Combining grisly horror elements with an endearing cast of characters and MAPPA's trademark slick action sequences, Jujutsu Kaisen hits almost every target it aims for. It's no secret that the show is among 2020's most acclaimed breakout series.
Fans are waiting with bated breath for each new episode, and for good reason: The stakes are high, the designs are stellar, and the plot is deliciously unpredictable. But for all the anime's strengths, it falls prey to its fair share of shōnen genre pitfalls. Halfway through the series, it's time to weigh its pros and cons.
10 Did Right: The Main Trio Has Fantastic Chemistry
Yuuji is a likable lead, motivated by guilt and existential dread as much as by saving others. Because Yuuji is curiously unaffected by the horrors surrounding and even possessing him, Megumi's taciturn personality and traumatizing experiences with Jujutsu provide a grounding contrast. But the real magic happens when viewers meet Nobara in Episode Three, "Girl of Steel."
Determined to escape the countryside and make her own life in Tokyo, Nobara treats sorcery as only one facet of her identity. Whether they're bickering about where to eat dinner or relying on each other in dire situations, these three have what it takes to carry a series forward.
9 Got Wrong: The Trio is Broken Too Soon
Unfortunately, the moment fans get attached to this group, the story ruthlessly splits them apart. Worse than that, two characters soon believe the third is dead, and so far have been allowed to think that ever since. This needless wrench thrown in the works of promising character dynamics is frustrating, and viewers can't help but wonder why the gang hasn't gotten back together.
8 Did Right: The Series Pays Faithful Homage to Shintoism
Some of the most evocative moments in the series pay tribute to ancient traditions unique to Japan. In Episode 2, "For Myself," Yuuji uses chopsticks to pick his grandfather's bones from his cremated ashes as part of a Shinto mourning ritual. Several of the Cursed Spirits take on the form of fabled yokai from Shinto lore.
The central antagonist, Ryoumen Sukuna, is inspired by a two-faced yokai said to have lived in the area of Japan previously known as Hida Province. As in series such as Natsume Yujinchou and Noragami, the reverence for Japanese folklore is obvious and appreciated, and contrasts well with the modern setting the series primarily depicts.
7 Got Wrong: The Show is Weighed Down by "Chosen One" Tropes
There's a fine line between paying homage and falling into the realm of cliche. While Yuuji is a relatable lead, he is also described as a unique "vessel" who comes along only once in a thousand years. Surrounding characters remark that few people could house Sukuna, and on his deathbed, Yuuji's grandfather comes very close to revealing some great secret about Yuuji's heritage.
These are tropes shonen viewers have seen a million times, and they don't do much to service the story. Yuuji is a compelling character on his own merit. Being born "special" detracts from his intrigue.
6 Did Right: Several Adult Characters Are a Delight
From the get-go, the internet fell hard for Jujutsu Tech's lead exorcist Gojo Satoru, in part because of sharp character design, but mostly because he's a classic charismatic oddball with hidden depths. The best shōnen anime realize the value of solid supporting characters.
And while Gojo falls comfortably into the role of the resident charmer, the true MVP in the mentor department is Kento Nanami. Nanami is a unique subversion of the salaryman type, blunt and jaded but still sentimental. More than any other character, Nanami encapsulates what the show's really about: No one knows what a good death is, but a good life is all about making choices.
5 Got Wrong: Some Villains and Their Motives Feel Generic
Jujutsu Kaisen has a villain problem. Did anyone watch the battle with Jogo and feel remotely concerned about the welfare of Gojo? Have any of the monsters so far, apart from Sukuna himself, been truly galling?
While most of the show's character designs are refreshing, there's something uninspired about Mahito's pale hair, crop top, and stitches. Similar designs for sociopaths can be seen in everything from Black Butler to Tokyo Ghoul. And though Mahito has become a truly loathsome villain in recent episodes, his central motivations still feel muddled, and he belongs to an equally uninspired nefarious villain club led by Getou Suguru.
4 Did Right: The Main Stakes Are Incredibly High
From episode one, it's apparent that Jujutsu Kaisen doesn't pull any punches. Immediately Yuuji is on the execution block and his grandfather is dead. By the fifth episode, two of Megumi's familiars have been ruthlessly killed, and Yuuji has been dismembered and had his heart torn out to boot.
By the tenth episode, it's clear we can expect from this series the same ruthless character deaths we've seen in brutal series like Shingeki no Kyojin and Puella Magi Madoka Magica. Each time a protagonist battles a villain, the audience experiences genuine fear that the good guys will lose. It's riveting television, and it only works because even secondary characters like Nanami and Junpei are compelling.
3 Got Wrong: The Subplots So Far Feel Pointless
Because the main story is so breathless and dark, the subplots and comedic elements fall flat. So far it's not entirely apparent why viewers should care about an upcoming competition against a rival Jujutsu school in Kyoto.
The forthcoming intramural competition feels like the show's strange attempt to join the ranks of dozens of other shōnen series that rely on tournament arcs to maintain story momentum. Better use of these characters would mean incorporating them into the main story rather than relegating them to unrelated antics elsewhere. Viewers want development, not a distraction.
2 Did Right: The Female Characters Introduced So Far Have Great Potential
So far in Jujutsu Kaisen, we've met four female characters: Nobara, the twin sisters Mai and Maki, and Junpei's mother. Nobara's grumpy attitude is unconventional, and Mai defies her family's expectations, choosing to be an exorcist despite her lack of natural ability.
Junpei's mother is more open-minded than many matronly characters in the genre, openly telling her son to choose what he wants to do with his life, even if that means quitting school. Overall, there's a lot of promise in these characters.
1 Got Wrong: The Female Characters Are Given Much Less Screen Time
There are dozens of shōnen guilty of this, such as Bleach, but there are prime examples of series that fare better. My Hero Academia and Fullmetal Alchemist give female characters their own arcs and rarely rely on fan service alone. It is disappointing to see Mai, Maki, and especially Nobara relegated to subplots and jokes that don't land.
It's worth noticing that in two action sequences Nobara has taken part in it, she has needed rescuing by her male counterparts. And Junpei's mother? Almost immediately after her introduction, she came to a gruesome end for the sole purpose of moving her son's story along. With half of the series left to air, there's still time to make improvements, luckily.