So, I finally finished both seasons of Jujutsu Kaisen, and I have a lot of thoughts. This isn't a formal review or anything, just me dumping my opinions on the show because I need to talk about it. I’m going to be yapping the entire time, so feel free to ignore this! (Also, I'm not the best of giving reviews on stuff like this, so don't be mad at my silly lil opinions. :,D)
(WARNING: I will literally be talking about the entire anime, the amount of spoilers in here isn’t funny. So if you plan on watching the show, do not read this!)
(TW: violence & gore, cursing, and death. JJK has a lot of dark themes involved in it, so if you feel uncomfortable reading about that stuff please take note of this!)
Season 1
Episodes 1-5: Introduction & Yuji’s Fate
Spoiler
The first few episodes do a solid job setting up the world. We meet Yuji Itadori, who’s just a regular guy until he swallows Sukuna’s finger. Pretty standard shonen setup, but what immediately stood out to me was how brutal the series was willing to be from the start. Yuji’s execution being decided immediately made it clear that this wasn’t going to be a typical “power-of-friendship” anime.
Gojo’s introduction was great. He’s insanely overpowered, but his laid-back personality makes him fun to watch. His fight against Sukuna in Episode 2 really set the tone for what was to come and the animation was already insane this early on.
Then we meet Megumi and Nobara, completing the "first-year trio." I liked their dynamic at the start, though I feel like Nobara didn’t get enough moments to really stand out early on. Her personality was great, though, and I appreciated that she was just as confident as the guys.
Gojo’s introduction was great. He’s insanely overpowered, but his laid-back personality makes him fun to watch. His fight against Sukuna in Episode 2 really set the tone for what was to come and the animation was already insane this early on.
Then we meet Megumi and Nobara, completing the "first-year trio." I liked their dynamic at the start, though I feel like Nobara didn’t get enough moments to really stand out early on. Her personality was great, though, and I appreciated that she was just as confident as the guys.
Episodes 6-13: Junpei & Yuji’s First Big Loss
Spoiler
The Junpei arc was where the show really hit hard. We see Yuji forming his first real bond outside of the sorcerer world, only for Mahito to completely destroy it. Mahito manipulating Junpei, convincing him that his only option was revenge, and then turning him into a transfigured human was heartbreaking.
What made this worse was how powerless Yuji felt. His reaction, begging Sukuna to save Junpei, was such a gut-punch. I think this really showed him that no matter how strong he is, there are things he can’t fix sadly. And Mahito? He was just laughing at the whole thing. It cemented him as one of the most hateable (by my standard) villains in the series.
The fight between Yuji and Mahito was great, especially when Nanami showed up. Nanami’s character was a breath of fresh air; he’s strong, but he’s also practical. He’s not in this for honor or duty; it’s just a job to him. But even he started to care about Yuji, which made their partnership really enjoyable to watch.
I am still upset at the way Junpei’s Arc ended. He shouldn’t have died, he should’ve joined Jujutsu High. I was especially gutted because he can be seen at the end of Kaikai Kitan the JJK opening, with everyone else at the picnic and I was looking forward to his redemption arc. I get he’s a tragic character and the tone of the season changed after the Mahito fight, but man did I want him to join the crew.
What made this worse was how powerless Yuji felt. His reaction, begging Sukuna to save Junpei, was such a gut-punch. I think this really showed him that no matter how strong he is, there are things he can’t fix sadly. And Mahito? He was just laughing at the whole thing. It cemented him as one of the most hateable (by my standard) villains in the series.
The fight between Yuji and Mahito was great, especially when Nanami showed up. Nanami’s character was a breath of fresh air; he’s strong, but he’s also practical. He’s not in this for honor or duty; it’s just a job to him. But even he started to care about Yuji, which made their partnership really enjoyable to watch.
I am still upset at the way Junpei’s Arc ended. He shouldn’t have died, he should’ve joined Jujutsu High. I was especially gutted because he can be seen at the end of Kaikai Kitan the JJK opening, with everyone else at the picnic and I was looking forward to his redemption arc. I get he’s a tragic character and the tone of the season changed after the Mahito fight, but man did I want him to join the crew.
Episodes 14-24: Kyoto Event & Death Painting Arc (End of season 1)
Spoiler
This arc had some of the best fights of Season 1. The Kyoto students attacking Megumi and Nobara on sight was messed up, but It introduced some interesting new characters (like Todo), and I actually hated him at first. The whole “What’s your type?” thing was so dumb, and his obsession with Yuji felt forced. But then their fight against Hanami happened, and suddenly I got why people liked him. His mentorship was actually solid. The way he helped Yuji unlock Black Flash was a highlight of the season.
Then, just when the event had started to settle, everything spiraled out of control. Hanami’s ambush changed the whole tone of the arc. Suddenly, the Kyoto students weren’t so tough anymore, and it was nice seeing them struggle for once. The fight choreography during this portion was insane, Gojo’s arrival alone was chef’s kiss levels of perfection. But, at the same time, it felt a little predictable. At this point, we already know Gojo is ridiculously overpowered, so the second he showed up, the fight was over. The stakes just vanished.
