The Unveiling: Delving into the Epic Shibuya Incident in Jujutsu Kaisen

The Shibuya Incident arc in Jujutsu Kaisen is known to be the most complicated in terms of its timeline. Mangaka Akutami takes a unique approach by presenting the entire event as a time-stamped incident report, adding to the complexity with its non-linear, multifocal narrative.

As Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 delves into the Shibuya Incident arc, it becomes crucial for viewers to closely follow the timeline. Unlike the manga, the anime doesn't allow fans to easily backtrack and check timestamps without interrupting the flow of the story. Additionally, the fast pace of the anime covers more ground, giving viewers less time to absorb and process the events.

In addition, due to MAPPA's reorganization of events for a smoother storyline, it is now crucial to provide a chronological portrayal of the events in the Shibuya Incident. The following breakdown presents a comprehensive timeline of the Shibuya Arc, noting every time stamp from the manga. Please note that this article covers Chapters 79-137 of the Jujutsu Kaisen manga and contains significant spoilers from the Shibuya Incident arc.

Every timestamp in the Shibuya Incident arc as per the Jujutsu Kaisen manga, explained

Shibuya as seen in Jujutsu Kaisen (Image via MAPPA)

The Shibuya Incident Arc takes place in various locations within the Shibuya district of Tokyo, Japan. Throughout the manga, the narrative smoothly transitions between different locations and time periods. This unique storytelling approach sets it apart from any other arc in Jujutsu Kaisen. While the Culling Game arc may be longer, it is comparatively easier to understand and follow.

October 21, 2018 (Prelude)

Utahime tells Yuji, Nobara, and Megumi about Mechamaru being the traitor. Elsewhere, Mahito and Geto fight and kill Kokichi Muta.

October 31, 2018, Shibuya: Act 1 – The Sealing of Satoru Gojo

Gojo in front of the Prison Realm in Jujutsu Kaisen (Image via MAPPA)

7:00 pm, Shibuya – A Curtain is cast

The Tokyo branch of the Tokyu Department store serves as the central point for the Curtain, which spans a radius of approximately 400 meters. Within this Curtain, only Civilians and specific Windows are confined, allowing free access for Jujutsu Sorcerers and Assistant Managers. Any form of communication is restricted and must be conducted outside the confines of the Curtain.

At 8:14 pm near Shibuya, Team Nanami, Team Zen'in, and Team Kusakabe are stationed outside the boundaries of the Curtain.

Kento Nanami, a sorcerer of Grade 1, is stationed at Exit 13 of the Shibuya Metro Station. He is joined by Ino Takuma and Megumi Fushiguro, both sorcerers of Grade 2, who are currently undergoing evaluations for a promotion to Grade 1.

Naobito Zen'in, an esteemed sorcerer of Supreme Grade 1, is stationed at Restaurant Avenue in Shibuya Mark City. He is accompanied by Maki Zen'in (Grade 4) and Nobara Kugisaki (Grade 3), who are also undergoing assessments for a potential promotion to Grade 1.

Grade 1 sorcerer, Atsuya Kusakabe, who serves as the class teacher for the second-year students at Tokyo Jujutsu High, can be found stationed at the Shin Minami entrance of Jr Shibuya Station. Joining him is Panda, a semi-Grade 2 sorcerer whose Grade 1 promotional assessment has been temporarily postponed.

At exactly 8:31 pm, Gojo makes his entrance into Doegnzaka Nichome East, stepping through the Curtain.

8:38 pm, Shin Q BF1 – Gojo enters Shibuya Hikarie

Gojo enters the Curtain in Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 (Image via MAPPA)

Satoru Gojo arrives at the Shibuya Hikarie skyscraper via the Bunkamura Way entrance in Doegnzaka Nichome East. After a seven-minute walk, he reaches the ShinQ shopping District. He then heads to the first basement (BF1) of the Tokyo Metro line.

At 8:39 pm, Team Mei Mei enters Shibuya while being in Aoyama Cemetery.

At Aoyama Cemetery, Grade 1 sorcerer Mei Mei, along with her younger brother Ui Ui and Yuji Itadori, receives word about a new Curtain emerging at Meiji Jingumae station. Without delay, Mei Mei commands her team to mobilize.

At exactly 8:40 pm, on the Fukutoshin Platform at BF5, Gojo confronts the impending Curses.

