return to his full power.
During the Shinjuku Showdown arc, he fought sorcerer after sorcerer and proved himself the strongest—even besting Satoru Gojo in a head-to-head battle. However, he was worn down by multiple sorcerers like Yuta Okkotsu, Aoi Todo, and Yuji Itadori. After Nobara’s Resonance and Yuji’s barrage of Black Flashes and Soul Dismantles, the King of Curses finally fell after seemingly coming extremely close to soloing the whole verse.
25. Uraume
Uraume was a curse user from Sukuna’s era and boasted a strong ice-based cursed technique. They served as a loyal servant to the King of Curses and reported only to him. They played a part in Kenjaku’s plan to revive Sukuna and seal Satoru Gojo.
During the Shinjuku Showdown, Uraume fought Kinji Hakari, one of the most talented and overpowered young sorcerers in JJK. Their battle lasted longer than expected, never to return to Sukuna’s side. This spoke volumes of Hakari’s willpower and abilities, matching the ancient curse user blow for blow on equal footing. After realizing that Sukuna had fallen, she bisected her neck and withered away in the wind.