Chapter 241

Foolish Survivor —Win and Remain— (バカサバイバー！！〜ちれ〜) is the two hundred and forty-first chapter of Gege Akutami's Jujutsu Kaisen.

Summary
Fumihiko Takaba remembers his origins for wanting to do comedy and regains his confidence as a comedian. He apologizes to Kenjaku and swears to make him laugh his guts out, reactivating his technique in the process.

Plot Details
In a flashback, Takaba chastises his partner for being late to their performance rehearsal. As his partner apologizes indifferently, Takaba notices the smell of alcohol on him before continuing with the rehearsal. Takaba begins a segment of the performance, but it is quickly discovered that his partner did not memorize his lines. Takaba angrily demands a serious apology from his partner, who rebukes him by revealing that he is too busy covering for Takaba. He goes on by stating that Takaba never goes out drinking with the others, nor does he laugh at the other comedians from the stage wings, and it's only because of him that their upperclassmen don't mistreat the duo.

Takaba asks his partner if that's a good reason for him to show up to rehearsal hungover, which he believes is. Takaba then furiously calls his partner out for only caring about his shady relationships, who mocks him for getting angry due to being unpopular. Takaba punches him to the ground and states that he wants him to take comedy seriously, at which point his partner reveals that doing comedy isn't fun with Takaba, and asks why the audience would laugh at their jokes if even they don't.

Some time later, Takaba, now with an afro, reads a critically unfavorable review about his performance. Despite being disheartened, his colleague tells him that it is impossible to make everyone in the audience laugh and convinces him to think positively. Later, while rehearsing a performance, Takaba's new partner informs him that he plans on quitting, citing that the two are already middle-aged while their classmates all have decent jobs and families to provide for. When Takaba attempts to persuade him to stay, his partner asks him how long he plans on continuing to do comedy.

Later on in his apartment, Takaba thinks about his options as an entertainer without a partner to do comedy with. He remembers his response to his last partner's question, which is to do comedy until he does what he thinks is funny to the fullest. Takaba then remembers why he wanted to be a comedian. When he was a child, he was serious and cold towards others, which made him unlikable. Wanting to no longer be lonely, he put all his effort into joking around. When the other boys laughed and realized he wasn't a bad person, that made him happy and allowed him to make friends. However, he was never able to find a partner to make jokes with. As Takaba watches a comedy duo joke about being unable to do comedy together on television, he holds back tears. Takaba concludes that the reason he wanted to be a comedian was because he wanted people to know him better, and if they do they'll think he's funnier, and that way he wouldn't be lonely.

Present day Takaba is then seen sitting before his younger self in a school. His younger self asks him what he meant by "doing comedy seriously" since people just want his goofy side. The current Takaba states that that isn't what's important and has nothing to do with the audience. His younger version then asks if doing comedy seriously is fun, and why he is a comedian. Takaba reveals that he became a comedian because he wanted people to know him. He then wonders why he dismissed Kenjaku for not laughing at his joke and realizes that his colleague's advice about not needing to make everyone laugh was not telling him to give up. However, in order to protect himself, he chose to interpret it that way. In doing so, he stopped taking comedy seriously because he was afraid of getting hurt.

Back to the present, Kenjaku approaches a prostrating Takaba. Kenjaku thinks about how perfect the form is, and how he himself could not achieve such a level until his late twenties. He then stops himself upon realizing that something is wrong with his thoughts. Takaba then profusely apologizes as he exposes his insecurities, which led to him discounting Kenjaku to protect himself. However, he then announces his newfound resolve to make everyone in the audience laugh, and tells Kenjaku to prepare to laugh his guts out. Kenjaku questions Takaba's ability to do that, but his excitement is written on his face, literally.

Character in Order of Appearances

 * Fumihiko Takaba
 * Kenjaku

Battles & Events

 * Fumihiko Takaba vs. Kenjaku

Locations

 * Tantan University (Flashback)
 * Lake Gosho Colony, Iwate Prefecture

Jujutsu
Fumihiko Takaba's Techniques
 * Comedian

Kenjaku's Techniques
 * Cursed Spirit Manipulation