Gojo descends and successfully lands on Basement 5 (BF5) of Shibuya Station's Fukutoshin line, where he confronts Jogo, Hanami, and Choso. Within the following 11 minutes, Gojo engages in combat with the curses and successfully purges Hanami.

At 8:51 pm, Meiji-Jingumae station – The Curtains are elaborated.

The Tokyo Metro Basement structure depicted in the Jujutsu Kaisen anime (Image via MAPPA)

Upon reaching Exit 2 of the Meiji-Jingumae station, Team Mei Mei stumbles upon the distressing realization that an additional Curtain has materialized around the Shibuya Station, effectively imprisoning innocent Civilians. Moreover, a secondary, more compact Curtain has been deployed on the B5F level, preventing the passage of Jujutsu Sorcerers both in and out of the area.

The caster is positioned somewhere between B1F and B2F, hidden behind two curtains. On B4F of the Fukutoshin line, there are multiple transfigured humans, primarily located there. Itadori remains at Exit 2 to confront the caster, while Mei Mei and Ui Ui proceed to Exit 7 in order to save the civilians who are trapped on B4F and lower levels.

At 9:03 pm in Meiji-Jingumae, Itadori confronts the Grasshopper Curse, while Mei Mei successfully eliminates the second Curtain.

Yuji arrives at B2F through the Meiji-Jingumae station and obtains Mahito's name from the Grasshopper Curse responsible for guarding the Curtain Constraint. He effortlessly defeats the Curse in combat. Moving on to B4F, Mei Mei obliterates the second constraint of the Curtain and successfully removes it.

At 9:14 pm, in Harajaku/Meiji - Jinguame, Team Mei Mei reconvenes.

In the Jujutsu Kaisen anime, the image depicts Mahito's departure for Shibuya. In order to regroup, Team Mei Mei descends to B4F and realizes that Mahito has already left the station and returned to Fukutoshin platform in Shibuya, where Gojo is currently located. A train journey from B5F of Meiji-Jinguame on the Shin-Toshin line takes Mahito to Shibuya.

At 9:15 pm, Mahito arrives in Shibuya after taking the train from Harajuku to the Shibuya station, located on the B5F level. He teams up with Choso to launch a coordinated assault, putting Gojo in a situation where he must protect innocent civilians from the threat of Transfigured Humans. Gojo responds by activating his powerful 0.2-second Domain Expansion, successfully buying time and eliminating over 1000 transfigured humans within the next 299 seconds.

At 9:22 pm, the three groups - Team Nanami, Team Zen'in, and Team Kusakabe - step into the Barrier known as Inside the Curtain. They proceed to enter the main Curtain after becoming aware of the presence of the second one. During this time, Haruta Shigemo stabs Ijichi.

9:26 pm, Shibuya – Gojo Satoru gets sealed

Satoru Gojo Gets Sealed (Image via MAPPA)

After completing his task in the basement, Gojo unexpectedly encounters Geto, whom he had fatally defeated one year ago. It is then revealed that the apparent Geto is actually Kenjaku, a being capable of inhabiting deceased bodies. Seizing the opportunity presented by Gojo's surprise, Kenjaku imprisons him within the confines of the Prison Realm. However, Gojo's exceptional abilities render the relocation of the Prison Realm virtually impossible once he is trapped inside it.

(The imprisonment of Satoru Gojo will have far-reaching consequences for the entirety of the Jujutsu world and serves as the initial catalyst for the Shibuya Incident's three pivotal events.)

Act 2: The Shibuya Massacre

Sukuna's Malevolent Shrine in Jujustu Kaisen (Image via MAPPA)

At 9:27 pm, in the area between Meiji – Jingumae and Shibuya, Mechamaru's failsafe, a drone programmed after his death, encounters Yuji and relays the ongoing situation. Yuji, perched atop a building, urgently calls out the information, summoning Nanami for assistance. Nanami promptly arrives and heads towards Shibuya, while Yuji, Megumi, and Ino are assigned the mission of locating and defeating the sorcerer responsible for casting the mysterious Curtain.

At 9:30 PM, in B4F of Shibuya Station, the Curses gather to discuss their plan.

The Curses form two distinct groups: one with Mahito and Choso, aiming to eliminate Yuji together with Sukuna, and the other consisting of Kenjaku and Jogo, seeking to awaken Sukuna and establish his complete control over Yuji's body. As the Curses disperse, Mahito divides himself into two separate entities.

