Yuta Okkotsu was initially positioned as the most talented up-and-coming sorcerer in Jujutsu Kaisen. He was even the original protagonist. However, he faded into the background as characters like Megumi Fushiguro, Yuji Itadori, and Nobara Kugisaki took center stage instead.
Yuta was absent for so long that when he finally reappeared, he barely seemed relevant anymore compared to everyone’s memories of his potential.
Now, though, Yuta is back in chapter 243 with a vengeance. He reminds all the characters and readers why he is considered one of the strongest sorcerers alive.
Yuta sees an opening when the story’s main villain, Kenjaku, makes a rare slip-up against Takaba and his unusual cursed technique. In that small window of lowered defense, Yuta decisively takes out Kenjaku with a single lethal strike.
While Takaba helped set this moment up, Yuta ultimately delivered the killing blow on his own power and skill. With the heroic Gojo now deceased, the other sorcerers desperately need someone who can step up to replace him against Kenjaku’s plans.
As Gojo’s most gifted former student, Yuta seems poised to take on that role at last. His long-awaited return to prominence comes at a crucial time when he is needed most to turn the tide.
Who Truly Is The Ultimate Sorcerer In Jujutsu Kaisen
It’s a common misconception that Jujutsu Kaisen started right away with Yuji Itadori swallowing the finger of the demon Sukuna.
That iconic scene kicked off the main story, but it was not actually the true beginning of the series. Originally, Jujutsu Kaisen debuted as a one-shot manga called “Cursed Child,” focused on an entirely different protagonist – Yuta Okkotsu.
Yuta’s limited solo story proved so popular that creator Gege Akutami and the publishers at Shueisha decided to rework it as a prequel.
The True Beginning
This one-shot was reprinted as Chapter 0 when Akutami expanded the manga into an ongoing serial now centered around a new lead character, Yuji.
The early tale of Yuta battling curses alongside Gojo and other juvenile sorcerers also got adapted into the Jujutsu Kaisen 0 film by director Sunghoo Park.
So, while Yuta Okkotsu may have faded into the background of late, dedicated fans still remember that he was Jujutsu Kaisen’s first protagonist.
The series might have evolved to spotlight Yuji’s journey instead, but it originated with Yuta’s solo struggles against curses. Now, with Yuta reasserting himself in the manga’s final arc, it feels like Jujutsu Kaisen has come full circle back to its origins.
In the original “Cursed Child” story that kicked off Jujutsu Kaisen, Yuta Okkotsu displayed incredibly rare talent that even the legendary Gojo predicted he would become the most powerful sorcerer in generations.
Yuta Okkotsu’s Return to Prominence in the Final Arc
However, when the main series launched with a new protagonist, Yuji Itadori, it rapidly grew much more popular than Yuta’s introductory tale. As a result, Yuta was sidelined as a background character despite his immense potential.
With Gojo’s shocking death, the circumstances have drastically changed, though. As the sole remaining Special Grade sorcerer of his era now, Yuta can no longer lurk in the shadows even if he wants to. His strength is urgently needed against the looming threats.
As evidenced in the pivotal Chapter 243 fight, Yuta’s powers and command of jujutsu techniques remain peerless, with his curse Rika now under control.
In many ways, the stage has been set for Yuta to finally fulfill that early promise acknowledged by Gojo himself.
Fate seems to dictate that he can no longer be a forgotten man but must step back into the central heroic role that once seemed destined for him in those early chapters. He has the raw power to shape outcomes going forward.
Display of Power
While their actual confrontation only spanned a brief moment, Yuta’s elimination of Kenjaku in Chapter 243 spoke volumes about his feats as a sorcerer.
He managed to catch the immensely powerful Kenjaku off-guard, but the villain still had time to activate his “Cursed Technique Reversal: Anti-Gravity” spell – an extremely potent ability that subjects victims to intense gravity pressure.
However, Yuta demonstrated lightning-quick reaction speed to minimize the effects on himself. More importantly, he proved strong enough to decisively decapitate Kenjaku in a single swordsman-like swing.
Kenjaku originally absorbed this anti-gravity technique from his old host, Yuji’s mother, Kaori Itadori. He can then reverse its effects through his mastery of reverse cursed energy. So, for Yuta to overpower even this amplified spell exhibits his incredible power.
Furthermore, Yuta’s precision attack targeting Kenjaku’s head shows his deep strategic knowledge as well. He understands that with Kenjaku’s own reverse technique expertise, only an instant decapitation could prevent him from healing normally.
With this spectacular takedown, Yuta makes it clear he has more than enough sorcery prowess to step up as Jujutsu Kaisen’s new strongest figure in Gojo’s absence.
If creator Gege Akutami keeps restoring Yuta’s prominent role per those early chapters, he could finally fulfill his destiny as the most formidable sorcerer of his generation after years in the shadows.
