If you have started watching Jujutsu Kaisen, then chances are you have fallen in love with a certain character called Junpei Yoshino.
A former student of Satozakura High School, Junpei was constantly bullied for his timid nature, which he used to hide his cynical and antisocial personality. During the events of the show, it would be revealed that Junpei possessed immense power and that he was being swayed to the dark side by the cursed spirit Mahito.
Because of this, many fans believed that Junpei would play an important role in the series, with some theorizing that he would become a rival for Yuji Itadori.
However, this would later be disproven by Junpei’s sudden death, which sent shockwaves through the anime community. But is Junpei Yoshino really dead and is there a chance he could come back?
The answers you seek can be found in the following article, where we have used our extensive research to learn more about the character’s demise.
If you’re in a rush and don’t have time to read the entire article, then we have provided a condensed version of Junpei’s fate in the section below:
Is Junpei Yoshino dead? Yes – unfortunately Junpei was killed at the hands of Mahito, who turned him into a cursed spirit.
Because of the immense pressure, Junpei did not survive the initial transformation and fell to the floor at Yuji’s feet.
While some fans believe that he could come back, the chances of this happening are low, as his return would hinder the story and its progression.
If you want to learn more about Junpei’s demise, you will find a more detailed character description in the following section.
What Is Jujutsu Kaisen?
Jujutsu Kaisen is a manga and anime series that follows the adventures of Yuji Itadori, a student who is pulled into a world of monsters and sorcerers following the death of his grandfather.
The series is set in an alternate world where every living being emanates cursed energy, which is produced through negative emotions. While there are some people who can control this energy, it can also be used to create cursed spirits, which are monstrous creatures with immense power.
To combat cursed spirits, Jujutsu sorcerers use their cursed energy to produce cursed techniques, which bestow the user with unique abilities. During the show, Yuji must learn to control his newfound powers, while also locating dangerous relics and battling a rising faction of cursed spirits who want to take over the world.
Despite Yuji being the main protagonist, many people thought that Junpei Yoshino would also play an important role in the series.
But who is Junpei Yoshino and why does the fandom think he is so significant? The answers to these questions and more can be found below, where we have compiled a detailed overview of Junpei’s story.
Who Is Junpei Yoshino?
Junpei Yoshino was raised by a single mother and had a very standard upbringing, even though he was bullied by several of his classmates. During his childhood, Junpei would receive various wounds from his abuse, with the most prominent being a deep scar he received on his forehead.
While studying at Satozukara High School, Junpei would pay a visit to the cinema and encounter three boys who had bullied him as a child. During this encounter, Junpei would watch in awe as all three boys were killed by Mahito, who promised to show Junpei how to wield such power.
After this, Junpei would follow Mahito into the sewers, where he had been experimenting on humans to create cursed spirits. While learning more about the uses of cursed energy, Junpei would walk home and meet Yuji Itadori, who he would later befriend over their shared love of movies.
As their friendship grew, Junpei would question Yuji on whether he would be able to take the life of a dark sorcerer, to which Yuji responded that he would never want to take another person’s life. Despite agreeing with Yuji’s philosophy, Junpei’s beliefs would later be skewed by the death of his mother, who was killed by a cursed spirit.
In his grief, Mahito would tell Junpei that his mother’s death was caused by Shota Ita, a fellow student and one of Junpei’s bullies. Despite Mahito being the true cause of his mother’s death, Junpei believed the spirit’s lies and used his cursed techniques to torture Shota to the brink of death.
Fortunately, Yuji was able to stop Junpei before he could kill Shota, leading to the two friends facing each other in combat. It was following this battle that Junpei would meet his demise, in one of the most shocking deaths in anime history.
How Did Junpei Yoshino Die?
During episode 12 (or chapter 27), Junpei and Yuji would face each other in battle, with the two friends being evenly matched in their cursed abilities. While facing each other, Yuji would try to get through to Junpei, mentioning his mother and her beliefs. This eventually led to the two friends coming together, with Yuji promising to help Junpei in the future.
However, their brief reconciliation was ruined by the arrival of Mahito, who restrained Yuji and confronted Junpei. While Yuji pleaded with his friend to escape, Junpei tried to convince him that Mahito was a good person. However, this made Junpei realize that Mahito’s intentions were actually evil.
Shocked by this revelation, Junpei could only stand and watch as Mahito performed his cursed technique.
In a flash, Mahito transformed Junpei into a cursed abomination, turning him into a deformed monster in extreme pain. Despite trying to use his powers to revive Junpei, there was nothing Yuji could do to save his friend. In the end, all he could do was watch as Junpei writhed on the floor, clutching his clothes and wondering why?
Junpei would then succumb to the transformation and die at Yuji’s feet, leaving his close friend completely speechless. But, of course, this is anime and there’s always a chance for a beloved character to come back.
Well, it seems that statement is not always true, especially when it comes to anime that deals with such dark and complex themes.
Is Junpei Yoshino Really Dead?
Following Junpei’s death, his body is never seen again, as it was not recovered or taken to Tokyo High. In fact, Junpei and anything related to the character is never seen or mentioned again, which implies that the character is dead and will never return.
Later in the series, Mahito reveals that he transformed Junpei’s soul too violently, as he was excited to see the transformation. Because of this, Junpei died a lot faster than the other students who also suffered the same fate.
While it is never explained what the cause of Junpei’s death was, it can be theorized that his body succumbed to the lethal shock of cellular transmogrification, which is similar to how the other students died. Because of his death, it is clear that Mahito saw Junpei as nothing more than a pawn in his game, which he used to form a deal between Yuji and Sekuna.
Now that we know Junpei’s fate, it could be argued that his death was always foreshadowed through his actions and storyline, with his cursed technique and the references to emperor angelfish conveying the character’s future demise.
While Junpei’s death is one of the more tragic in the franchise, it could be said that it was necessary for Yuji’s character development in the show.
Why Is Junpei’s Death Important?
While many fans now hope to see Junpei reappear in the show, this may not be the best idea for the story going forward, as the character’s death has a huge impact on the show and Yuji’s development.
As we previously mentioned, Yuji once confided in Junpei that he would never want to take another person’s life, something that he never considered a possibility before losing his close friend. However, Junpei’s death makes Yuji realize that sometimes killing someone is the only way to defeat their evil, which allows him to understand the hardships of becoming a Jujutsu sorcerer.
On the path he has decided to take, Yujii will face death, loss, and misery – things he will have to accept if he is ever going to harness his cursed energy. Junpei’s death changes Yuji’s view on life, which could be a good thing or a bad thing. Guess we will have to see what Yuji’s journey holds.
Conclusion
Despite having a huge impact on the fandom, it can be concluded that Junpei’s death was necessary, as it furthers Yuji’s development in the show. While we can hope that Yuji’s path doesn’t take him towards revenge, there is still no way of knowing how his journey will finally end.