At 9:40 pm, on Shoto Bunkamura Street, Nobara and Akari encounter Shigemo. They had separated from the Zen'ins to ensure continued communication. Eventually, Nanami joins them and successfully defeats Shigemo, who flees. Before venturing further inward, Nanami escorts them outside the Curtain.

9:44 pm, Near Shibuya station Exit 13 – Nanami finds Ijichi

Nanami travels outside the Curtain to find Ijichi’s body and presumably takes him to Shoko Ieiri.

10:01 pm, C tower, Shibuya – The Curtain Casters are found

The team of Yuji, Ino, and Megumi in Jujutsu Kaisen anime (Image via MAPPA)

The trio eventually concludes that the casters are concealed at the highest point of the C-C-Tower. At the tower's summit, Ino confronts Granny Ogami and engages in a battle, during which Granny Ogami invokes the spirit of Toji Zen'in into her assistant. Simultaneously, Yuji and Megumi engage in combat with Jiro Awasaka on the ground.

At 10:02 pm, somewhere between Shibuya and Meiji Jingumae, Mei Mei and Ui Ui unexpectedly encounter Kenjaku.

Mei Mei and Ui Ui successfully vanquish several curses and proceed towards Kenjaku and the Prison Realm. Kenjaku summons the Curse Smallpox Deity, but Mei Mei and Ui Ui emerge victorious in the battle and confront Kenjaku once more.

At 10:04 pm, on the Shibuya Line of the Metropolitan Expressway, Yuji and Megumi bid farewell.

Yuji and Megumi triumph over Awasaka, successfully dismantling the oppressive Curtain limitations. Ino suffers defeat at the hands of the rebellious Toji. Megumi escorts Ino to Shoko for medical attention, as Yuji ventures deeper to confront the malevolent curses. Subsequently, they bid farewell to each other.

At 10:10 pm, Yuji arrives at Shibuya station.

Yuji encounters Inumaki, who has been protecting the civilians from danger. Subsequently, he enters Shibuya station and has an encounter with Choso, who inflicts severe injuries on him, leaving him for dead. However, Choso later develops a fabricated memory in his mind, believing Yuji to be his brother.

At 10:20 pm, on the Inokashira line, at Avenue gate in Shibuya Station, Nanami has a meeting with the Zen'in family, while Megumi makes a reappearance.

Toji infiltrates Megumi's Domain (Image via MAPPA)

Nanami rendezvous with Naobito and Maki before unexpectedly encountering Dagon, who ensnares them within his own domain. Megumi returns to Shibuya and breaches the Domain using his Chimera Shadow Garden, endeavoring to construct an aperture in the barrier for their escape.

Toji, however, ventures into Dagon's Domain by utilizing the hole and successfully eliminates the curse with the help of Playful Cloud. As the Domain vanishes, he swiftly carries Megumi to safety while the remaining three confront Jogo, who wastes no time in engulfing them in flames.

At 10:51 pm in Shibuya, Sukuna makes his appearance.

Mimiko and Nanako discover Yuji and give him one of Sukuna's severed fingers. Jogo then appears and feeds Yuji an additional ten fingers, which ultimately enables Sukuna to take over Yuji's body. Sukuna proceeds to eliminate Mimiko and Nanako and acquiesces to Jogo's plea to slaughter every human in Shibuya except for one, presumably Megumi.

At 10:51 pm, at the Tollgate of route no.3 on the Metropolitan Expressway, Shoko and Yaga's camp is located.

Nearby at a tollgate, Shoko and Yaga set up a healing camp of sorts and reminisce about the old days,

10:51 pm, Dogenzaka - Megumi vs Toji

Toji and Megumi face off in a dramatic confrontation, as depicted in the captivating opening sequence of Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 (Image via MAPPA).

With intensity and skill, Toji swiftly gains the upper hand, his very essence consuming Megumi's body. In a moment of deep realization, Toji discovers that Megumi bears the name of his beloved mother. Overwhelmed by sorrow and regret, Toji makes the devastating choice to end his own life.

Yet, just as the aftermath of this tragic encounter leaves Megumi already wounded and battered, Shigemo emerges and inflicts further harm upon the beleaguered hero.

