Did Mahito die in the Shibuya Incident in Jujutsu Kaisen? An explanation of his relationship with Itadori and Domain Expansion

Mahito is a special grade cursed spirit who opposes Itadori and the others in “Jujutsu Kaisen”, appearing as part of the false Geto’s group to torment the protagonist Itadori. This article will thoroughly explain the strength and first appearance of Mahito, his actions in the Shibuya Incident, and spoilers about his appearance in the light novels. *This article contains major spoilers for Jujutsu Kaisen.

Profile of Jujutsu Kaisen Special Grade Cursed Spirit Mahito

Name: Mahito Grade: Special Grade Cursed Spirit Source: Humans Likes: Teasing, humans Dislikes: Humans Voice actor: Nobunaga Shimazaki

Mahito is a special grade cursed spirit, the leader of the group working with the false Geto, born from “humanity’s fear of other humans”. With the appearance of a young man, his distinguishing feature is the patchwork on his face. His personality is childishly curious. Even among cursed spirits, he is exceptionally ruthless. He has no mercy for humans, conducting experiments on them out of curiosity and observing the results with interest.

Mahito’s Strength and Techniques in Jujutsu Kaisen

Idle Transfiguration

Idle Transfiguration is Mahito’s innate technique – by altering the shape of the soul, it alters the shape of the body. The only counter is to “perceive the shape of one’s own soul and protect it with cursed energy.”

This technique can be used not only for attacking opponents but also regenerating Mahito’s own body.

Modified Humans Mahito uses humans transformed into monstrosities by Idle Transfiguration in combat. Their appearance is so hideous they can be mistaken for curses, but they retain some selfhood and often plead for help. They must be killed to be defeated.

Composite Soul Forcibly fusing two or more Modified Humans’ souls together. Fusing the souls also fuses their bodies.

Soul Explosion Utilizing the rejection reaction from Composite Souls, explosively increasing the mass of the soul to attack. More Modified Humans used means a wider attack range and greater power.

Clones Using Idle Transfiguration to split his soul, Mahito can create clones. Their appearance and thought patterns are identical to him, allowing coordinated activity. However, they do not have his ability to interfere with souls.

Black Flash A phenomenon where damage is amplified 2.5 times when a blow and cursed energy collide within a margin of error of 0.000001 seconds. Experiencing Black Flash allowed Mahito to reach new heights.

Domain Expansion: Self Embodiment of Perfection

Sorcerers and curses above a certain level can deploy a Domain Expansion that makes their techniques guaranteed hits. Mahito’s Domain Expansion allows Idle Transfiguration to hit when he touches the target with his hands. Without a way to protect one’s soul, defeat is certain inside it. It first appeared in Chapter 29.

After Junpei’s death, a furious Itadori and Maki fight Mahito despite his near-immortality. Driven into a corner by his natural enemy Itadori, Mahito for the first time feels “death” as a real threat. On the brink of death he successfully uses Domain Expansion, putting Nanami in mortal peril.

Mahito first appears with Geto

Mahito first appears in the manga in Chapter 16 of Volume 2. In a room of the apartment Geto returns to, a serene beach domain is deployed. Relaxed and reading a book, this is Mahito’s first appearance. After Gojo reduces Jogo to just a head, Geto tells Mahito of Gojo’s immense power. Rather than confront Gojo head on, Geto argues they need to seal him for the curses’ ambitions. In response, Mahito says “No objections. We should be crafty. Curse-like, human-like.” This line perfectly represents Mahito’s nature as a human curse.

In the anime, he first appears in Episode 7, subsequently acting together with Geto, Jogo and others. In the Kyoto School Exchange Event from Episodes 14-21, he inflicts great harm on the high school. Amidst the chaos of Hanami and other sorcerers crashing the event, he takes the opportunity to steal the special grade cursed objects “Sukuna’s Fingers” and “Cursed Womb: Death Paintings” held by the school. Thanks to Mahito’s actions, the curses gained powerful weapons.

Mahito manipulated Junpei Yoshino to defeat Itadori

Having been bullied, truant Junpei witnessed Mahito distorting and killing three rowdy boys at a movie theater. Junpei chased after Mahito to get revenge on his bullies. When Junpei caught up and spoke to him, Mahito revealed his existence to Junpei. Junpei learned that Mahito was experimenting by using Idle Transfiguration to transform humans into Modified Humans. Despite his own hatred of humans, Junpei sympathized with Mahito’s reasons. Mahito acknowledged Junpei in turn, and they built a rapport.

Around the same time, the jujutsu high school began investigating the movie theater incident. Itadori was tasked with looking into Junpei Yoshino, the sole witness. Itadori was only supposed to investigate Junpei’s connection to the incident, but after some trouble, they hit it off and Junpei invited Itadori to his home. At Junpei’s home, Itadori befriended Junpei’s mother, telling Junpei she seemed like a good mother who understood her non-attending son. Thinking of his new friendship with Itadori and his mother, Junpei resolves to stop his revenge.

