Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 Episode 9 Recap: Did Higuruma Agree To Help Yuji?

We can deceive the rest of the world, but not ourselves—this is the sentiment that is evoked as the ongoing third season of “Jujutsu Kaisen” releases another incredible episode. The eighth chapter, titled “Tokyo No. 1 Colony Part 3,” highlights the unique cursed technique of former lawyer/newly awakened sorcerer Hiromi Higuruma while focusing on his moral leanings. Previously, viewers were introduced to Hiromi Higuruma, a skilled defense lawyer who got disillusioned with the existing judicial system after multiple failures and decided to enforce his own version of justice upon unlocking his cursed technique. To convince Higuruma to share points and add a new rule, Yuji has no choice but to battle with him.

Spoilers Ahead

Higuruma’s Domain Expansion Explained: Yuji’s Trial

Picking right up from the ending of the previous episode, “Tokyo No. 1 Colony Part 3” opens with Higuruma unleashing his Domain Expansion: Deadly Sentencing, which allows his Shikigami, Judgeman, to turn the environment into a courtroom setting where Yuji’s trial is held. Yuji tries to attack before the domain expansion is unleashed, only to learn from Higuruma that physical violence is not allowed inside his domain by either side. Yuji remembers Tengen’s teachings, who had mentioned that when users weren’t obsessed over making their Domain Expansions as a sure-kill technique, DE was initially developed to be a sure-hit, non-lethal way to enforce one’s cursed technique—and Higuruma’s DE is a prime example. Higuruma explains to Yuji that he will be accused of a crime committed in the past, details of which are already known by Judgeman, who will present evidence accordingly. Yuji has the opportunity to remain silent, deny allegations by even lying, or make a statement to support his side, and Higuruma will challenge him. Yuji asks what might happen if he is found guilty, but Higuruma remains vague about the details regarding punishment. However, it’s quite clear that in the trial, the defendant will get every opportunity to defend themselves and make a foolproof argument; if they are able to prove themselves innocent, they will be spared according to the rules. 

Yuji’s trial begins with a low-stakes case, as he is accused of participating in pachinko arcade games despite being underage back in 2017. Yuji thinks hard about the best possible course of action, considering different outcomes and possibilities; he mentions visiting the pachinko parlor only to use their restroom. Higuruma showcases the evidence provided by Judgeman, which shows Yuji engaging in monetary exchange in the pachinko reception. Directly challenging his statement and failing to provide a strong counter, Yuji is proven guilty and receives punishment. Returning to the real world, Higuruma is able to confiscate Yuji’s control over his cursed energy and attack Yuji using his cursed tool, the judge’s gavel. Using only his physical prowess and endurance, as Yuji continues to defend himself from Higuruma’s relentless attacks, narrative voice sheds light on Yuji’s past. It turns out that Higuruma’s exceptional talent as a defense attorney is only surpassed by his unreal progress as a sorcerer, who awakened his cursed technique merely weeks ago and had already become a Grade One sorcerer. After tanking Higuruma’s barrage of assaults, Yuji finds a way to escape punishment by asking for a retrial—and both of them are immediately transported back to courtroom settings.

Second Accusation Against Yuji: Dark Reminder of Shibuya Incident

As it turns out, the choice of asking for a retrial was not a boon to Yuji to escape his punishment; it was a curse in disguise, as this time the stakes were amplified to a higher, much more personal level when Judgeman accused Yuji of massacring numerous people during the Shibuya incident. Viewers who have seen the previous season know very well what kind of havoc Sukuna had wreaked during the Shibuya incident by taking over Yuji’s body and how guilt-ridden Yuji became in the aftermath, so much so that at one point he tried to take his own life. Despite having no option to stop Sukuna, Yuji continued to blame himself for the harrowing tragedy, and it should come as no surprise to viewers how readily Yuji admits being guilty for the Shibuya massacre. The PTSD, coupled with remorse and the agony of losing people close to him has convinced Yuji that he deserves to receive the harshest of punishment for his actions. Upon his admission of crime, Yuji’s cursed technique is confiscated, and he is sentenced to execution by Judgeman as Higuruma’s gavel transforms into the sword of an executioner. 

Meanwhile, Higuruma, who knows the truth of what happened during Shibuya, is shocked upon seeing Yuji admit to a crime he didn’t commit. Higuruma reminisces about his past interaction with one of his veteran associates, Yoshizawa, who asked him why he didn’t choose the profession of a judge and opted to be a prosecutor/defense attorney instead. All his life, Higuruma believed humans are petty, selfish, and ugly from the core, who can go to any extent to avoid accountability and only pretend to be just and mighty. He believes himself to be the same, and this is the reason that despite trying to serve justice, he never wanted to judge others and appreciated the innate depravity of humanity. However, Yuji’s actions have challenged Higuruma’s perspective, as despite not being responsible for the Shibuya massacre, he has taken it upon himself to receive the capital punishment to pay for someone else’s crimes. The despair and hopelessness of Higuruma, thanks to the decrepit system that couldn’t serve true justice, made him disillusioned to the truth that he was a noble, honorable man from within. Yuji’s action allows Higuruma to reacquaint himself with that truth. After rushing towards Yuji to execute him, Higuruma decides to spare his life by canceling his own cursed technique and letting Yuji land a blow on him. According to the rules, if a defendant cannot be controlled, they might be deemed criminally insane, and as Yuji’s body was involuntarily controlled by Sukuna during the Shibuya incident, the verdict mentions he is not guilty.

Did Higuruma agree to help Yuji?

While Higuruma struggles to understand why Yuji took the blame for the Shibuya massacre, he knows Yuji’s misplaced guilt is a sign of his honorable character, which has inspired the former lawyer to realign his moral compass. Higuruma, now determined to help Yuji and others like him, agrees to add a new rule to the Culling Game, which will allow players to share points, and wants to share his points with Yuji. A guilt-ridden Higuruma confesses to Yuji about killing people on his own will, as it is revealed that Higuruma had killed the judge and prosecutor from the Keita Oe case by summoning his Shikigami during the trial. 

Higuruma then adds the rule of points exchange and shares his point with Yuji, much to his relief. Yuji tries to convince him to join his team of sorcerers, but for now Higuruma wants to reflect on his past actions and atone for his crime by surrendering himself once the Culling Game barrier is lifted. Additionally, staying by Yuji’s side will remind Higuruma of his moral lapse and make him feel even worse about his actions. Higuruma takes his leave, and possibly he will return as a potential ally of Yuji in upcoming episodes. The next episode will focus on Megumi’s battle with Remi and Reggie’s group of sorcerers and will possibly be another action-packed exciting spectacle. 

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