This is pretty big news guys. For a long time, here at the Masked Medic, we have been doing three types of review. We’ve had the comic books, which is where we started. Then we added TV shows, which has been a little slow, but fun to do. Then we finally added films, and those have slowly become our most popular features. But today, we add a new type of review; I’m of course talking about Anime. And what better anime to start with than Jujutsu Kaisen!
‘Jujutsu Kaisen’ Season 1 introduces us to Yuji Itadori, a young man who after losing his grandfather, develops a sense of justice, and the desire to keep people safe from dying. It helps that he’s gifted with a superhuman level of speed and strength. That very much comes in handy when he swallows a ‘cursed object’; A finger of Ryomen Sakuna, aka the King of Curses. This allows Sakuna to occupy his body. Although Yuji is able to maintain control, he is told that ultimately he will need to be executed to stop Sakuna from wreaking havoc upon the world. He’s given a choice, either meet his fate now, or stay the executioners hand a while, so that he can swallow more of Sakuna’s fingers and learn to be a jujutsu sorcerer in the meantime. The answer is obvious, and so under the tutelage of the slightly wacky, but insanely powerful Satoru Gojo, Yuji joins Megumi Fushiguro and Nobara Kugisaki as a first year at Jujutsu High, a special school for sorcerers. Despite having little training, or awareness of this world, Yuji initially learns quickly how to use his skills to exorcise demons. He quickly acquires friends and acquaintances that respect his abilities. However, at the same time as the appearance of the first finger of Sakuna, more and more powerful curses are appearing across Tokyo and its surrounding areas. Some of these curses have even formed an alliance and before they know it, Yuji and his friends are drawn into fights well above their ability level. Can these three band together, and learn how to advance to the next level? And just who is helping these curses cause a problem for Jujutsu High?
I really didn’t know what to expect when my sister first recommended this show to me. I had grown up watching Japanese cartoons and I loved the way they created these very intricate stories with such fascinating characters. This first season of ‘Jujutsu Kaisen’ is no different. Yuji is such an optimist, and that makes him the perfect central character. In a world where negative emotions create these disfigured and creepy curses, Yuji’s moral compass is refreshing. That is coupled with the friendship he has with Megumi and Nobara, whose reasons for being jujutsu sorcerers are similar to his own, thus creating this iconic trio. But the show doesn’t stop there. Each of the characters we are introduced to are both interesting and multilayered. The second years at Jujutsu High, Maki, Panda and Inumaki are in themselves are pretty awesome trio, but their interactions with the first years at times cracked me up. And these guys are just the students at Tokyo’s branch of Jujutsu High. When we meet the students at the sister school in Kyoto, the excitement just intensifies. I could speak about all of them in detail, but I have to mention Aoi Todo, one of the third year Kyoto students. Not only is he crazy powerful but one of the funniest characters I’ve seen in a show for a long time. And then we have the icon that is Satoru Gojo. The guy has become notorious, and it’s obvious why. He’s funny, stylish and extremely cocky, but that’s why he’s my favourite. He’s probably your favourite too. Season 1 of Jujutsu Kaisen, very quickly introduces us to the world that these characters exist in. There is certainly a little bit of intrigue, but slowly concepts are explained as the season progresses. It’s a balance ultimately, some people prefer everything explained upfront, whereas others may enjoy the mystery and excitement of what is about to unfold. I’d say I’m more of the former, but that’s just my need for control showing, ha!
Look, like I said, I’ve never really had any experience of watching a proper anime show ever. I wasn’t one of those kids that was obsessed with Dragonball Z so Jujutsu Kaisen is really my first foray into this vast expanse. I loved it. As I’ve got older, I’ve started to really dislike watching horror films, and believe me, there are certainly moments in this first season that are terrifying, but I couldn’t look away. The story hooks you from the first moment, and every episode builds tension like I’ve never known. If I had to criticise I’d argue that the last three episodes belonged earlier in the season, because there are a few episodes in the second half which all scored 9’s or 10’s for me on IMDB. Overall though, this was an amazing show to get into, I’m so excited for what the next season holds, and maybe I’ll even start reading the manga at some point!
Rating:
Story: ★★★★
Character Development: ★★★★
Animation and Visual Style: ★★★★
World Building: ★★★½
Enjoyability: ★★★★