Warning! Contains reveal for Jujutsu Kaisen #224!
The epic final battle between joyous And tribe IN Jujutsu Kaisen is revolutionary in a wonderful way. This is hardly surprising given how groundbreaking Gege Akutami’s strength and fighting choreography has been in the series so far, but with this Gojo vs Sukuna battle, he’s added a refreshing twist to the typical climactic Shonen fight.
While Gojo may have fired the first devastating blow of battle, chapter #224 of Jujutsu Kaisen, translated by John Wery, shows his battle with the Cursed King beginning in earnest. The two have a near wordless fight as they crash through buildings and unleash powerful attacks. Although there were no quips, both warriors were smiling throughout the battle, clearly enjoying their last chance to fight someone at their power level. The chapter ends with an interesting exchange between the two as they emerge from the rubble of buildings their war has destroyed. Gojo casually tells Sukuna that he is blaming him for the destruction and the Cursed King that no one will believe him.
Gojo and Sukuna are having fun in the climactic battle of Jujutsu Kaisen
The fun tone and dynamics between these two fighters are unmatched in other Shonen series. When the fate of the world and the lives of millions of people are in jeopardy, typical Shonen heroes often can’t afford to trade sarcasm with the villain on their own. Naruto is a prime example of this. Although he may have used the silly attack “Sexy no Jutsu” during his battle with Kaguya, the tone of that battle was extremely serious in stark contrast to Naruto’s typical personality. More recently, My Hero Academia has handled its final war arc with a surprising amount of gravity, even if it does feature a scene in which Lemillion gazes at the Shigaraki moon as a distraction. These examples show the general nature of Shonen’s major confrontations, generally serious but capable of interspersed with humorous moments. Jujutsu Kaisen fully supports that.
While Gojo and Sukuna’s battle has a betting feel similar to a more classic final battle, it’s fun to read because of how fun the participants are. This makes Gojo and Sukuna’s silly trade seem natural despite the epic act just before. This tone also fits Gojo and Sukuna’s personalities. The two were never really pushed to their limits once they reached their full power, which gave them a carefree attitude. But now faced with someone who could actually kill them, they can fully enjoy the fight and the sense of danger that comes with it. To some extent, they may be interested in the greater good of the battle, but their main focus at the moment is to enjoy this one-of-a-kind fight.
More Shonen manga need to experiment with melodies like Jujutsu Kaisen
Of course, Jujutsu Kaisen didn’t invent the wheel. Goku is the first iconic Shonen protagonist to have fun in his battles, despite the entire universe at stake. However, the modern series has taken a more serious approach to the plot of the final battle. Gojo and Sukuna’s fight then could be a blast into the genre’s past, as their freewheeling joy is irresistible and easily contagious. This fight shows that more Shonen series should experiment with tone in their battles. Hope, joyous And tribefight in Jujutsu Kaisen will inspire other Shonen manga to further innovate on the ultimate battle formula.
Jujutsu Kaisen Chapter 224 available to read from Viz Media.