The final chapter of Jujutsu Kaisen, JJK 271, is set to release on September 29th, 2024. Gege has confirmed that there will be a big announcement with the final chapter.
Many fans believe the announcement might be about a sequel to Jujutsu Kaisen! Although nothing is confirmed, a message from the editor hints that the story may not be over yet.
There are still many unresolved plot points and unanswered questions especially the plot revolving around the Culling Games, Merger, and Tengen.
The most recent chapter revealed that Sukuna’s remnants have been absorbed by the Tengen Bridge, so for some time the barrier around Japan will remain raised and jujutsu sorcerers now have time to plan a strategy to deal with it. But what about Culling Games now that Sukuna and Kenjaku are both dead?
What is Culling Games in Jujutsu Kaisen?
Before the Shinjuku Showdown Arc, Kenjaku started a game called Culling Games, and an entire arc was based on it.
It is a survival competition that involves sorcerers and non-sorcerers. The primary goal of the game is for participants to eliminate each other to score points, with sorcerers being worth five points and non-sorcerers being worth one point. Participants can also create new rules for the game by spending points 100 points.
Culling Game’s goal was to evolve humanity through the use of cursed energy. Kenjaku’s plan was to merge all participants into a single cursed entity with the help of Master Tengen.
Tengen is a powerful being who can manipulate barriers and is an important factor in the game. Kenjaku aims to use the energy from the game to perform a ritual that will transform humanity​.
There were also some strict rules like if a player does not score points for 19 days, their cursed technique is forcibly removed, hence making them an easy target for other players.
However, in Chapter 243, Yuta killed Kenjaku by slicing his head off with the help of Aoi Todo’s cursed technique.
Has the Culling Games Ended?
The Culling Game in Jujutsu Kaisen has not technically ended, but the game is no longer functioning as it was intended. According to the official translation on Manga Plus:
The culling games lost it’s purpose from now on measures addressing the fully fleshed culling game players will become the topic of discussion.
Since Megumi survived, we will likely go in the direction of having hana and Yuji strip the cursed objects from the victims even if it’s risky.
This change is due to players stopping the violence against each other, which means the game is still ongoing but not in the way Kenjaku designed it.
In JJK 270, it was revealed that the conditions for ending the Culling Games and starting the merger still exist.
However, because Megumi survived, the Jujutsu Headquarters had to rethink their strategy. They had assumed Megumi would die, which would allow them to end the Culling Games and the merger.
Since that didn’t happen, they now have to be careful about killing the remaining incarnated sorcerers, as doing so could bring the conditions for ending the Culling Games closer to being met.
According to Maki, the plan is for Yuji and Hana to help separate the incarnated sorcerers from their cursed objects, which will return their bodies to them as per the translation I shared above.
So, while the Culling Games is not over in a what word should I use, traditional sense? The game has changed significantly, becoming more about managing the remaining threats rather than ongoing slaughter to gain points.
Final Words
Recent chapters revealed that Kusakabe is now the head of Shadow Style Academy and from JJK 270 it seems Higuruma will be becoming a full time sorcerer.
Yuji, Megumi and Nobara are investigating a new case brought up by Kiyotaka Ijichi. They believe the culprit is a Culling Games participant who is now harassing cursed energy. So, do you think there will be a sequel or Gege will wrap the story in JJK 271?
