Spoilers for JJK 269 ahead! After a long week of no Jujutsu Kaisen, fans are delighted that the manga is running again. With the series ending soon, it is unsurprising that JJK 269 would answer fans’ lingering questions after the massive war between sorcerers and curses. Think of this chapter as the calm after the storm—one that doesn’t see Domain Expansions and Black Flashes, but a chapter that sees a group of bonded sorcerers who held up their end of the bargain.
To bring you back up to speed, JJK 268 saw the conclusive battle between sorcerers and curses—a battle of attrition between Jujutsu High’s Yuji Itadori and the King of Curses, Ryomen Sukuna. As Yuji finally defeats Sukuna, the latter refuses to return to Yuji’s body and live a normal life, not as a curse. Uraume and Hakari’s fight has also concluded with the former deciding to leave alongside their master.
JJK 268 also saw the reunion of Yuji, Megumi, and Nobara. After surprising Megumi that Nobara was alive, the trio headed outside to open letters from Gojo. Nobara’s letter had her mother’s information and whereabouts, which she didn’t care about. Megumi’s, on the other hand, just stated that his sensei was the one who killed his father. He took that information rather well if you ask me. The chapter ends with the remaining sorcerers meeting to see the state of Yuta Okkotsu, who fought toe-to-toe in Gojo’s body with Sukuna, leading to his terrifying state.
JJK 269: Yuta’s Return, Tactical Reflections, and the Unveiling of Simple Domain’s Dark Secrets
JJK 269 starts with a scene including Mei Mei at a small candy store. Vaguely and with no context, she asks, “How much?” The scene changes, and we’re back with the sorcerers checking up on Yuta Okkotsu. While Yuta is amazingly…alive, he isn’t exactly safe from Maki’s wrath: “Just because you’re back in your original body doesn’t mean it’s all sunshine and rainbows!” Yup, YutaMaki shippers are enjoying JJK 269.
The chapter expounds on how Yuta recovered from not only being sliced in half like his sensei but also how he survived fighting Sukuna and going overtime in Gojo’s body. It was simply thanks to Rika, who kept his body alive by spamming RCT on Yuta’s original body.
Maki took this opportunity to discuss how things could have been easier if done differently. She said it would’ve been better if she had been assigned to kill Kenjaku, not Yuta. She then commented that they could have used Inumaki’s voice recording alongside Higuruma’s Executioner’s Blade to ensure their victory. Todo chimes in and says it isn’t possible because Yuta was needed in case Kenjaku’s curses ran rampant.
Higuruma, who’s revealed to be surprisingly alive after his fight against Sukuna, doubles down on Todo’s comments—saying that cursed words would be a breeze to counter for the King of Curses. I’m sure fans will be ecstatic to see their favorite talented sorcerer prodigy back with the group. “I suppose I should say that I’ve managed to survive against all odds,” Higuruma says. If by “all odds,” he means Sukuna, persisting against that monster is no manageable feat. Welcome back, Mr. Defense Attorney!
Maki adds that if the foreigners, Miguel and Larue, had been in the fight sooner rather than later, “things would have been totally different.” Everyone reflected on what they could have done better to ease the plan. Todo blamed himself for being unable to save Choso and Itadori during Sukuna’s flame barrage. Ino also shared some of his burdens, saying that they would have been left for dead if it weren’t for Yuta and Yuji swooping in to stop Sukuna right then and there. Even Nobara pointed out that she slept for most of the fight, so she had no right to say anything.
JJK 269 also revealed the secrets of Simple Domain. The technique called “New Shadow Style: Simple Domain” apparently harbors many secrets that threaten the lives of sorcerers. Once you are a student of the New Shadow Style, you cannot refuse the Head’s deployment orders. What’s worse, students of the New Shadow Style must offer their lifespan to the Head through unknown means. In conclusion, being a New Shadow Style student comes with Binding Vows and other techniques only the Head can take away.
The students and the Head’s whereabouts were unknown, but not until the dawn of the Shinjuku Showdown arc. Before the storied arc, Mei Mei received information from Tengen about the Head of the New Shadow Style. After Mei Mei assassinated the Head, Kusakabe became the new head of New Shadow Style.
As the Head of the New Shadow Style, he removed all the binding traditions and lifespan-absorbing techniques on the Simple Domain. If you were wondering how Yuji Itadori learned a crucial and difficult skill such as Simple Domain, here’s your answer.
X/Twitter Reacts to JJK 269: Fans React to the Heroes, an Awaited Return, and a Cooking Theory
It was a slow chapter that recapped the foundation of the war. From Kenjaku’s assassination to Sukuna’s defeat, JJK 269 marked the end of a truly epic arc. With that, fans of the series were letting their voices known on social media. Some were excited about Yuta’s relieving comeback, some were still waiting for Gojo’s return, and some were simply having fun with the recent leaks. Here are some of the most expressive ones we’ve seen on X (formerly Twitter).
Yuta nation, you have, indeed, done it. As the second strongest behind Gojo, Yuta exceeded all the fans’ expectations. From this awkward kid with no control over his cursed technique to the most responsible, trustworthy hero who fought fire with fire against the King of Curses, Yuta deserves his flowers after his survival in JJK 269.
JJK 269 saw multiple re-appearances from sorcerers who fought in the war. Momo and Higuruma are only parts of a long list of survivors, but fans can’t wait for their favorite sensei’s comeback. Megumi and Nobara have found their place in the world, but the series still feels incomplete without those arrogant blue eyes. With the limited chapters left to be released, fans are getting a little concerned about how Gege Akutami can squeeze in a return of a character of Satoru Gojo’s multitude.
What’s an X reacts without a theory? In JJK 269, a panel was shown with a grandfather clock displaying the time of 2:21. In JJK 221, Satoru Gojo returned to the fray after finally getting out of the Prison Realm’s seal. This could be some sort of clue that Gojo’s ready to come back and make an even bigger uproar in the incoming chapters. Either way, we’re prepared for anything, sensei!