Summary
Images in some scenes of Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 caused controversy among fans due to the use of vignetting, a technique that reduces brightness, but these scenes have since been changed. Blurring is a technique used to prevent viewers from having seizures, and it became mandatory for the anime industry due to safety regulations following the “Porygon incident” in the Pokémon anime. The dimming was more common in the Shibuya Incident Arc and was a source of frustration for fans, but it was necessary for the safety of viewers, especially children.
Jujutsu KaisenThe show’s second season elevated the show to unprecedented heights and solidified the show as a top shounen anime, but the visuals in some scenes caused controversy among fans. However, not many of them know that the reason why some scenes in Jujutsu Kaisen were changed actually originates from the first seasons of Pokémon.
Although season 2 of Jujutsu Kaisen received praise, there was still criticism regarding the visuals in certain scenes. Commonly known as dimming, some scenes appear darker than necessary. This often happens during fight scenes or in brighter and more colorful situations. For many fans, this ruined the flow of the show and people took to social media to express their concerns.
Blurring has been used as an animation technique for a long time. While it may not be visually appealing, it is mainly used for the safety of viewers, especially children who may be watching the anime.
The Porygon incident changed the animation industry forever
Blurring was more prevalent during the Shibuya Incident, starting with the fight between Mechamaru and Mahito. However, fans are increasingly disappointed in the battle between Itadori and the locust curse. This is where blurring becomes controversial, but it’s not MAPPA’s fault as they were required by law to use the technique after an incident involving Pokémon. On December 17, 1997, the 38th episode of Pokémon season 1 caused approximately 600 Japanese children to be hospitalized after suffering seizures due to the bright and repetitive visual effects. A large-scale investigation was conducted and Bandai Namco’s shares were heavily affected by the incident.
The episode titled “Porygon Electric Soldier” was quickly aired and the anime had to take a four-month hiatus. This incident became famous around the world as “Pokémon shock” and even the Simpsons family mentioned it. Since then, strict regulations have been put in place to prevent such incidents from happening again. One of these rules is the use of blurring and ghosting, which is a blurring effect that helps prevent seizures. These rules apply to some of the best fights in anime, like Naruto & Sasuke vs Momoshiki and Midoriya vs Overhaul, and Jujutsu Kaisen is no exception to this rule.
For an in-depth explanation of the Porygon incident, see the Wikipedia page.
Even though fans are going crazy about it, season 2 of Jujutsu Kaisen has had many controversies. Employee working conditions have been a major source of criticism of MAPPA. While there are plenty of fans who may complain about it, reducing the fights is in the interest of children at risk of epilepsy. Studios in Japan are required to do this, and untarnished versions of the anime can be easily obtained with Blu-ray releases. Therefore, reducing brightness is a necessity for the safety of viewers and Jujutsu Kaisen remains an incredible anime, with season 2 elevating it even further, despite its many controversies.
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Jujutsu Kaisen
Release date: 2020-10-03
Cast: Yuichi Nakamura, Junya Enoki, Yuma Uchida, Asami Seto, Kaiji Tang, Adam McArthur, Robbie Daymond, Anne Yatco
Category: Action, Animation, Supernatural
Rating: TV-MA
Seasons: 2
Writer: Hiroshi Seko
Streaming services: Crunchyroll
Franchise(s): Jujutsu Kaisen
Director: Sunghoo Park, Shota Goshozono