A REVIEW: JUJUTSU KAISEN

By Crystal Chu

MANGA BACKGROUND INFORMATION (ANIME ADAPTATION)

Jujutsu Kaisen is a critically acclaimed manga written and illustrated by Gege Akutami. The series started as a mini-series for Jump GIGA from April to July 2017. After the miniseries, Akutami released the first chapter for the main series in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump in March 2018. As of now, it has accumulated more than 154 chapters and sixteen full volumes. Additionally, the manga has been adapted into an award-winning, “fanfavourite” anime and various light novels.

MANGA CHAPTER 1 SYNOPSIS (ANIME ADAPTATION: SEASON 1, EPISODE 1)

The story follows Itadori Yuji, a high school student. In the first chapter, Itadori Yuji is introduced as a member of the Occult club. He decides to join the club because the activities gave him free time to visit his dying grandfather. Although Itadori is a part of the Occult club, he is more recognized among his teachers and peers for his talented martial arts and superior physical abilities. One day, a teacher challenges Itadori to a shotput contest in hopes of persuading Itadori to join a sports team. After Itadori beats the teacher, he goes to the hospital to visit his grandfather. Itadori’s grandfather attempts to share information about his parents, however, Itadori tells his grandfather that he has no interest in learning about his lineage.

In his grandfather’s final moments, he warns Itadori to not become like him and instead, to “die with people around him” and to always “help others” . After his grandfather’s passing, Itadori stated that his grandfather had a “proper death” . Immediately after signing the final papers for his grandfather, Megumi Fushiguro, a Jujutsu sorcerer, approaches Itadori Yuji about a Curse Object from his high school. Itadori notifies Megumi that the object is in possession of his senpais/seniors from the Occult club, and that they intend to unravel the object that night. Megumi explains the severity of obtaining a Cursed Object and swiftly attempts to save Itadori’s senpais/friends. Itadori faces his own fear and death by arriving at the high school, fighting the curses, and trying to save his friends. Amid the fight, to resist and g being eaten by a cu ains cursed powers rse, Itadori eats to save himself the and cursed his sen objectーa fin pais/friends. gerー From this incident, Itadori begins his journey in the Jujutsu world full of exorcism, friendship, personal growth, and death.

MANGA CHAPTER 1 TO 63 REVIEW (ANIME ADAPTATION: SEASON 1, FULL SEASON)

SPOILERS ALERT

Unlike many Shounen manga, Jujutsu Kaisen does not shy away from exploring different concepts of death and what truly attributes to a so-called “proper death”. I argue Gege Akutami explores different philosophies and experiences of death through his characters, Itadori Yuji, Megumi Fushiguro, and Junpei.

Itadori Yuji’s personal experience and changes in his perception of death makes him a very compelling protagonist. Initially, in accordance with popular belief Itadori believes that a “proper death” is when an individual passes away after a long life. This is demonstrated when Itadori states that his grandfather had a “proper death” and how Itadori showed signs of happiness and a sense of loving sadness after his passing. At first, I found that the scene in the manga was rather anticlimactic due to the immediacy of his friends’ situation and Itadori’s lack of sadness, but now, I think it shows his sense of acceptance and character. In addition, his grandfather’s last advice, “die surrounded by a crowd” and “just help people whenever you can'' seemed to have a strong impact on Itadori’s future decisions and mindset. In the end of the first chapter, Itadori combines himself with the one of the Cursed Objects of Ryomen Sukuna, the King of Curses and Cursed Objects, to save his friends. His newly gained curse introduces us to Gojo Satoru, the most powerful Jujutsu Sorcerer, who gives Itadori the options to either be executed or delay the execution by agreeing to eating all the Cursed Objects. Itadori agrees to obtain all the cursed objects and delay his execution. In both scenarios, Itadori will be executed. With this set-up, Gege Akutami challenges the notion of a “proper death” by removing his autonomy to achieve a long-life and truly stepping up to his grandfather’s last words about helping others.

When Itadori meets the Principle of the Jujutsu Highschool (Magic College), he is once again faced with the philosophy of death. The principal questions Itadori’s motivation to join the sorcery school. Itadori replies that his grandfather’s last words were to “help everyone” . The principal denies his entry due to his lack of personal conviction and his reliance on other people’s motivations. He further states that “all shaman users die with regret” . After Itadori was pummeled by the principal's cursed dolls, Itadori reveals that he knows that since he is the only one that can eat the Cursed Objects, he must step up to help others, otherwise he will always regret not taking this step during his death.

As a foil to Itadori, Megumi Fushiguro believes that only the good and kind deserve to be saved from death. This is evident when the 1st year trio, Itadori, Nobaru and Megumi search for people in a reform center. Megumi and Itadori find the dead remnants of a reform center member. The reform center member kills a primary school girl while driving without a proper license on his way home. Megumi believes that the reformer’s corpse was undeserving of attention and should remain untouched while Itadori believes that everyone should receive saving, advocating to return the reformer’s corpse to his family. I feel that Gege Akutami is posing interesting ethical question about our own legal system and the ethnics behind a death penalty. Should we save people who have done many wrongs? This is further explored when Megumi asks Itadori: “What would you do if those people you saved kill other people in the future” . In response, Itadori asks why Megumi decided to save him when he is possessed by a curse that could potentially kill many people in the future.