Jujutsu Kaisen Chapter 269 had a lot of expectations riding on it, especially given the cliffhanger we were left with in the previous chapter. However, after reading it, I can’t help but feel deeply disappointed. The chapter completely derailed the momentum that had been building, and for a series that’s only two chapters away from its conclusion, this chapter fell flat.
Yuta’s Return to His Own Body – A Missed Opportunity
The most glaring issue was Yuta’s situation. The last chapter left us with a huge cliffhanger — Yuta was trapped inside Gojo’s body. This twist could’ve led to a lot of interesting developments, especially since Gojo has faced consequences for his monstrous power. Yuta, following a similar path, could have explored the darker side of his strength.
However, this chapter just brings Yuta back to his own body with no meaningful resolution. It makes Yuta taking over Gojo’s body seem pointless, especially since Yuta doesn’t face any real consequences for this power shift. Gojo’s character arc dealt heavily with the burden of his strength, but Yuta seems to skate through without any of that weight.
Lack of Reflection on Gojo’s Fate
What makes this worse is that nobody in the chapter even mentions Gojo. He was a pivotal character, and his absence or potential death should carry emotional weight. But instead, the characters act like nothing happened. Maki, in particular, comes across as completely tone-deaf. She rants at Yuta about how they could’ve defeated Sukuna sooner, which felt dehumanizing. Instead of addressing the real pain and loss the group should be feeling, the chapter glosses over it, undermining the emotional gravity of the situation.
Off-Tone and Uncharacteristic Dialogue
The writing in Chapter 269 also feels incredibly off-tone. The characters don’t act like they’ve been through hell. They don’t seem traumatized or even all that concerned that the Culling Games — an event meant to decide the fate of the world — are still in progress. It’s as if all the weight and danger that made this arc so intense has been stripped away.
Instead, much of the chapter has the characters discussing the battle like they’re participating in a Reddit thread, detached and analytical. There’s a sense that the author, Gege Akutami, may have taken fan criticism to heart and used this chapter to address plot holes, but in doing so, it’s like the characters lost their depth and humanity. It’s hard to believe that these are the same people who’ve been through the trauma of battle, loss, and near extinction
Another issue with this chapter is the awkward insertion of comedy. At a time when the story should be reaching its emotional and thematic peak, the tone shifts to a weirdly lighthearted and comedic style.
This completely undermines the tension that’s been building up. Instead of feeling the weight of the impending conclusion, it felt like the characters were in a filler episode, not two chapters away from the series’ end.
To top it all off, much of this chapter is dedicated to explaining a new technique that seems entirely unnecessary at this late stage. We’re two chapters away from the conclusion — introducing lore or techniques that won’t have a meaningful impact at this point feels like a waste of space. The series should be focusing on wrapping up character arcs, resolving conflicts, and delivering an impactful conclusion. Instead, it feels like the story is treading water.
No Sense of Conclusion
The biggest issue with this chapter is that, despite being so close to the end, there’s no sense of finality. There’s no emotional resolution, no sense that the characters are preparing for the conclusion of their journey. Instead, it feels like the story is meandering, filling time with unnecessary dialogue and explanations instead of focusing on what really matters.
Final Thoughts
Jujutsu Kaisen Chapter 269 was, in my opinion, a major letdown. The cliffhanger from the previous chapter was resolved in the most underwhelming way possible, the characters feel out of sync with the gravity of the situation, and the chapter wastes valuable time on irrelevant lore. With only two chapters left, I hoped for a stronger narrative push toward the end, but instead, this chapter has left me feeling more frustrated than ever.
Here’s hoping the final two chapters can somehow salvage what’s left, but after Chapter 269, my expectations are low.
