Jujutsu Kaisen

Prepare to enter a world where the line between the ordinary and extraordinary is blurred, high school clubs involve cursed objects, and your average student could be a vessel for a legendary curse. Welcome to the wild ride of Jujutsu Kaisen, an anime that redefines "extracurricular activities."

Itadori Yuji was a typical high schooler who spent his days in the hospital with his bedridden grandfather or at school with friends from the Occult Club. His world is turned upside down after he unknowingly encounters a cursed item and accidentally becomes a target of the curses invisible to the human eye.

Eventually, he finds himself in a death situation and is forced to eat said item, which ends up being the finger of the king of the curses—Sukuna Ryoumen. Yuji gained new powers and the ability to see curses by consuming his finger, but he also became a vessel for the King of Curses. After surviving such an event, Yuji has to leave his old life and join Tokyo Metropolitan Jujutsu Technical High School to become a Jujutsu Sorcerer.

Jujutsu Kaisen is an anime from the fall of 2020 and currently contains two seasons and a movie named Jujutsu Kaisen 0, which serves as a series prequel—the second season just started airing on July 6th with several episodes having aired. Studio MAPPA, known for many great series such as Attack on Titan Season 4, Chainsaw Man, Dororo, and many others, also works on this show.

Jujutsu Kaisen is an adaptation of the manga of the same name from 2018, which achieved insane success as the best-selling manga of 2021 and 2022, beating series such as One Piece, Demon Slayer, Kingdom, etc. The manga is also a part of the “Dark Trio,” alongside Chainsaw Man and Hell’s Paradise, symbolizing the start of the shounen world's new, much darker era.

At first glance, Jujutsu Kiasen seems like your typical shounen, with extraordinary powers, intense fights, characters with one personality trait, and a simple and predictable story. At the very beginning, lack of originality was the main criticism of the show. Some people go as far as to call it a copy of Naruto, with the main argument being the demon inside the protagonist, a two-boys-one-girl trio, and an incredible white-haired teacher with unique eyes.

However, this cannot be further from the truth. While it’s true that these two shows have similarities on the surface, the approach that Gege Akutami, the mangaka of Jujutsu Kiasen, took is wildly different not only from Kishimoto’s but from many others.

The story of Jujutsu Kaisen, as simple as it seems, contains several layers you must go through to understand the subtext and meanings of each character’s decisions. The plot, supposedly about a boy becoming a sorcerer, is far more complex and will leave the audience thinking about it.

Its complexity lies primarily in the number of topics being explored simultaneously. The story depicts the most profound emotions a human can feel and tries to answer some of the most challenging life questions while criticizing the system that rules the Jujutsu world.

The depth the story can reach with its emotional impact is insane. It makes sense, given that every character is an active participant and all of them are trying to resolve the conflict surrounding them. The author wasn’t afraid to make hard choices and make his characters suffer, which is why not many sappy moments come off as plot armor. Therefore, the impact of the characters’ decisions is more significant than in any similar show.

The critique of the Jujutsu world is shown through many characters and situations and can be seen as a direct parallel to the real world’s socio-political phenomena. The themes being discussed are the power that the upper classes hold, the power of money, unethical ways of dealing with problems for the “greater good,” and many more.

The Zenin clan is one of the most significant examples from the show, as it exemplifies the previously mentioned themes and others, such as the role of women. They are a perfect representation of leaders in the real world who can control events with money and influence. But the parallels with the real world do not end there. The entirety of Yuji's trial and Gojo's position in Jujutsu society demonstrate the sickening mentality of those at the top who do not choose weapons when pursuing their goals.

However, as severe and dark as it can be, Jujutsu Kaisen isn’t necessarily just suffering. This show perfectly balances serious and comical moments and manages to be relatable. The comedy is placed well and doesn’t take away from emotional moments. The humor is also done well and can make you laugh out loud.

