With Jujutsu Kaisen fans prepping themselves up for the upcoming Culling Game Arc, one big question is creating a buzz among the community. The biggest question right now is: Does Yuji die in JJK Season 3? The answer to this question is no; however, he did die a fake death. Let’s explore further and see exactly what happened.

Spoiler Alert !!!This article contains spoilers from the Jujutsu Kaisen manga.

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3: Yuji’s Fate in the Culling Game Arc

So, what exactly happens to Yuji Itadori in the arc that begs the discussion of this question? Well, as per the manga, Yuji is stabbed in the heart by Yuta during the Culling Game arc. While many fans, after hearing this, may think that it is the end for Yuji, it’s not like that at all.

Yuta stabbing Yuji is part of a bigger plan that involves one more character who is currently flying under the radar- Satoru Gojo. Yuta, under Gojo’s guidance, pretended to execute Yuji by stabbing him, which was also revealed in the recent official PV for the anime, and staged his death to deceive the Jujutsu higher-ups. Yuta had previously made a Binding Vow with them to kill the vessel when the higher-ups demanded Yuji’s immediate execution.

During their fight, Yuta stabbed Yuji, making it look like a fatal blow. However, almost immediately, Yuta used his Reverse Cursed Technique to heal Yuji’s heart. In doing so, Yuji’s fake death fooled the higher-ups. At the same time, Yuji survived, and Yuta became Yuji’s protector. To sum it up, Yuji technically did die in the Culling Game Arc, but it was all staged.

Yuta Was Never Yuji’s Enemy in the Jujutsu Kaisen Storyline

Yuta from Jujutsu Kaisen | Credits: MAPPA

The scene from the official PV could come off as confusing to many fans, as it might create the illusion of Yuta being Yuji’s enemy when he stabbed him. But their narratives are much more aligned than some may think. Both Yuji and Yuta believe sorcerers exist to save others, even at personal cost. Furthermore, they both get emotionally disturbed when the forces within them cause pain to others; Sukuna for Yuji and Rika for Yuta.

What Yuta did was completely made up, and he had no true intentions of harming Yuji. The best example would probably be how the whole event went down. Yuta kills Yuji, but immediately revives him using the Reverse Cursed Technique; no true enemy or someone holding animosity will do that. Furthermore, the whole execution plan was a setup from the beginning; Yuji was always going to protect Yuji.

After the whole supposed execution went down, Yuta joined forces with Yuji, actively cooperating with him and becoming part of the resistance against Kenjaku. There was no tension between the two of them in the story thereafter, further proving the claim.

While the JJK anime fans await the narrative to unfold on the screens on January 8, 2026, here are a few pieces of information about the Jujutsu Kaisen anime series:

TITLEJujutsu KaisenSTUDIOMAPPARELEASE DATEOctober 3, 2020 (Season 1)GENREGore, Supernatural, ActionIMDb RATING8.5/10MAL RATING8.53/10 (Season 1)8.72/10 (Season 2)WHERE TO WATCHCrunchyroll

What are your thoughts on Yuji’s supposed death in Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3: The Culling Game Arc? Could Gege Akutami have written it differently? Let us know your opinions in the comments down below.

All previous seasons of Jujutsu Kaisen are available on Crunchyroll. Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 is set to premiere on January 8, 2026.
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