Courtesy of MAPPA.

Gojo vs. Toji. Sukuna vs. Jogo. Itadori and Todo vs. Mahito.

MAPPA studio animated three of the most iconic manga panels for “Jujutsu Kaisen” season 2, with the dubbed finale airing Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024 to conclude the 23-episode installment. The main premise of the show surrounds negative energy emitted by human emotions, which spawns cursed spirits and demons. Those spirits get opposed by enhancers and controllers of cursed energy, jujutsu sorcerers.

The new artstyle brings lighter colors and smoother animation, overall improving on the previous visuals. Some fans were disappointed with how the anime deviated from the manga by changing the angle of Satoru Gojo’s realization of reverse cursed technique (essentially a healing method), but the heavenly yellow light highlighting his insane-looking face captures the significance of the moment. While producing a worse still-image, it works well in the context of the scene by placing the emphasis on Gojo’s face.. The other panels were also controversial among the fanbase, but most of the issues taken were nitpicked; the exact angle or lighting of the action shot may not have been perfect, but did a stellar job for the scene. Sukuna and Itadori’s main fight shots were nearly identical to the manga and were brilliantly animated. 

The first five episodes cover the “Hidden Inventory” arc, which takes place a decade before the current events. The placement of this is odd, as the “Jujutsu Kaisen” movie comes out before it, but requires the context of Suguru Geto’s reason for betraying Gojo to understand. However, the arc displays Geto’s descent into madness well; his eyes are drawn tired and his gaze dull after the lost fight to Toji Zen’in. The arc’s themes of changing of times and betrayal fit with the later episodes’ grim nature, as they provide the last truly upbeat moments in the anime.

The next 18 episodes highlight the devastating “Shibuya Incident” arc. This section of the season sports constant battle with many consequences. The cursed spirits, led by the body of Geto being controlled by an unknown entity, attempt a plan using the regular citizens in Shibuya to trap Gojo. When Gojo encounters him, all those past feelings of their bond and friendship surface in his mind, catching him off guard and ultimately leading him to get sealed off. The scene is heartbreaking because Gojo knows it isn’t Geto’s soul controlling the body, but the controller mocks him nonetheless. The scene brilliantly captures the emotion on Gojo’s face and Geto’s cold, calculated voice further emphasizes his stoic nature.

Yuji Itadori’s deterioration of his ideals through the gruesome fights brings even more heartbreak. When some of his closest friends perish, he lets go of the thoughts that he holds this moral high ground over his villains, ultimately realizing he kills his enemies’ comrades as they do his. This leads to the “I am you” scene where the silence is loud throughout, with Itadori’s calm but fierce voice filling the void alongside Mahito’s wretched cries for help. The scene displays how both sides commit atrocities throughout the battle and, while it doesn’t imply there’s no wrong side (the curses are certainly the monsters and instigators), the battles take toles on the sorcerers’ mental states leading them to almost forget themselves. The snowy imagery that contrasts with the reality of the sunken, barren city works well to reinforce the negative atmosphere. 

“Jujutsu Kaisen” season 2 deserves a 9.7 out of 10 for its stellar animation, heartbreaking consequences and theatrical scenery, culminating in a fast-paced sequel that intensifies the plot from season 1 greatly. While the most iconic moments from the manga weren’t adapted perfectly, the diversity of the loaded cast has fans attached to each character and makes their subsequent deaths hit even harder. Ultimately, one of the fastest-paced arcs receives the iconic adaptation it deserves.