Since the early 2020s, it can be argued that no shonen franchise has grown in popularity more than Jujutsu KaisenThe hit manga was an instant success after being published in Shonen Jump Magazine, and thanks to its beloved anime adaptation (which includes Jujutsu Kaisen 0 —the highest-grossing Japanese film of 2024), its following has grown to rival that of even the most popular shonen series. That said, Gege Akutami’s manga is not without its flaws, and nowhere are those problems more apparent than in chapter 269.
Chapter 269, entitled “Considerations”, is the third to last chapter of the Jujutsu Kaisen and the last to follow the aftermath of the jujutsu world's hard-fought victory over Ryomen Sukuna. Unfortunately, for a chapter that is supposed to continue wrapping up the series' main storylines, chapter 269 is remarkably insistent on answering questions that few if any fans were asking, casting a cloud of doubt over the manga's upcoming finale.
Yuta Okkotsu and his allies get a perfect ending, which no one wanted
Jujutsu Kaisen Chapter 269 opens with a handful of panels featuring Mei Mei and a mysterious elderly figure, two characters fans almost certainly weren't expecting to see at the start of one of the series' final installments. However, before the chapter explores the dynamic between this duo, we quickly move on to an equally surprising scene: Yuta Okkotsuwho is now back in his original body.
While it's nice to see Yuta safe and sound with his allies, the fact that he returned to his body is a bit disappointingto put it mildly. From a logical standpoint, it is hard to believe that Rika was able to preserve her body with the Reverse Curse technique, and from a reader's perspective, this significantly weakens her resolve to inhabit Satoru Gojo's deceased body.
While it's nice to see a character like Yuta Okkotsu take a break, this drastic return to normalcy seems at odds with his promise to become a monster to honor Satoru Gojo and defeat Sukuna. To make matters worse, another character who was also worse form compared to Yuta when they last appeared also makes his return in chapter 269: Hiromi Higuruma.
As with many of the characters defeated by Ryomen Sukuna, the vast majority of the Jujutsu Kaisen fanbase, as he was seemingly dealt a death blow at the end of chapter 247. That's why the sorcerer-lawyer's return was such a huge shock, and yet for some reason, chapter 269 dedicates literally zero panels to his return. Much like Yuta Okkotsu, it's great to see Higuruma safe and sound after his fight against the Curse King; it just happens to be a development that feels at odds with the last time fans saw his character.
An unexpected detour takes Jujutsu Kaisen to new lows
While Jujutsu KaisenThe handling of Yuta Okkotsu and Hiromi Higuruma deserves some criticism, they are just minor issues compared to the weirder decision in chapter 269. Throughout the chapter, several pages are dedicated to Mei Mei and to a research that, frankly, practically no reader has wanted to delve into further.
The Simple Domain technique is a staple of jujutsu society, as it allows its users to negate powerful cursed techniques, including the effects of many Domain Expansions. As such, various restrictions have been placed on its use, thus preventing emerging sorcerers from significantly disrupting the balance of the three great clans of the jujutsu world. However, while they are certainly important to the jujutsu world, the Simple Domains and their restrictions were probably one of the last things on fans' minds before reading “Considerations”, making it all the more confusing when they end up playing a major role in the chapter.
Instead of exploring the return of Higuruma and Yuta for a few more pages, actually dealing with the deaths of the characters killed in the battle against Sukuna, or literally any other significant development, about half of Jujutsu Kaisen Chapter 269 is dedicated to explaining the Simple Domains and Mei Mei's decision to eliminate the figure who benefits from their restrictions. This plot seems completely out of place.and not only highlights Mei Mei, who is a pretty insignificant character in the grand scheme of things, but it also introduces a never-before-seen and ultimately insignificant villain.
For a manga that is only two chapters away from its conclusion, it doesn't seem unfair to say that these pages would have been much better spent elsewhere, and while chapter 269 remains faithful to Jujutsu Kaisenthe characters and the general tone, the chapter also shows some of the worst traits of the series. Unwanted explanations, unnecessary character revivals, and a general lack of direction not only hold back “Considerations,” but also create what is probably the worst chapter of the entire manga. While chapter 269 wasn't close to being bad enough to ruin Jujutsu Kaisen, It has certainly cast a cloud of doubt over the last two chapters of the beloved shonen.