At 11:01 pm outside Shibuya Stream, Kusakabe and Panda find themselves confronted by Geto's retainers, who have aligned themselves with Kenjaku. However, their clash is abruptly halted by the unexpected arrival of Sukuna in the sky, locked in combat with Jogo. With a display of honorable prowess, Sukuna defeats Jogo, only to be confronted by Uraume.

At 11:05 pm in front of Shibuya 109 on Dogenzaka street, Megumi summons his most powerful Shikigami, Mahoraga - the Divine General with Eight Hands, wielding a Divergent Sila Sword. His sole purpose is to vanquish Shigemo. However, Mahoraga's untamed nature leads to Megumi's unfortunate demise. Yet, Megumi's life hangs in limbo until Shigemo is defeated and the exorcism reaches its completion.

11:07 pm, Dogenzaka, in front of Shibuya 109 – Sukuna vs Mahorga

Mahoraga's first appearence in Jujutsu Kaisen (image via Shueisha/Gege Akutami)

Sukuna senses an impending danger and rushes to the scene. He rescues Megumi and lures Mahoraga away, ultimately triumphing over the Shikigami by unleashing his formidable Domain. The devastating power of his Domain annihilates everything, living or inanimate, within a radius of 140 meters. Remarkably, it ceases right before reaching Megumi. Subsequently, Sukuna eliminates Shigemo, an act that will come to be known as the Shibuya Massacre, marking it as the second pivotal event in the incident's sequence of events.

Act 3 – The Prelude to the Culling Game

Kenjaku's Plan succeeds (Image via MAPPA)

At 11:09 pm, Aoi Todo and Arata Nitta make their way into Shibuya Station B5F, where they come across the civilians impacted by Gojo's 0.2 seconds Domain. Their objective is to locate Yuji as they continue further inwards.

At 11:14 pm, in front of Shibuya 109 at Dogenzaka, Yuji reappears and is confronted with the news of Nanami's death, a result of the Malevolent Shrine's destructive actions. Sukuna hands over Megumi to Shoko and permits Yuji to step in and witness the aftermath. Yuji rushes into Shibuya station where he comes face to face with Mahito, who is in the act of killing Nanami.

11:14 pm, Shoto Bunkamura Street – Nobara reenters the curtain

After delivering Akari Nitta to safety, Nobara reenters the Curtain.

11:19 pm, Dogenzaka Alley – Nobara vs. Mahito

The death of Nobara Kugisaki (Image via MAPPA)

Mahito divides into two entities, one genuine and one counterfeit, and the counterfeit swiftly encounters Nobara. Once Nobara unravels the truth about his duality, Mahito guides her to the inner confines of the station, where Yuji engages in combat with his authentic form near the Dogenzaka ticket gate. Manipulating the situation, Mahito executes a substitution and employs Idle Transfiguration on Nobara, dealing a mortal blow and triggering Yuji's rage.

11:19 pm, Within Shibuya Station – Mahito confronts Yuji and Todo.

At Shibuya Stream around 11:28 pm, Todo joins forces with Yuji to battle Mahito. Meanwhile, Arata Nitta intervenes just in time to prevent Nobara from losing her life. He quickly escorts her to safety, but grimly points out her slim chances of survival. Amidst this, Panda discovers an injured Kusakabe.

Panda and Kusakabe are depicted in Shibuya in the Jujutsu Kaisen anime series (Image via MAPPA).

Panda discovers Kusakabe entangled under the debris alongside the Shibuya stream. Upon learning that Yuji can succumb to Sukuna's influence and lose control of his own body, Kusakabe expresses his support for Yuji's execution.

11:28 pm, B3F, Shibuya Station – Choso departs in search of Yuji

Emerging from a vivid but nonexistent memory, Choso begins to doubt his connection with Yuji and sets off to locate him.

11:36 PM JST (10:36 PM MYT) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Mei Mei and Ui Ui in Malaysia

It has been discovered that Mei Mei and Ui Ui have fled from Japan. Mei Mei is seen in conversation, presumably with her lawyer, discussing the sale of her property in Japan. This suggests an alarming situation of a nationwide economic and social breakdown.