However, Sukuna’s finger was placed on Junpei’s mother’s desk while she slept, and she was killed by gathering curses. Mahito appeared and provoked Junpei’s vengeance once more. Junpei attacked the school, but Itadori, arriving on scene, froze. Knowing something happened to Junpei’s mother, and concerned for Junpei, Itadori tries guiding Junpei back to school. But the instant Junpei had a change of heart, Mahito appears behind him, whispering “Junpei, you’re more foolish than the humans you look down on”, and transforms him into a Modified Human. In truth, placing Sukuna’s finger at Junpei’s home was also Geto and Mahito’s doing. Mahito had never opened his heart at all, manipulating and using Junpei the entire time, leading to Junpei’s death.

Broke agreement and confronted Mechamaru

Mechamaru, a 2nd year Kyoto student, was an insider leaking information to Geto’s group. However, after Hanami attacked Kyoto students during the Exchange Event, breaking their agreement to “not harm Kyoto students”, Mechamaru turned against Mahito’s group.

After having Mahito heal his Heavenly Restriction-afflicted body per their agreement, Mechamaru confronted Mahito riding “Ultimate Mechamaru Absolute Form”, a puppet robot. Gaining cursed energy equal to the years his body was restricted, he temporarily gained special grade-level strength and overwhelmed Mahito. However, Mahito tricked Mechamaru by pretending to be hurt, reversing the tide and killing Mechamaru.

The showdown in Shibuya Incident – did Mahito die?

Killed Nanami Kento

In Shibuya, Mahito killed Nanami Kento, whom he had fought before. While fighting Dagon, Nanami was grievously injured by burns from Jogo after Maki killed Dagon. Still, Nanami alone exorcised the curses underground at the station. Mahito secretly watched this, and finding an opening when Nanami’s guard was down, touched Nanami’s body to interfere with his soul. Immediately after, Itadori rushed to Nanami. Knowing he would become a curse, Nanami left Itadori with the words “I’m counting on you”, before his upper body exploded, killing him. Seeing his comrade Nanami die before his eyes, Itadori’s face filled with rage as he shouted “What the hell, Mahito!!” and began fighting Mahito.

How did Itadori’s fight with Mahito conclude?

While Itadori and Mahito fought, Mahito’s clone appeared with Nobara. Mahito killed Nobara by touching her face. As Itadori reached his limit, Toudou appeared to encourage him. Revitalized, Itadori fought Mahito again together with Toudou. When Mahito used Domain Expansion, Toudou lost an arm and withdrew. Itadori and Mahito continued their one-on-one fight.

Mahito insisted to Itadori “I am you”, but Itadori denied it. Mahito said Itadori could not beat him without acknowledging this, finally evolving into his ultimate form. However, both were already heavily wounded, and Mahito was wary of Itadori’s Black Flash. Despite being accidental, Mahito sensed Itadori’s determination to aim it consciously.

Here, the withdrawn Toudou attempted to use Boogie Woogie. Mahito prepared to swap positions, but it was a dud – having lost an arm, Toudou could no longer use Boogie Woogie. Then, Itadori hit Mahito with all his might using Black Flash.

Taken in by Geto?

Vomiting after being hit by Itadori’s Black Flash, the mortally wounded Mahito had no Modified Humans left. As Itadori quietly began to speak, accepting Mahito, he acknowledged being the same as Mahito while directing pure killing intent at him.

Then Geto appeared, offering “Shall I save you, Mahito?” When Geto attacked Itadori, Mahito in turn attacked Geto. And so, Mahito was taken in by Geto’s Ten Shadows technique “Uzumaki”.

Did Mahito really die?

Although taken in by Geto, there is no explicit depiction of Mahito’s death. Therefore, some fans theorize he survived. However, Geto’s plan differed from Jogo’s originally. That plan required taking in Mahito, so Mahito likely won’t appear as long as Geto lives.

Even if Geto dies, the chance Mahito revives is low. In Volume 0 when Gojo killed Geto, the curses he had taken in did not reappear. This suggests any curse taken in dies with Geto.

Impact of Mahito’s death

Geto said Uzumaki could extract “techniques” from curses grade 1 or above when taken in. Therefore, by taking in Mahito, Geto gained use of his technique Idle Transfiguration. Earlier when Mechamaru fought Mahito, seeing Mahito cornered, Geto muttered “Depending on the situation, even now at this very moment…” From this, it’s clear Geto’s goal was always to acquire Mahito’s technique.

Having obtained Idle Transfiguration, Geto immediately used it, moving on to his next plan, “Totality Death Falling Revolution”.

In light novel Jujutsu Kaisen: The Path of Roses at Dusk, meeting a homeless elderly man – did it change Mahito?

The light novel tells a story focused on Mahito. While looking for a residence, he meets a blind elderly man whose soul did not “metabolize” and was tranquil. From the man telling him “I was deceived by my wife and best friend, losing my position, wealth and eyesight”, Mahito analyzes the man must have since avoided interacting with others and unknowingly lived like a monk.

