Jujutsu Kaisen's final arc, Shinjuku Showdown, is the series' goriest and most dramatic yet, closing out the story with a bang. Although its plot twists and major character deaths did prove shocking, according to a recent X post, this arc was actually predicted and planned ahead of time in the manga itself.

One scene in Jujutsu Kaisen Volume 0 actually foretold the battle that was to come, and the character spreading this news was none other than Kenjaku. Although his foreboding announcement may have been easy to miss, looking back now, it is easy to see how the major events of Jujutsu Kaisen's ending were set in stone long before they ever occurred.

Kenjaku Planned the Shinjuku Showdown Arc Ahead of Time

In Jujutsu Kaisen 0, Kenjaku Foretold the Massive Battle That Would Wind Up Closing Out Jujutsu Kaisen

Kenjaku may not have been Jujutsu Kaisen's main villain, taking a backseat role to Sukuna's tyranny, but he did predict one of the most monumental arcs in the series. In Jujutsu Kaisen 0, a prequel to the main anime, Kenjaku made a bold proclamation and foresaw the Shinjuku Showdown, warning the jujutsu sorcerers listening of what was to come. He explained that on December 24 "the night parade of a hundred demons will commence," and that he would "release a thousand curses at each location," making for the biggest battle by far in the entire series' history.

The Shibuya Incident and Culling Games arcs were already horrific massacres, but the Shinjuku Showdown was even more deadly and marked the King of Curses' final fight against humanity. It is a true wonder that Kenjaku helped orchestrate the plan years before its arrival, but this clue that was included in the prequel to Jujutsu Kaisen only further backs up how intentionally Gege Akutami designed the story. Every detail led to the eventual conclusion of the manga on September 30, 2024, and the groundwork for these final battles was being laid well in advance, according to the series' author.

Although Jujutsu Kaisen 0 is a Prequel, This Scene Shows Its Necessity

The Prequel Outlined Kenjaku’s Plans and Motives, Setting the Stage for Later Battles Like Shinjuku Showdown

Jujutsu Kaisen 0 is a prequel manga, that was also adapted into a feature-length film, and although it is a prequel and focuses on different main characters, it is necessary viewing to better understand Jujutsu Kaisen in its entirety. Kenjaku was a major player and this prequel sheds light on his motives and his plans for Cursed Spirits to defeat humanity, which would become crucial plot points in the main timeline of Jujutsu Kaisen. Not only did Jujutsu Kaisen 0 hint at the Shinjuku Showdown, it offers a better understanding of who Kenjaku is as a villain and what he desires.

The Shinjuku Showdown battle was extremely controversial, especially because of Gege Akutami's decision to raise the stakes by killing off major characters like Gojo and Choso. Although the series' ending did head in a devastating direction, based on this Kenjaku scene from Jujutsu Kaisen 0, the villain had already hinted at how deadly the impending battle would be. With this moment in mind, it was always evident that the Shinjuku Showdown arc would be Jujutsu Kaisen's most violent and would ultimately decide the fate of all the series' major heroes and villains with finality.

Source: @f9x00 on X