A great story could never work without a good cast of characters, so it’s no surprise that Jujutsu Kaisen has one of modern Shounen's most excellent main casts.

These characters are so exciting and beloved because of their well-developed personalities. Most of the time, when making their characters, authors give them one personality trait, and it usually doesn’t work because characters like these aren’t relatable or exciting to watch. This is not a problem for Jujutsu Kaisen. Every character, primary or secondary, is a fully developed person that gives the show value.

The protagonist, Yuji, is generally just a nice guy everyone wants to befriend. He resembles regular real-life people who want to help and hang out with friends. He is a simple boy who wants to help, enjoys movies and hanging out with friends, has the type of girls he prefers, and so on. He also fully understands his responsibility as a vessel and as a sorcerer. He has a simple dream and lives an honorable life to fulfill it.

Watching him face obstacles with dignity and fight to save as many people as possible is gratifying. His relationship with others makes him a full character; without them, he wouldn’t be as we know him now.

One of the characters that fulfills Itadori is Fushiguro Megumi, who may seem like a basic emo deuteragonist but is much more than that. As reserved as he is, Megumi is a good person who respects his colleagues and friends and cares deeply for them.

He is presented as an apathetic person who isn’t interested in others; however, as the show progresses, it becomes clear that this is not true. What makes Megumi awesome is his relationship with others. Firstly, his relationship with Itadori, whom he trusts the most, Then there is Gojo, whom Megumi usually insults but also respects and sees as a father figure. There is also his dedication to saving his sister and the respect he holds for people like Maki, Noritoshi, and, of course, Nobara.

One of the main reasons for Jujutsu Kaisen’s great success is that it has one of the best-written female casts in Shounen anime. Women in Shounen are not exactly the greatest and, most of the time, are victims of one personality trait curse: they only care about their love interest. Jujutsu Kaisen breaks from this with characters like Maki and Mai Zenin and the main female character, Kugisaki Nobara.

Nobara is an ordinary girl with superpowers. She enjoys shopping and make-up, has crushes, has strong opinions, is concerned about her friends, and fights for her dreams. She is a perfect example of a female character being both feminine and powerful, which is not that common in Shounen. She can be loud, act stupid with Itadori, and still be strong. The author didn’t limit her to one thing but let her be a person with flaws and dreams, making her one of the most beloved women in Shounen.

And, of course, every battle shounen needs an excellent teacher to adopt his students. In this case, it’s Satoru Gojo, the strongest sorcerer. Gojo is presented as a self-centered man who respects no one and does what he wants, which is not entirely true. He may come off as arrogant, but he is just aware of himself.

As a product of the society that treated him like a God because of his powers, Gojo acts like one, but only to those that made him who he is. He usually annoys his students and friends, but he also deeply cares about them and is willing to fight the whole world for them. The pressure on him as the strongest is wild, but he deals with it best and ensures his students don’t suffer the same.

Regarding the technical aspects of Jujutsu Kaisen, there is nothing to complain about. When MAPPA works on something, it’s set to be excellent, and Jujutsu Kaisen is no exception. The animation, especially in fights, is beautiful, and the choreography is clean. The music matches the atmosphere, and the acting voice fits the characters well.

Jujutsu Kaisen's first season beautifully initiates a captivating story accessible to all. The story benefits from its complex characters, such as the resolute Yuji Itadori and the stoic but troubled Megumi Fushiguro. Exceptional animation captures breathtaking fights between sorcerers and evil spirits, while the elaborate design mirrors the intricate world of curses and sorcery.

The plot balances action, intrigue, and emotion, keeping viewers engrossed as secrets unravel. Exploring themes like friendship, sacrifice, and moral ambiguity, it transcends typical shonen anime, challenging notions of heroism. With developed characters, stunning visuals, and an enthralling story, Jujutsu Kaisen's debut season captivates a broad audience, making it a must-watch for fans of action, mystery, or emotional storytelling.