Exactly one year ago, Gege Akutami’s Jujutsu Kaisen manga officially ended in Weekly Shonen Jump, a decision that sparked strong backlash from the fan community.
Debuting in 2018, the series quickly gained popularity but reached new heights after its anime adaptation turned it into a global phenomenon. The manga was at its peak when the highly anticipated Gojo vs. Sukuna battle was about to begin, with each new chapter keeping fans on edge.
Around the same time, the anime’s second season aired, further boosting its momentum. Throughout most of 2023, Jujutsu Kaisen dominated anime discussions, and Gojo’s shocking death in September only heightened the hype.
The battle continued relentlessly, captivating readers week after week. Even after Gojo’s death, the manga kept releasing weekly chapters for nearly a year before suddenly announcing its conclusion, a move that was not warmly received. However, considering the story was nearing its end and Gege Akutami’s ongoing health issues, the finale seemed inevitable.
Now, a year later, the initial uproar has calmed as fans shift their excitement toward the upcoming third season of the Jujutsu Kaisen anime and the manga’s sequel, Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo.
Why was Jujutsu Kaisen’s ending so controversial?
After Gojo’s death, the story didn’t pause but pressed on with the fierce battle against Sukuna and Kenjaku. Most of the remaining sorcerers seized every chance to confront these two strongest villains in history. They understood that charging into battle alone like Gojo was impossible. Aware of the risks, the sorcerers prepared multiple backup plans for the worst-case scenario, even anticipating Gojo’s defeat.
What angered fans was the sudden announcement that the manga would end just five chapters later. At that point, the fight against the powerful enemies still seemed far from over.
The outrage grew as many questions remained unanswered when the manga concluded. Still, overall, things settled better than initially feared. Aside from Gojo’s shocking death, the series had few truly controversial moments until the ending announcement.
The finale delivered bittersweet emotions, showing the sorcerers overcoming a cataclysmic battle and positively changing the world of Jujutsu. While the fight against Kenjaku was tough, the real challenge was always Ryomen Sukuna. The biggest highlight of the ending was that Sukuna’s defeat came from the combined efforts of most main characters, rather than focusing solely on the protagonist, a common trope in many shonen works.
However, some questions remain unresolved, including the name and function of Yuji’s Domain Expansion and Kenjaku’s sudden return. Even the final manga chapter released in December 2024 didn’t answer everything fans hoped for. Although the initial reaction to JJK’s ending was chaotic, fans have gradually accepted the conclusion since it wasn’t as bad as many feared.
What’s next for Jujutsu Kaisen?
Although the original manga ended some time ago, Jujutsu Kaisen’s popularity remains strong. Fans are eagerly awaiting several new projects, including the upcoming anime season.
Season 2 ended dramatically with the return of Yuta Okkotsu, who is determined to execute Yuji Itadori. The anime is teasing the Culling Game arc, but before that, viewers will see the Itadori’s Extermination and Perfect Preparation arcs, covering all the aftermath of the Shibuya Incident.
Additionally, Gege Akutami returned in September 2025 with the manga sequel, Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo, illustrated by Yuji Iwasaki. Set in the same cursed world but 68 years after the brutal death match, the story will run for about six months and follow siblings Yuka and Tsurugi Okkotsu, grandchildren of Yuta Okkotsu and Maki Zenin. On a mission to investigate missing children, they encounter Maru, a Simurian secretly working with sorcerers as an inspector.
The sequel manga shifts the story by introducing the alien Simurian race, who recognize that Japanese sorcerers possess powers similar to theirs. With the arrival of extraterrestrial beings, the series moves closer to exploring the origins of curses and sorcerers, as well as why most appear only in Japan.
While the sequel is an exciting surprise, the franchise also plans to release a spin-off novel by Yumeaki Hirayama, a renowned horror writer approved by Gege Akutami.