Even though it feels like it just started yesterday, Jujutsu Kaisen To be is nearing the end. In fact, the manga will probably be over by the time you read this if you wait until September 2024. It’s without a doubt one of the most incredible shonen manga in a long time. But I still feel like the best parts and emotional arcs of Jujutsu Kaisen is the opening, which includes parts like Cursed Child, Fearsome Womb, and Vs. Mahito, which is the part that started it all..
Looking back, the beginning of Jujutsu Kaisen felt very different from the rest of the series. It started off in an almost horrifying way at first. Yuji Itadori’s weakness to the curses he suddenly discovered was fascinating. Plus, the gore felt very unexpected and completely at odds with other similar shonen series that were airing at the time.
While elements of this introduction continue throughout the rest of the series, such as the bloody action, things eventually change. Gege Akutami pursues such a different atmosphere from the Kyoto Arc forward. Jujutsu Kaisen. Perhaps the best example of this is the more personal and focused nature of the early parts of the series. It’s not all about destroying entire cities and unlocking new powers.
Instead, the beginning of Jujutsu Kaisen starting with the Cursed Child arc is simply about surviving the painful quests against the curse. The main characters, especially Yuji, get some real character development due to their new circumstances. My personal favorite part of the entire series happens in the Vs. Mahito arc. That’s when the real villain makes his first appearance. The initial impression is incredible, and only builds from there.
Mahito’s terrifying, out-of-control nature is on full display here in a way that’s even more harrowing than his later appearances in the series. He’s like one of the most terrifying anime villains in a long time. We see a man willing to slaughter anyone and anything in his path. Worse yet, he feels unstoppable at this point.
To make it even better, my favorite character in the series, Junpei, gets his moment here. Junpei is one of the most complex characters in the Jujutsu Kaisen. His relationship with Yuji still brings out the strongest emotions for the main character, even as we near the end. This is where Yuji is pushed to his limits and develops as a character in a much more natural way.
This isn’t to say that there’s no development for Yuji later on. In fact, quite the opposite. My only problem with Jujutsu Kaisen sometimes the character development and deaths that Akutami uses seem too forced or just for shock value. Don’t get me wrong, I love the onslaught of twists and turns.
But I also like the focused nature of these early arcs. The twists in the beginning Jujutsu Kaisen fewer and farther apart. This allows them enough space to be noticed and developed. As such, they remain, in my opinion, the most effective surprises and tragic character deaths.
This idea extends to Jujutsu Kaisen 0 as well. Yuta and Rika’s story is a heartbreaking one that has the same level of focus and emotional resonance as the earlier parts of the main series. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy it. Jujutsu Kaisen. Actually, the opposite. It took time but I really enjoyed this series.
Jujutsu Kaisen is the best series in the new generation of shonen manga. It took me a while to realize that the core of the series is the constant bombastic and shocking battles. Once I accepted this, I found this series to have the best action among other similar series.
In fact, Jujutsu Kaisen is one of the few shonen manga series that has a more mature, gory feel to it that doesn’t fall apart in the second half. I find this to be a big problem with other similar series like Attack on Titan and Chainsaw Man that I almost completely lost.
Honestly, I wasn’t looking forward to the end. Jujutsu Kaisen because I enjoyed it overall. I still prefer the early parts of the manga. This is where Yuji Itadori captivated me as the most compelling shounen protagonist in a long time. He’s not your typical savior of the world or guy who rises from nowhere.
Instead, almost everyone hates him and wants him dead. This only makes me root for him more in the earlier stories. As we near the end Jujutsu Kaisen manga, I can’t help but look back fondly on this time. Ultimately, for me, it’s still the best part of the series.
The Jujutsu Kaisen manga available to read Viz Media And Manga More. The anime adaptation is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.
