Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Jujutsu Kaisen #221 Supreme Sorcerer Satoru Gojo has returned Jujutsu Kaisen and it’s not too soon because it seems that no one else has the ability to take down Kenjaku-Sukuna in parallel. It was a risky battle even for someone as skilled and experienced as Gojo. At least that’s what fans of the English original have come to believe.
On the last page of Gege Akutami’s Jujutsu Kaisen #221, Sukuna challenges Gojo to a duel. As the strongest wizard in the world right now, it was a challenge he quickly accepted. While he certainly contemplated that this might happen one day, many things have changed since he was imprisoned in the Prison Kingdom, most notably Sukuna’s transfer to the Prison Kingdom. changed bodies and is currently occupying Megumi’s body. After learning about Sukuna’s changing circumstances, someone asked Gojo, “did you lose?” Gojo’s answer in the original English translation was simple but confident, “No”. However, according to many bilingual fans, Gojo’s answer to the question should be translated as “No, I’ll win.” This distinction is important because “No, I will win” was the exact answer Gojo gave when asked the same question many chapters ago.
Jujutsu Kaisen’s translation missed Gojo’s big callback
This isn’t the first time that fans have noticed inconsistent translations, however, the power of the outcry this time around was strong enough and fierce enough to force Viz Media, the US distributor of the Shonen Jump manga, to correct it. formula changed the translation to, “Nah, I will win.” A bit shocked that their outrage can actually change the story, fans took to Twitter to voice their joy.
While the difference may not seem like a big deal to most casual readers, simple sentences like these are often the key to understanding what’s going on in any given scene. For Jujutsu Kaisen fans, the mistranslation represents an inconsistency, most obviously it doesn’t show Gojo’s arrogance.
Perhaps most importantly, as observant fans have pointed out, it removes the possibility of linking back to an earlier conversation in Chapter 3, where Yuji asked Gojo if he could defeat Sukuna, who had fully regain his strength or not. Gojo replied, “No, I will win” just like he answered in Chapter 221. As any Jujutsu Kaisen knows, Akutami is famous for complicated references that almost all of which have a significant number if hidden. However, if the original English translation is preserved, whatever Akutami wants fans to think about Sukuna challenging him, will be ignored.
In addition to the book benefits of correcting faulty translations, there’s also the fact that by acting with one voice, the Jujutsu Kaisen fanbase was able to make changes that would enhance the quality of the manga. . This shows that fans have the power to influence their favorite titles and heroes. It was such a magical move that even Jujutsu Kaisen joyous would appreciate.
Jujutsu Kaisen #221 is now available on Viz Media.