The world of Jujutsu Kaisen is built upon a foundation of visceral combat and supernatural horror, but its most profound terrors are often psychological. Chapter 90, nestled within the early stages of the Shibuya Incident arc, serves as a devastating microcosm of the series' core philosophical conflict. It transcends a mere battle sequence to become a pivotal character study and a thematic thesis statement. This chapter meticulously chronicles the brutal confrontation between Yuji Itadori and the cursed spirit Mahito, marking a critical point of no return for the protagonist's idealism and fundamentally reshaping the series' moral landscape.
Yuji Itadori begins his journey as a paragon of selfless heroism, his worldview neatly defined by his grandfather's dying wish to "help people." Chapter 90 systematically dismantles this archetype. Faced with Mahito, a being whose very existence mocks the sanctity of human life and form, Yuji's physical strength proves grotesquely inadequate. The chapter forces him to confront a horrifying truth: his power cannot save everyone. The sight of transfigured humans, their souls twisted into monstrous forms, and the palpable fear he instills in a rescued civilian chip away at his heroic identity. His desperation peaks in a raw, guttural scream—a sound of pure, unfiltered anguish that signifies the death of his simple, boyish heroism. This moment is not a setback but an unraveling, replacing his clear-cut mission with a morass of guilt, rage, and a burning desire for vengeance that dangerously mirrors the curses he fights.
Mahito's Idle Transfiguration is the perfect narrative tool for this deconstruction. Unlike destructive curses that obliterate, Mahito's power violates the soul, the immutable essence Jujutsu society holds sacred. His technique makes the abstract concept of the soul viscerally tangible and fragile. Every touch from Mahito is a profound violation, transforming victims not just physically but existentially. This forces a philosophical confrontation. Yuji's understanding of saving people was protecting their physical bodies, but Mahito demonstrates that a body can be alive while the person within is irrevocably destroyed. The chapter argues that true horror lies not in death, but in the distortion of identity and soul. The transfigured humans are walking, breathing testaments to this horror, making the battlefield a gallery of existential dread that physically sickens Yuji and the reader alike.
The setting of the Shibuya subway is not incidental; it is a narrative crucible. The confined, public space amplifies the tragedy. Mahito's actions are not hidden in shadows but performed on a crowded stage, maximizing civilian casualties and psychological impact. This transforms the fight from a personal duel into a public massacre for which Yuji feels intrinsically responsible. Each crushed pillar and collapsed tunnel represents another life he failed to protect. The civilian who recoils from Yuji in terror is a masterstroke of storytelling—it confirms Yuji's deepest fear that he is becoming a monster indistinguishable from the curses. The Shibuya Incident, through chapters like this, dismantles the shonen trope of the clean victory. Here, survival itself is pyrrhic, coated in the ash of failure and the blood of the innocent.
Mahito emerges in this chapter as more than a villain; he is the dark reflection of human negativity given form. His childish curiosity and playful demeanor contrast horrifically with his actions, creating a uniquely unsettling presence. He operates on a twisted logic of self-discovery and evolution, viewing humans as mere clay for his artistic expression. His debate with Yuji about the nature of the soul is central. Mahito posits that since he was born from human fear and hatred, his understanding and manipulation of the human soul is innate and valid. This challenges the very foundation of Jujutsu sorcery, suggesting that curses, born from humanity, are a legitimate part of the world's natural order. He is not evil for a grand purpose; his evil is his purpose. This makes him an unconscionable and perfect antagonist for Yuji, whose entire being is a rejection of such nihilistic self-indulgence.
At its heart, Chapter 90 grapples with the blurred line between humanity and monstrosity. Mahito is a curse born from humans, while Yuji, a vessel for Sukuna, is a human carrying a curse. Their battle questions where the line between them truly lies. Yuji's descent into vengeful rage demonstrates how easily trauma can breed the very hatred that spawns curses, potentially perpetuating a cycle of violence. The chapter suggests that in the world of Jujutsu Kaisen, the capacity for cruelty and the instinct for compassion are two sides of the same human coin. Victory is not measured by who remains standing, but by who can retain their humanity in the process. In this metric, despite his physical resilience, Yuji suffers a catastrophic loss.
The repercussions of Chapter 90 echo throughout the entirety of Jujutsu Kaisen. It shatters Yuji's naive framework and forges him into a harder, more complex, and tragically burdened character. His smile, once a symbol of bright optimism, becomes a rare and weighted gesture. The trauma of Shibuya and the specific psychological torture inflicted by Mahito become the primary drivers of his motivation, pushing him toward increasingly desperate and self-sacrificial actions. Furthermore, the chapter establishes the stakes of the series as not just physical survival, but spiritual and existential integrity. It proves that the greatest battles are fought not against monsters, but against the despair and hatred those monsters ignite within the human heart. Chapter 90 is a masterpiece of shonen storytelling not for its action, but for its courageous and brutal examination of what that action truly costs.
Iran postpones full airspace reopening till SaturdayInterview: NATO is global driver of conflicts, U.S. activist says at pre-summit protest
Trump orders firing of labor statistics chief after weaker-than-expected jobs report
Trump says no progress on Iran, Ukraine in phone call with Putin
Israel's ground operations striking Gaza City draws int'l condemnation
【contact us】
Version update
V3.28.582