Warning! Contains spoilers for Jujutsu Kaisen Chapter 215 and Chainsaw Man Chapter 78!Many Shonen protagonists would never be able to kill those closest to them as it would violate their ideals, but Jujutsu Kaisen‘s Yuji is showing that this isn’t an issue for him. The manga’s author, Gege Akutami, has never been afraid to take his characters and plots to dark places and the latest chapters have not shied away from that. But even so, the revelations they have contained about Yuji’s character have been shocking.
In chapter 215 Yuji and Maki are fighting Sukuna, who took over Megumi’s body and is using it as a new vessel. This would likely cause most other Shonen protagonists to pull their punches in fear of hurting their friend, but instead Yuji has been fighting harder than ever. When Maki asks him if he is willing to potentially kill Megumi in order to defeat Jujutsu Kaisen’s Sukuna, Yuji doesn’t hesitate to answer yes, which goes against the typical Shonen conventions. But it also shows how Yuji doesn’t let ideals of friendship get in the way of pragmatism, which is satisfying to see.
Yuji Confirms He’s Willing to Kill Megumi
Of course, this isn’t the only time that Yuji has proven himself to be a unique protagonist. While occasionally feeling sorry for the curses he kills, he has never hesitated to do so, acknowledging that if he lets them live they will likely kill more people. Other Shonen protagonists like Naruto or Deku generally try to rehabilitate their enemies first, and would never be comfortable killing them even if it was necessary. This fits well with their kind personalities, but it can also be frustrating to read when they endanger the lives of those around them doing this.
This is what makes Yuji’s mentality in Jujutsu Kaisen so refreshing. Of course, he is sad that his friend will likely die if they kill Sukuna, but instead of letting that thought paralyze him, he uses it to fuel his rage. Sukuna has caused and will continue to cause untold deaths if he is allowed to, and Yuji knows this from firsthand experience. Curses have killed many of his friends already after all, from Junpei to Nobara. In addition, Yuji has spent most of the series as Sukuna’s vessel, so he knows firsthand how sadistic he can be. All of this experience has turned him into a protagonist unique from most others in Shonen Jump.
Yuji’s Practicality Makes Him Unique From Other Shonen Heroes
The one other Shonen Jump protagonist who has been forced to take similar actions is Denji from Chainsaw Man. But while Chainsaw Man’s Denji had to murder Aki once he became the Gun Fiend, by that point, there was no way to actually return him to normal. Given that Sukuna can swap vessels, there could be a way to kill Sukuna and keep Megumi alive. However, Yuji recognizes that searching for this solution could potentially cost many other lives, and so he prioritizes killing Sukuna directly. This proves that Yuji is one of Shonen Jump’s most practical protagonists, which sets him and Jujutsu Kaisen apart from other more typical Shonen series.
Jujutsu Kaisen Chapter 215 is available to read from Viz Media.
