Young Fish and Reverse Punishment
This arc follows Yuji and grade 1 sorcerer, Kento Nanami as they investigate Mahito's trail of transfigured human corpses. Mahito involves a disheartened young man named Junpei Yoshino, leading him down a dark path.
Tropes associated with Vs Mahito Arc:
- Antagonist Title: Mahito is the titular antagonist of this arc.
- Bittersweet Ending: Nanami and Yuji successfully stop Mahito from enacting terror in Junpei's school, but Junpei himself dies after Mahito decides he's outlived his usefulness.
- Brutal Honesty: Nanami doesn't mince words while interacting with his peers.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: Mahito after gaining his Domain Technique turns the table against Nanami, and would have killed him hadn't for Yuji jumping into the Domain.
- Decoy Protagonist: This arc introduces Junpei and delves into his motivations and goals, as well as getting an offer from Yuji to join Jujutsu High. He gets killed before anything happens regarding that.
- Evil Is Not a Toy: It's also Mahito's turn to learn this lesson as his attempt to encourage Sukuna to join them results in Mahito getting a threat and then getting his arm chopped.
- Horrible Judge of Character: Junpei throws in with Mahito after the latter helpfully validates his misanthropy, even when the Curse has killed several students. It results in both his and his mother's death.
- Kick the Dog: Sukuna and Mahito laugh at Itadori while the former rejects healing Junpei.
- Man of Kryptonite: Itadori is possibly the only person in the entire world who can no-sell Mahito's attempt to transfigure him, due to him housing Sukuna, a being with a soul.
- Misanthrope Supreme: Due to being born from humanity's hatred towards each other, Mahito is this in spades.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Junpei's teacher is upset over him (supposedly) leaving school due to his inaction during Shota Ito's bullying, and promises the latter he would be watching closely over him.
- Pay Evil unto Evil:
- Shota Ito absolutely had it coming from Junpei, after all his cruel bullying.
- Mahito gets beaten to an inch of his life due to Sukuna, Yuji and Nanami.
- Unstoppable Rage: Yuji taps into absolute fury after Mahito kills Junpei.
- Was Once a Man: Mahito's victims, who are transfigured by his cursed technique. Junpei also becomes one right before his death.
