Few villains in Jujutsu Kaisen are more universally hated than the humanoid cursed spirit Makoto. His disgusting nature is one of the reasons why he is one of the most difficult characters to watch, as his presence in scenes is often uncomfortable. However, it turns out that the real person is very important to the basic information of “Jujutsu Kaisen”, especially as Yuji Itadori’s story unfolds. While other villains like Geto and Sukuna bring sympathy or fascination through their backstories and charm, Mahito is the darkness in human nature and a counterexample to the themes of self-worth and purpose explored in the series.
As ScreenRant mentioned, the core of “Jujutsu Kaisen” revolves around social roles, obligations, and finding one’s own meaning. A series of explorations of personal happiness versus personal social responsibility are reflected in character development, such as Geto, who questions the suitability of a wizard, and Nanami, who has struggled to fit into social norms since becoming a human wizard. By using real people as vessels to represent the negativity in the human mind, Jujutsu Kaisen expands into conversations based outside of human themes, exploring the entity’s worldview of humans and how they view themselves.
The real person’s purpose as an evil spirit is simple: to cause harm and represent the negative energy of human beings. But the real person continues to evolve and see his character in a different way, trying to perfect humanity through destruction. He wants to be perfect, sees himself as a product of human flaws and tries to transcend them. This urge to become and perfect humanity turns Makoto into a tragic figure who seeks the approval of those he considers great: Sukuna and Kenjo.
Ironically, Masato’s obsession with his father’s approval shares the same struggle as protagonists Yuuji and Megumi, who suffer from unstable or even absent father figures. Yuuji’s father (Sukuna’s reincarnated twin) died, and his mother was devoured by Kenaku. Kei never knew his father because Gojo killed him. While Megumi and Yuuji don’t have any traditional fathers to seek approval from, they never seek the approval of others. Yuuji especially hates the concept of finding a predetermined place in life, as Gojo wants the next generation to find their own power and not live in his shadow.
Yuuji reveals in Chapter 265 that the value of life lies not in fulfilling a specific role or leaving a concrete legacy, but in the smaller ways of impacting the world, which is in direct contrast to Makoto’s pursuit of validation through destruction. Mahitu’s downfall is a tragic reminder that seeking meaning through the approval of others, especially father figures, can only lead to emptiness. Jujutsu Kaisen ultimately demonstrates that one should find meaning within oneself rather than through external validation.
With his last breath, Makoto screams in despair that he is “the last of the unruly children,” marking his inability to grow without his “father’s” approval. His fate becomes a symbol of the hell that comes from relying on others for a sense of self-worth. The final message of Jujutsu Kaisen is that while others can provide guidance, the true meaning of life must come from within.
