Warning: This article contains SPOILERS from Jujutsu Kaisen's New Epilogue Release.

In Kenjaku and Sukuna. This extra chapter provides a sense of closure to some of the character arcs that were left unresolved in the initial conclusion, and nowhere is this more evident than with Yuta Okkotsu.

Although Yuta doesn't receive his own standalone section in the epilogue, he plays a significant role in Panda's story. The chapter unfolds decades after Sukuna's final defeat. By this time, Panda —a sentient cursed corpse— has lost mobility but retains the ability to see, observe, and think. Now relegated to storage, it exists as a cute, furry "teddy panda." However, in a poignant yet humorous layer to the scene, when a young boy and girl discover and reject Panda while rummaging through "grandpa's treasures," he recognizes them as Yuta’s grandchildren - and takes offense at their disrespect.

Yuta Okkotsu Was Always a Family Man And the New Epilogue Proves It

Yuta Will Settle Down and Have a Happy Family

Panda's chagrin at being rejected likely stems from his recollection of his pivotal role in Yuta's development, as well as his own significant contributions during the Shibuya Incident. He appears to believe that after all these years, the younger generation lacks the respect, honor, and iration that those who paved the way for them deserve. He feels that things were different "back in the day".

Lost amidst the discovery that Panda still lives, albeit now as a “talking toy”, and the revelation that the younger generation of sorcerers is a bit “rough around the edges” is the surprising fact that Yuta has grandchildren. While family and clan have always been central tenets of the Jujutsu sorcery community, in the Jujutsu Kaisen series, Yuta was one of the “kids” — and one of the more inexperienced ones at that. Discovering that he has now become the patriarch of his own family is both eye-opening and pleasantly surprising. Yuta — whose love for Rika once created one of the most powerful curses to ever exist — has, at long last, found love and built a family of his own.

Rika Changed Yuta's Life, But Maki Silenced His Fears

The Only Person Capable of Dealing With Yuta's Past Was Someone Strong Enough to Push Him Into the Future

However, what's even more intriguing than the time skip and its consequences is Yuta's mysterious partner. Although their identity remains unrevealed, many Jujutsu Kaisen fans speculate that the facial features of Yuta's grandchildren hold the answer. Analyzing their appearance, @biyuuji's Abbie and @okkotsuloml's Rai argue that the young boy and girl bear a striking resemblance to of the Zenin clan.

In other words, the kids’ grandmother is most likely Yuta’s senpai: the person who was most instrumental in helping him overcome his social awkwardness, and perhaps the only one with a strong enough personality to not only break Yuta out of his lingering feelings for Rika but also tell Rika herself to back down for interferring in his personal relations without cause. That person is none other than Maki Zenin.

Fans also point out that the ring Yuta once gave Rika no longer holds the sentimental value that it once did, as it now is a necklace worn by Yuta’s granddaughter.

While Akutami might have wanted to use the chapter to provide a conclusion to Panda’s story, knowingly or not, he also provided one of the most satisfying resolutions to two of the series' most beloved characters. Moreover, it’s an ending that not only is reasonable but also makes absolute sense, and Jujutsu Kaisen fans should probably have seen it coming early on.

Jujutsu Kaisen's Epilogue was released with its final volume, published in Japan on December 25, 2024. The English version will be published at some point in 2025.

Sources: @biyuuji, @okkotsulomi