Vs. Mahito Arc
The Vs. Mahito Arc is the third arc in Gege Akutami's
Jujutsu Kaisen series. It follows Yuji and grade 1
sorcerer, Kento Nanami as they investigate Mahito's
trail of transfigured human corpses. Mahito involves a
disheartened young man named Junpei Yoshino, leading him
down a dark path. This Arc is possibly the most
important arc in all of season one. For the first time
Yuji is core principals are challenged. The events of
this arc force Yuji to reevaluate how he's going to save
those he cares about while learning to grow as a jujutsu
sorcerer. The arc begins with the introduction of Junpei
Yoshino, who is enjoying a movie at Kinema Cinema.
Junpei is a student from Satozakura High School, who has
the misfortune of witnessing the brutal demise of his
fellow classmates. They're gruesomely transfigured by
the hands of the special grade cursed spirit Mahito.
Rather than being fearful, Junpei follows Mahito out of
the theater and makes his acquaintance. At the same
time, having finished his training with Gojo sensei,
Yuji is assigned to help grade 1 sorcerer, Kento Nanami.
They arrive on the scene together to investigate the
murders at Kinema Cinema. The culprit is already gone,
but they investigate the premises to find two strange
curses lurking on the roof.
Yuji is eager to prove the fruits of his labor but Nanami
wants the young man not to go overboard. He doesn't
recognize Yuji as a full-blown sorcerer and views him as a
child. Yuji uses his newly developed Divergent Fist and
Nanami uses his Ratio Technique to easily dispatch the
curses. Nanami takes a photo to confirm his suspicions
before bringing the corpses back to Doctor Shoko. She
discovers that these aren't curses, instead, they're humans
who were transfigured by cursed energy.
Inside Mahito's lair, the curse appears to have taken a
liking to Junpei and explains the nature of his existence.
Mahito feels that he was born from the hate within people
and taps into the dark side of Junpei's mind. Junpei is a
timid boy who is constantly tormented by bully's at school.
This has lead to him developing a deep hatred for other
humans. It is this pain that Mahito uses to manipulate
Junpei into committing unspeakable acts.
Sometime later, the investigation continues above ground
with Yuji, Nanami, and Ijichi overlooking the clues left
behind by the murders. Nanami decides to send Yuji to
question the only known witness at the theater, Junpei.
Nanami decides to try and track down the cursed spirit
using the residual cursed energy that Mahito left
behind. However, Mahito left behind residuals of his
cursed energy as an open invitation to the jujutsu
sorcerers. Rather than putting Yuji in harm's way,
Nanami infiltrates Mahito's lair alone. They fight using
their cursed techniques and Nanami manages to break
Mahito's guard. Mahito reveals that his ability allows
him to re-shape souls, including his own. This makes
Mahito capable of healing himself as well as
transfiguring others. Rendering Nanami's assaults
useless, Mahito takes the upper hand in the bout and
injures Nanami by touching his soul. At this point
Nanami goes into overtime and manages to crush Mahito by
imploading the surrounding area. However, Nanami notes
that Mahito most likely survived.
Yuji manages to talk with Junpei at his school and despite
their clashing personalities, they manage to bond over
movies. They're found by Junpei's mother, Nagi Yoshino, who
invites Yuji to dinner. He accepts the offer and eats at the
Yoshino house, managing to get along very well with Junpei
and his mom. That night, Junpei asks Yuji if he's prepared
to kill as a jujutsu sorcerer. Yuji admits that he knows the
choice will present itself but wants to believe that he
won't devalue human life. After Yuji leaves, Nagi finds one
of Sukuna's finger on the table, attracting curses that
murder her. Those close to Junpei learn of his mother's
death, including Mahito and Yuji.
Mahito influences Junpei to get revenge. He gets Junpei
to target his anger at an old classmate named Shota Ito
who burned Junpei's face while bullying him. Shota is
being recognized at a ceremony at Satozakura High.
Junpei interrupts the event, knocking out everyone in
the gym and attacking Shota with the cursed techniques
he learned from Mahito. Outside, Mahito and Suguru Geto
plan on using Junpei to draw out Yuji and Sukuna. Yuji
learns about the commotion at the high school and goes
alone despite Ijichi's misgivings. Yuji finds Junpei
assaulting Shota and stops him. Junpei tells Yuji to
stop acting compassionately because it's all lies and
people don't have hearts. Yuji feels that Junpei's words
are an empty attempt to hide his pain and overpowers by
attacking Junpei rather than the shikigami. Junpei can't
believe that people have hearts, because someone cursed
his mother. He breaks down into tears and uses his
shikigami to attack again. This time, Yuji allows
himself to be pierced in order to get through to Junpei.
Yuji promises to help Junpei find out who killed his
mother if the latter will join Jujutsu High. Just as
Yuji reaches Junpei's heart, Mahito arrives.
Mahito pins down Yuji and the latter realizes that this is
the curse Nanami fought. Junpei tries to tell Yuji to stand
down and then realizes that Mahito has been an evil person
all this time. Just as he puts the pieces together about his
mother's murder, Junpei is transfigured by Mahito. Mahito
forces Junpei to fight Yuji, trying to force the human boy
to rely on Sukuna. However, Sukuna refuses to heal Junpei
and both curses laugh at Yuji's expense. Junpei dies and
Yuji realizes that he has no choice but to accept the truth.
Mahito and Sukuna are nothing but curses. This forces Yuji
to come to terms with the fact that he may not be able to
help everyone. He's confronted by the reality of life as a
Jujutsu sorcerer. That life being one of great pain, one in
which he will watch countless more loved ones perish. Yuji
is tormented by the fact that he couldn't save Junpei or his
mother and has doubts about helping people to a natural
death. What ensues is an intense battle. Nanami and Yuji
manage to injure Mahito, however, in the end he manages to
escape. Still plagued by his hatred for Mahito, Yuji swears
never to lose again until he destroys Junpei's killer.
