This review contains some Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 spoilers
“No one knows the taste of cursed spirits.
It’s like swallowing a cloth that has wiped vomit.”
Anybody who loves Gege Akutami’s dark-fantasy Jujutsu Kaisen, would’ve felt betrayed when season 1 of the anime adaptation ended mid-way through the story. Regardless of whether you’ve been reading the manga or not, I am sure we all wanted more episodes out of it! And then there was the long excruciating wait for Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2, which once the show started airing, wiped out all the pining and then left us with more devastation.
Read: Jujutsu Kaisen Season 1 Review: Enter the Dark World of Curses with Yuji
Because Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 is bigger, bloodier, diabolical, and keeps the death toll rolling like an apocalypse was around the corner. However, things begin slowly, in-fact, episode one titled “Hidden Inventory” starts with flashbacks, as Suguru Geto recalls his time as a young Jujutsu sorcerer, who was once a dear friend of Satoru Gojo. It’s a fantastic horror-laden arc where sorceresses Utahime and Mei Mei investigate a haunted mansion, only to find themselves trapped in an endless maze. The animation was a little rusty in parts, perhaps a deliberate attempt to add a nostalgic touch to the scenes since the events are taking place in the past.
Even though the haunted house begins to feel like the focal point of the story, the primary motive of episode one is to establish the rocky friendship between Suguru Geto and protagonist Satoru Gojo. They are peers who often clash in their opinions and are tasked with protecting a “star plasma vessel” meant for Master Tengen. The future of the entire Jujutsu sorcerer society rests on their new mission. The next few chapters of Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 then heighten the action and show what happens with the vessel.
In-case you watch (or have already watched) ‘Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2’ and don’t get the plasma vessel concept, here’s a quick explanation: Master Tengen’s cursed technique makes him immortal; however, the body continues to wither to a point that could trigger a complete evolution of his being, leading to unpredictable changes, which could lead to a lot of destruction. Nobody knows what he could metamorphose into. To prevent a complete alteration in personality, Master Tengen can merge into someone else’s body – which is called the”Star Plasma Vessel” – and the merging will lead to the total preservation of his current being.
Anyway, the Hidden Inventory Arc is only exposition; the real action begins at the end of Episode 7 of Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2, which shifts full attention to the ‘Shibuya Arc’ of the manga. It’s October 31, in the year 2018, and a mysterious dark curtain cast over Shibuya traps Halloween revelers within it. While the ordinary humans have no idea what’s happening, a whisper/rumor spreads through the crowd that only one person can save them – Satoru Gojo. A whole bunch of Jujutsu sorcerers, including Yuji, Megumi, and Kugisaki, arrive on the scene to solve the problem, walking into a trap set by the villains.
The unprecedented attack is masterminded by Kenjaku, the ancient evil sorcerer residing in Geto’s body, so he is simply referred to as ‘Pseudo-Geto’ by the fandom. Kenjaku, of course, is aided by Mahito and other cursed spirits and curse users, and their primary goal is to seal Satoru Gojo, since they all know defeating him is next to impossible. The balance of the entire Jujutsu world is threatened by their actions. The rest of Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 is packed with one battle after another, excellent animation, and pacy music, as Jujutsu sorcerers work on rescuing all the trapped civilians in Shibuya while also engaging in high-stakes, blood-laden battles with the cursed spirits and curse users.
For those who haven’t read the manga, “The Shibuya Incident” offers lots of strategic talk. It explains in detail, through flashbacks, what Pseudo-Geto has in mind with his elaborate Shibuya curtain to trap Gojo. Timestamps appear throughout the runtime of the next few episodes, adding a sense of urgency and impending doom to the proceedings.
Even though you can occasionally see the animators simplifying certain scenes and cutting back on detail, Studio MAPPA consistently delivers striking animation where it matters most, giving viewers expertly choreographed battles between sorcerers and curse users. The subtle nuances in the characters’ facial expressions are skillfully portrayed, with Yuji’s reactions providing delightful comic relief. I also love how casual and laid-back the antagonists remain even in the most dire circumstances, and the interactions between Mahito and Jogo are hilarious in some of the earlier episodes. At one point, the two even make a ridiculous bet to decide what they should do with Yuji Itadori.
Writing too much about the season would tread into spoiler territory, so I’ll wrap things up by saying that the Shibuya Arc is brutal when it comes to violence and filled with colorful, entertaining characters. Both Yuji and Megumi grow by leaps and bounds, emotionally as well as in terms of their physical powers. And, of course, there are plenty of twists to keep viewers hooked, including a wicked little pact between Yuji and Sukuna, the nefariously unpredictable sorcerer who lives within him.
Things steadily keep getting darker, crazier, bloodier, and scarier especially when Sukuna awakens for a bit and makes even some of the most powerful characters shake in fear. Shibuya smells of fire, vengeance, and death by the last few chapters. Episode 23, the finale of Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 unfolds like a filler between this season and the next, and doesn’t change the fact that the Shibuya Arc was monumental in terms of scale, action, and fights. To ensure fans don’t feel too underwhelmed, the creators cleverly close the curtains with an exciting/confusing/dramatic scene featuring Yuji. “There you go, there’s your favorite character, now goodbye, sayonara, until next time,” the creators seem to be telling fans at the end.
For anyone who enjoyed Season 1, there’s absolutely no reason to skip this.
Watch Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 on Netflix or Crunchyroll.
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