Mahito grows familiar with the elderly man, but one day the man is gravely injured by irrational youth violence. On his deathbed, the man thanks Mahito for coming to him, saying “I don’t have to die alone”. Hearing the man’s humane emotions, Mahito, who thought the man had reached a detached state of freedom, shows a disappointed expression.

This is certainly a story that makes it very clear he is utterly incompatible with humans.

Mahito’s natural enemies and relationship with Geto

Mahito’s Natural Enemy 1: Itadori Yuji

Despite Mahito’s near-invincibility due to being able to alter the shape of souls, Itadori is portrayed as his natural enemy. As Sukuna’s vessel, Itadori can attack Mahito’s soul by unconsciously grasping its contours, the only one able to do so. Sukuna has no concept of allies or enemies. With selfish arrogance, he mercilessly attacks anything that displeases him. Therefore, to avoid incurring Sukuna’s wrath, Mahito cannot touch Itadori’s soul as Sukuna’s vessel.

Mahito’s Natural Enemy 2: Kugisaki Nobara

Nobara’s Straw Doll Technique resonates by driving cursed energy-infused nails into a piece of a damaged curse to damage its main body. This is effective against Mahito – the resonance from attacking Mahito’s clone damaged his main soul, with the damage feeding back to the clone. Having experienced Nobara’s attack, Mahito recognized “My natural enemy isn’t just Itadori Yuji” and saw Nobara as an enemy as well.

Mahito and Geto had a businesslike relationship

The group of curses Mahito belongs to works together with jujutsu sorcerers who misuse jujutsu for evil acts. Among them, Mahito is often with Geto, the worst jujutsu sorcerer. The group’s goal is to create a new world where the positions of humans and curses are reversed. Meanwhile, Geto plans to create a world only for jujutsu sorcerers after seeing through non-sorcerers’ behavior, intending to eradicate them. Therefore, Geto who would spare humans if they are sorcerers and Mahito’s group who oppose all humans have fundamentally different goals. Despite cooperating while their interests aligned, their relationship finally ended in the later half of the Shibuya Incident.

Why is Jujutsu Kaisen’s Mahito hated and criticized?

In truth, Mahito is the most disliked character in the series due to all his actions. Here are the reasons why Mahito is hated:

Repeated atrocities and human experimentation

In Volume 3, Mahito showed Junpei results of experimenting with how large and how small he could make an individual, conducting human experimentation. As a recently born curse, Mahito was likely experimenting out of curiosity. However, these horrific acts made fans feel revulsion toward him. His curiosity-driven experiments seem cursesque, but the backlash is unavoidable.

Ruthless fighting using others

From his first fight, Mahito always used Modified Humans created through human experimentation in combat. Rather, his fight with Mechamaru was the only one without using them – he relied on Modified Humans against Nanami, Itadori, and in Shibuya as well. While jujutsu sorcerers hesitate to kill former humans, Itadori especially hesitated. This merciless way of fighting made fans hate him as “cowardly, preying on kindness”.

Uncanny Domain Expansion and smile

Mahito’s Domain Expansion “Self Embodiment of Perfection” manifests numerous hands in a creepy pitch-black space. He also smiled eerily like a curse while taunting Itadori with Junpei and in Shibuya.

From this, fans find his Domain “scary” and his smile “gross”. While it’s cursesque, his manner is still unacceptable.

Killing popular characters one after another

Mahito was disliked from the start for his cruelty with Junpei. But he went on to kill Mechamaru, Nanami and Nobara in Shibuya, earning greater hatred from fans. Especially, Nanami is one of the most popular characters, ranking top 10 in official popularity polls. Killing such a beloved character provoked immense fan anger toward Mahito.

He’d be cool if he just kept quiet

Despite his patched-up face, Mahito has attractive facial features and was called a mystery pretty boy when introduced. Contrary to his looks’ popularity, his actions made him increasingly disliked.

Fans joke “He’d be a pretty boy if he just kept quiet…” Indeed, initially he seemed like a cool character unlike the mocking type he turned out to be.

Jujutsu Kaisen anime’s Mahito voiced by Nobunaga Shimazaki

In the Jujutsu Kaisen anime, the role of Mahito is played by Nobunaga Shimazaki of Aoni Production. His major roles include Yuno in Black Clover, Yuki Sohma in Fruits Basket, and Makoto Sunakawa in My Love Story!! Shimazaki perfectly plays princely pretty boy roles, but also perfectly portrays Mahito’s deranged psychopathic side.

Jujutsu Kaisen’s Mahito is incredibly villainous! Look forward to his activities in the anime

This time we looked at Mahito’s introductory arc, personality, and techniques. As the cursed spirit group’s leader, Mahito has an abnormal obsession with killing Itadori as Sukuna’s vessel, the key to their plan. Meanwhile, Itadori also harbors intense killing intent toward Mahito for killing his dear comrades and toying with humans. Despite his nonchalant attitude toying with people, Mahito met a miserable end after fighting alongside allies. There is still more to come for Mahito showcasing the worst sides of humanity in the Jujutsu Kaisen anime, so keep watching!