Welcome everyone to another week of Jujutsu Kaisen! The film has had a difficult few weeks, walking the line between ambition and failure, while the animators behind the scenes were one step away from revolting. And wouldn’t you know that? Finally something had to give. Without further ado, let’s dive into the episode!
To start, despite the introduction, this episode actually seemed better than I expected. Hearing about the delays on streaming services, the dissatisfaction behind the scenes, I thought this was going to be a mess. Instead of? It was just… a mess. While it’s clearly unfinished business and there are a lot of short cuts to be made, I don’t think the average viewer will be able to tell what’s wrong. That’s no excuse, but it shows how Jujutsu Kaisen even with a troubled production can still succeed. Whether that will last or not, there are still 5 episodes left, is another matter. But at least for now, it’s not blowing up as much as I thought it would.
And besides, not everything is bad. It is this episode that proves that smart direction can save even the most troubled products. Of course I’m talking about the highlight of the episode, Nanami! Honestly this bit was inspired. Cut between the Malaysian beach and the subway, placing him in the exact same pose in both photos, only his clothes and combat damage are different. The way the music cuts out at the end when he agonizes over whether or not to place a curse, the “You are next” torch is often passed down in Shounen anime, on Itadori. It was a really touching and emotional way to open the episode. I know Jujutsu Kaisen wouldn’t kill Nanami or Maki in such a carefree way with Jogo. And I’m glad I was right, because this is much better.
As for who did the killing, Mahito is finally back, and God, he’s such a jerk. I mean, in a good way there’s nothing complicated here just that Mahito is a terrible person. Just like not every villain is brain-dead evil, not every villain needs a “tragic motive” or anything. It’s all about finding one that fits your story. And in a story about curses, the embodiment of negative human emotions like fear, it makes sense to have a little of both. Rambling aside, I really liked how much and specifically Mahito taunted them. Taking advantage of their insecurities, partly to cause them pain because he is sadistic but also because it causes them to mentally break down is a perfectly reasonable strategy against someone as volatile as Itadori.
Speaking of Itadori, he wasn’t in a good mood right away. Wondering if maybe those sorcerers were right, maybe he should have been executed, maybe that was the safest option for all involved. And based on what he just saw? Destruction, thousands of lives lost, Shibuya razed? Yes, it makes sense. But of course at that time he couldn’t do that. That would not be a “proper” death. And what about the people he saved here? Or those who believe in him? He’s basically trying to find a way to move forward after all of this and I appreciate that. It was a powerful scene, one that would stick with him for a long time and allow Itadori to grow in every way. Hell, even in this episode we saw him reigning in his emotions, just like Nanami. Good stuff Jujutsu Kaisen. Content or.
So overall, this was a stronger episode than expected, at least in terms of production, which still doesn’t suggest anything good is coming. There are a few other things, like the battle with Mahito or his encounter with Nobara, but neither of those things are worth talking about. One is a decent fight, clearly a step back from the last few episodes while the other is clearly the subject, at least in part, of the next episode. Narratively speaking, I think Jujutsu Kaisen is in a solid place. That’s not really a debate worth getting into if you ask me, it’s going to take a long time to resolve the issue from here. In that sense, Shibuya has always been solid. Not groundbreaking, but solid. The only thing in the air is production. So, for the sake of Jujutsu Kaisen fans, I hope MAPPA is a success. They won’t, but I hope they will.