Summary
- Characters in Jujutsu Kaisen endure painful fates to highlight its dark themes.
- Character fates spark endless debates on narrative fairness and wasted potential.
- Mai and Yuki face tragic ends through sacrifice or unfulfilled destinies.
Jujutsu Kaisen is a series that relentlessly explores sacrifice and the psychological cost of being a sorcerer in a world built from humanity's negative emotions. It hooks fans with high stakes, but then it takes things a step further, often subjecting its most compelling characters to cruel, unjust, or painfully unfulfilling fates. These moments are the emotional core of the series, elevating it beyond simple action fare.
8 Jujutsu Kaisen Characters Who End Up Being Surprisingly Weak
Despite how imposing they seemed, these Jujutsu Kaisen characters turned out to be surprisingly weak.
The pain these characters endure isn't just for shock value; it's a critical lens through which the story examines its darkest themes, making their tragedies resonate long after the credits roll. The question of who "deserved better" is central to the fan experience, sparking endless debates about fairness, narrative purpose, and wasted potential. So, here’s a ranking of eight characters whose journeys ended in ways that left viewers either heartbroken or frustrated. Note: This list only considers characters and events from the Jujutsu Kaisen anime adaptation, not the manga.
Spoiler Warning: Due to the nature of this list, major story spoilers are included in the entries below.
6 Nanako & Mimiko Hasaba
A Tragic End for Two Girls Devoted to a Broken Savior
Nanako and Mimiko Hasaba are defined by their unwavering loyalty to Suguru Geto, the man who rescued them from abuse as children. Their devotion is the core of their identity, and while they follow him down a dark path, their actions are born from gratitude and love for their savior. Their loyalty is absolute—right up until the Shibuya Incident, where they risk everything to avenge Geto’s desecrated memory by confronting the impostor controlling his body.
Their plan, desperate and misguided, only leads to a gruesome death at Sukuna’s hands. The scene is a gut-wrencher: two girls, broken by life, begging for justice, and finding only more cruelty. Nanako and Mimiko deserved at least a shot at healing or, at the very least, a less brutal exit.
5 Kento Nanami
The Mentor Who Never Saw Peace
Introduced as a stoic, dependable Grade 1 sorcerer, Nanami quickly becomes a fan favorite. His “7:3” technique, deadpan humor, and subtle warmth make him the backbone of the sorcerer ranks. A mentor to Yuji Itadori and a symbol of integrity, Nanami’s presence gave a rare comfort in a dangerous world. That’s why his ending in the Shibuya Incident stings so much. Exhausted and injured, Nanami is finally brought down by Mahito, the series' most sadistic villain.
His last moments, a fleeting vision of retirement and peace on a sunlit beach, are crushed in an instant. Nanami’s death is one of the show’s most pointed commentaries on the cost of duty. He never sought glory, only to protect the next generation. He deserved rest, not an ignoble death in a subway tunnel.
4 Satoru Gojo
The Invincible Sorcerer Sidelined by Fate
Gojo’s swagger and overwhelming power made him a comfort to watch—the mentor who’d always be there to pull the students back from despair. But in Season 2’s Shibuya Incident, the narrative takes a sledgehammer to viewer expectations: Gojo is sealed alive inside the Prison Realm, instantly removing the one person who could have saved everyone.
Saddest Anime Character Deaths, Ranked
Here's a look at some heartbreaking deaths in anime, coupled with reasons why fans will never forget them.
His sudden, helpless imprisonment is a jarring reminder that even the best aren’t immune to tragedy. The fallout is immense: chaos reigns, the students are left adrift, and the entire tone of the series shifts to darkness and uncertainty. While it delivers a narrative necessity to raise the stakes and allow other characters to grow, Gojo's sealing still feels like a particularly cruel twist of irony.
3 Kokichi Muta
A Life of Pain, Cut Short at the Moment of Hope
Kokichi Muta, also known as Mechamaru, spends most of his life isolated, crippled by a body that traps him in darkness. Through his remote-controlled puppet, he becomes a formidable sorcerer, but behind the mechanical facade is a lonely teenager desperate for normalcy. His deal with the villains is motivated by the hope of healing, a chance to finally live and walk in the sunlight.
The cruel twist? As soon as Kokichi’s body is restored, he rushes to warn his friends and fight for redemption, only to be killed almost instantly by Mahito. It’s heartbreakingly ironic: he sacrifices everything, gets a taste of the life he wanted, and it is then snatched away before he can even say goodbye to those he cared about.
2 Junpei Yoshino
The Innocence That Never Stood a Chance
Few characters in anime have managed to break viewers as quickly and completely as Junpei Yoshino. A bullied kid finds a friend in Yuji and a new purpose, only for everything to be ripped away by Mahito’s sadism. The hope of rescue dangles just out of reach, making his death one of the show’s most agonizing moments.
Mahito casually betrays him, twisting his body into a grotesque monster in front of a helpless Yuji. His death is designed to be viscerally scarring, cementing Mahito as a truly detestable villain. Junpei is the ultimate sacrificial lamb; he is a traumatized child, not a villain, and the horrific end he suffers is completely disproportionate.
1 Riko Amanai
The Catalyst Whose Choice Was Stolen
Riko Amanai’s fate is one of the most unjust in Jujutsu Kaisen, and her death is the foundational event from which the entire plot flows. As the Star Plasma Vessel, she was a young girl designated for sacrifice to merge with Master Tengen, a process essential for the stability of Jujutsu society. As she spends her final days with her guardians, Gojo and Geto, her desire to live a normal life becomes heartbreakingly clear.
Riko’s loss is the domino that sets off the entire chain of heartbreak in Jujutsu Kaisen. Her murder destroys Geto’s idealism, isolates Gojo, and sets Kenjaku’s plans in motion. Riko is the ultimate victim—an innocent child failed by the system, her protectors, and the world itself. Her stolen choice represents the core tragedy of Jujutsu Kaisen.
- Release Date
- October 3, 2020
- Network
- TBS, MBS, CBC, Tulip Television, BSN, tys, NBC, HBC, RKK, i-Television, SBS, IBC, BSS, MRO, OBS, TUF, RSK, TUY, tbc, RKB, SBC, KUTV, RBC, UTY, RCC, MRT, atv, MBC
- Directors
- Ryohei Takeshita, Masataka Akai, Chie Nishizawa, Daisuke Tsukushi, Tomomi Kamiya, Kakushi Ifuku, Ken Takahashi
- Writers
- Hiroshi Seko
- Franchise(s)
- Jujutsu Kaisen
Cast
-
Junya EnokiYuji Itadori -
Yuichi NakamuraSatoru Gojo
WHERE TO WATCH
- Seasons
- 1
- Studio
- MAPPA
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Gege Akutami
- Number of Episodes
- 47
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll, Netflix, Hulu
- MyAnimeList Score
- 8.57 (Season 1)
