The manga “Jujutsu Kaisen” came to a close in the 44th issue of “Weekly Shonen Jump”, released on September 30, 2024. Leading up to the final chapter, the term “Only __ Chapters Left” was trending on social media every week, and even on the day of the conclusion, "#JujutsuKaisen" remained one of the top trends. Readers, along with the official anime Twitter (now X) and voice actors, expressed their raw reactions to the finale, with many lamenting its end. “Jujutsu Kaisen”, written by Akutami Gege, is a dark fantasy manga serialized in “Weekly Shonen Jump”. It tells the story of Itadori Yuji, a high school student who, to save a friend from a curse, ends up harboring the curse within himself. The story revolves around his intense battle with various curses. The anime adaptation began airing in October 2020, and the movie “Jujutsu Kaisen 0” was released in December 2021, earning a massive worldwide box office gross of 26.5 billion yen. The second season of the TV anime, covering the "Hidden Inventory/Premature Death" and "Shibuya Incident" arcs, aired from July to December 2023. A movie compilation of the Hidden Inventory arc is set to release in 2025, and the third season covering the Culling Game arc is already in production. Additionally, an exhibition of Akutami Gege’s work will be held in Osaka starting in April 2025. After a six-year run, the “Jujutsu Kaisen” manga reached its conclusion with Chapter 271, published on September 30. Since its debut in 2018, fans have been hooked on the series. Starting from September 24, a countdown with images was posted on the official X account, featuring phrases like, “Nooo!! This is my favorite series!” and “I’m curious about the finale, but I don’t want it to end.” These mixed feelings continued to pour in as the finale approached. Even after reading the grand finale, which featured a special full-color center spread, readers expressed their emotions: “I’m shaking after reading it,” “That character’s return...,” and “The ending was so good… Thank you for all your hard work.” To commemorate the conclusion, the 44th issue included a memorial postcard featuring a handwritten message and original illustration by Akutami. There’s also a special service offering a digital print of the entire final chapter for those who apply. Even the voice actors of the Jujutsu Kaisen anime bid farewell to the series It wasn't just the readers who were emotional about the finale. The official Jujutsu Kaisen anime X account shared celebratory illustrations and comments from Goshozono Shota, the director of Season 2. The full comment can be read on the official anime website. Several of the anime’s voice actors also expressed their gratitude and congratulations on their X accounts. Enoki Junya, the voice actor for Itadori Yuji, wrote, “Please let me read another one of your amazing works soon,” expressing hope for Akutami’s future projects. Volume 28 of the “Jujutsu Kaisen” manga will be released on October 4, with Volumes 29 and 30, the final volumes, set to be released simultaneously on December 25. With the third season of the anime covering the “Culling Game Arc” in production, there’s still much more of “Jujutsu Kaisen” to look forward to. (C) Akutami Gege / Shueisha