11:36 pm, The remains of the Shibuya Police station, Udagawa Police box – Kenjaku absorbs Mahito

Shibuya is Mahito's last appearance in Jujutsu Kaisen (Image via MAPAP)

Yuji and Todo triumph over Mahito after putting in a tremendous amount of effort. However, Todo ends up losing his hand, which also means losing his technique. As Yuji tries to chase after Mahito, he unexpectedly encounters Kenjaku, who takes pleasure in tormenting him by unleashing a few curses and toying with him.

In a surprising turn of events, Kenjaku proceeds to exorcise Mahito and absorbs him, gaining control over the Cursed Technique Idle Transfiguration. Despite the arrival of the Kyoto Students, Kusakabe, and Panda, they prove to be no match for Kenjaku as he easily overpowers them. Just when things seem dire, Choso arrives on the scene and discloses that he carries the bloodline of Noritoshi Kamo, the very first and most wicked sorcerer in history.

Kenjaku discloses his method of usurping both Kamo's and Geto's bodies, leading to the existence of numerous aliases associated with him. Choso boldly proclaims his role as Yuji's older brother, asserting his ability to perceive his younger siblings. This suggests the possibility that Kenjaku may have taken control of one of Yuji's parents, resulting in a shared familial connection between the boy and Choso.

Uraume and Yuki as seen in the anime adaptation of Jujutsu Kaisen (Image via MAPPA)

Soon, Uraume and Yuki Tsukumo enter the fray alongside. Kenjaku reveals his intentions to revive the Heian Era of Curses by employing Idle Transfiguration, thus awakening the multitude of individuals he had previously marked, including Tsumiki Fushiguro.

Accompanied by Uraume and the Prison realm, he departs while summoning Sukuna and exposing the true motive behind engineering the Shibuya Incident.

[This is the end of the report on the Shibuya Incident. Later, this third and final key event of the incident will be known as the preamble to the Culling Game.]

The aftermath

Key Developments in Jujutsu Kaisen Manga's Itadori Execution Arc (Image via Shueisha/Gege Akutami)

After the intense Shibuya Incident arc, the storyline of Jujutsu Kaisen progresses to the gripping Itadori Execution arc, where we witness the return of Yuta Okkotsu and the introduction of the intriguing character, Naoya Zen'in. The aftermath of the Shibuya Incident brings forth several significant advancements encapsulated in the following points.

1. Chaos engulfs Japan, with Tokyo serving as its center of turmoil. The Jujutsu Higher-Ups and the Japanese Government are profoundly shaken, surpassing the point of recovery.

2. The Jujutsu Society authorities are oblivious to Kenjaku's existence. Instead, under the false assumption that Geto is alive, they condemn him to death once more, alongside Yaga. Gojo is forcibly expelled from the Jujutsu World, and any attempts to unseal him are regarded as criminal acts.

4. After the passing of Naobito Zen'in, his will names his son Naoya as the successor to the Zen'in family, unless Gojo is no longer alive or incapacitated. In the latter scenario, as agreed upon by Naobito and Toji, Megumi is to be adopted into the Zen'in clan and immediately become the next Zen'in head. Upon discovering Megumi's presence in Tokyo, Naoya sets out for Shibuya with the intention of harming the boy.

5. To eliminate the curses scattered throughout Shibuya, Yuji teams up with Choso. The Jujutsu higher-ups revoke the order for Yuji's execution and instead appoint Yuta Okkotsu as the one responsible for carrying out the execution. Considering that Inumaki lost an arm during the Shibuya Massacre, Yuta reluctantly accepts this task.

Final thoughts

Shibuya arc sees the most deaths in Jujutsu Kaisen (image via MAPPA)

The Shibuya Incident in Jujutsu Kaisen has had a profound impact on both the series and its fans. It has forever altered the Jujutsu World and the overall quality of the series. The unique presentation style, with its fragmented narrative, plays a significant role in this transformation.

As Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 delves deeper into the Shibuya Incident, viewers will become more accustomed to the fast-paced action and unpredictable twists of the plot. It remains to be seen how MAPPA will adapt and reshape the arc for the medium, but the Shibuya Incident will undoubtedly remain as the most memorable arc in Jujutsu Kaisen.

Relevant links:

Shibuya Arc in Jujutsu Kaisen anime

Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 complete schedule

All Jujutsu Kaisen arcs

The Culling Game timeline

Shibuya arc locations

Importance of Shibuya Timeline in Jujutsu Kaisen

Major deaths in the Shibuya arc