When a special Gege Akutami: Jujutsu Kaisen exhibition was announced in May this year, fans might never have expected it to be the final nail in the coffin for one of their most beloved characters – Gojo Satoru.
True, Satoru has been out of commission in the manga since chapter 236. However, he did return, albeit in a surprising way, thanks to Yuta, later in the series. He still ain’t alive though!
Even so, the theories regarding Gojo’s revival kept surfacing on social media platforms. The stans refuse to give up. We should commend the loyalty.
However, the Jujutsu Kaisen exhibition, which is taking place in Shibuya July 2024, threw freezing cold water on all their hopes.
This exhibition features behind-the-scenes story and comments from the author of the manga Gege Akutami. And in one particular question regarding the volume 26 cover of Jujutsu Kaisen manga, Akutami dropped a huge bomb.
The volume cover in question features Gojo Satoru with an array of flowers, and it had been a cornerstone in many fans’ theories surrounding his revival.
However, in the Q&A session from the exhibition, Akutami said that the volume cover was actually meant to be a funeral photo for Gojo Satoru. The cover with the flowers were actually meant to be a memorial portrait for him.
The word used for the cover was 遺影 (pronounced “iei”). It means “memorial portrait” or “posthumous photograph”, which is typically displayed at funerals or memorial services in Japan to honor the deceased.
This was pointed out by multiple fans who visited the exhibition in Shibuya. Though taking pictures during the exhibition was not allowed, they were able to give a rough translation of the content. Check out the posts below!
So, based on this information, Akutami basically confirmed that Gojo was actually dead in Jujutsu Kaisen. The chances of him reviving and coming back minimal.
Now, the fact about the volume cover being a funeral portrait had been pointed out back in April 2024 itself when the illustration first came to light.
However, the theory that gained traction was the one which focused on the Camellia flowers in the cover. According to this theory, the flowers resembled a metaphorical rebirth.
There were also others who pointed out that these flowers signified a honorable death in the samurais, as its quick death mirrored the swift end they gave their opponents.
In the exhibition, Akutami had something to say about the flowers too.
Interestingly, the author had initially chosen to go with Tsubaki (Camellia Japonica) for the cover, however, since Gojo lost, the author chose to go with sasanqua – a different type of camellia flower.
In the end, the Q&A from the exhibition does not spell good news for Gojo fans. Do you think Gojo revival theories are still valid after Akutami’s comment? Let me know your thoughts below!