Jujutsu Kaisen Cliffhanger Has Raised Another Question About Yuta x Rika

Jujutsu Kaisen is an action series through and through, so it goes without saying that romance has little place in the series. After all, Gojo has more supernatural things to worry about than dating, but the manga has dabbled with the heart before. Yuta has come dangerously close to experiencing love for himself, and the manga’s latest chapter has fans re-examining his ties to Rika right now.

After all, chapter 177 of Jujutsu Kaisen went live this week, and it ended with a wild cliffhanger. Yuta has found himself pitted against two rather powerful sorcerers in the Culling Game. The two have nudged Yuta into a corner despite his tries to back them away. So in order to force their hand, well – Yuta calls on Rika with a flash of their promise ring.

It turns out Yuta is still wearing the ring these days, and fans had to do a double-take after hearing his summons. As far as we know, the cursed spirit known as Rika was exorcised essentially when Yuta realized he had turned his childhood crush into the specter. The sorcerer has since cultivated his own power and even retains much of the cursed energy that Rika held. But as for the spirit’s core, fans were led to believe Rika had moved to the afterlife.

Now, Jujutsu Kaisen fans are curious what Yuta’s summons will do and whether it is tied to the Rika we all know. He is still wearing the promise ring the pair exchanged as kids, so his attachment to his friend hasn’t gone anywhere. Their history might be able to draw Rika back to him in battle for all we know, or Yuta might have a different trick up his sleeve. Given his wild power, Yuta may be able to manifest his own cursed energy into something resembling Rika, making his new technique something of a tribute to his late crush. 

What do you think about Jujutsu Kaisen‘s latest cliffhanger? Do you feel like Rika’s role in the series has room to grow? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.