Then there’s the Death Painting Arc, which I feel doesn’t get enough love. It was much darker and more emotionally charged, especially with how much focus it gave to Yuji, Megumi, and Nobara as a team. This arc made me appreciate Megumi a little bit more then I do, especially when he finally let loose and showed what he was truly capable of. That fight was raw, and seeing his potential was incredible. Then there’s Nobara and Yuji vs. the Death Painting brothers, which is still one of my favorite fights in the series! (Mainly because Nobara is a complete badass and stole the spotlight. That was satisfying.)
I felt really bad for Yuji though, having to kill another human is just pure agony. I can't imagine what was going through his head at the time. The show doesn’t let him just brush it off, either, it lingers. The horror in his eyes, the way he reacts to what he’s done, how he and Nobara just sit there in silence afterward... It's genuinely sad.
Going past that, at times it felt a little too fast-paced. It almost felt like the show was rushing to get to the next big moment rather than letting things breathe. Still, this was the arc that really solidified Yuji, Nobara, and Megumi as a unit, and for that alone, it deserves praise.
This mini-arc introduced Choso’s brothers, but to be honest, I didn’t care much about them. The best part was seeing Megumi finally push himself in a fight. His use of Domain Expansion was a major turning point, but again, he barely wins his fights, he just survives.
Yuji vs. Eso and Kechizu was good, but it didn’t have the same impact as the Junpei or Kyoto arcs. It felt more like a setup for Choso’s character in Season 2
Then, just when the event had started to settle, everything spiraled out of control. Hanami’s ambush changed the whole tone of the arc. Suddenly, the Kyoto students weren’t so tough anymore, and it was nice seeing them struggle for once. The fight choreography during this portion was insane, Gojo’s arrival alone was chef’s kiss levels of perfection. But, at the same time, it felt a little predictable. At this point, we already know Gojo is ridiculously overpowered, so the second he showed up, the fight was over. The stakes just vanished.
Then there’s the Death Painting Arc, which I feel doesn’t get enough love. It was much darker and more emotionally charged, especially with how much focus it gave to Yuji, Megumi, and Nobara as a team. This arc made me appreciate Megumi a little bit more then I do, especially when he finally let loose and showed what he was truly capable of. That fight was raw, and seeing his potential was incredible. Then there’s Nobara and Yuji vs. the Death Painting brothers, which is still one of my favorite fights in the series! (Mainly because Nobara is a complete badass and stole the spotlight. That was satisfying.)
I felt really bad for Yuji though, having to kill another human is just pure agony. I can't imagine what was going through his head at the time. The show doesn’t let him just brush it off, either, it lingers. The horror in his eyes, the way he reacts to what he’s done, how he and Nobara just sit there in silence afterward... It's genuinely sad.
Going past that, at times it felt a little too fast-paced. It almost felt like the show was rushing to get to the next big moment rather than letting things breathe. Still, this was the arc that really solidified Yuji, Nobara, and Megumi as a unit, and for that alone, it deserves praise.
This mini-arc introduced Choso’s brothers, but to be honest, I didn’t care much about them. The best part was seeing Megumi finally push himself in a fight. His use of Domain Expansion was a major turning point, but again, he barely wins his fights, he just survives.
Yuji vs. Eso and Kechizu was good, but it didn’t have the same impact as the Junpei or Kyoto arcs. It felt more like a setup for Choso’s character in Season 2
Season 2
Episodes 1-5 Hidden Inventory (Gojo’s Past)
Spoiler
Season 2 immediately shifts gears with Gojo’s backstory, and this is where I started to really love Geto’s character. Before this, I didn’t care much about him, he just seemed like another “weirdly polite villain” type. But Hidden Inventory completely changed that.
Seeing young Gojo and Geto was a completely different experience than I expected. Gojo wasn’t always untouchable; he struggled, made mistakes, and even nearly died.
Watching Geto’s slow descent into villainy was one of the best parts of the series. His ideology didn’t just change overnight, you could see exactly why he turned on Jujutsu society, and honestly? I don’t blame him. The way the higher-ups treated sorcerers, especially people like Riko Amanai, was disgusting.
Gojo, on the other hand, was the opposite. He went from being just a cocky prodigy to a walking god. The way he unlocked his Limitless technique and annihilated Toji showed just how broken he is. But even with all his power, he still lost his best friend.
The final moment between Gojo and Geto in JJK 0 now hits so much harder after seeing their past. Gojo’s “At least curse me a little at the end” line? Was absolutely devastating. (I swear on everyone's soul but mine, I didn't cry.)[/i
Seeing young Gojo and Geto was a completely different experience than I expected. Gojo wasn’t always untouchable; he struggled, made mistakes, and even nearly died.
Watching Geto’s slow descent into villainy was one of the best parts of the series. His ideology didn’t just change overnight, you could see exactly why he turned on Jujutsu society, and honestly? I don’t blame him. The way the higher-ups treated sorcerers, especially people like Riko Amanai, was disgusting.
Gojo, on the other hand, was the opposite. He went from being just a cocky prodigy to a walking god. The way he unlocked his Limitless technique and annihilated Toji showed just how broken he is. But even with all his power, he still lost his best friend.
The final moment between Gojo and Geto in JJK 0 now hits so much harder after seeing their past. Gojo’s “At least curse me a little at the end” line? Was absolutely devastating. (I swear on everyone's soul but mine, I didn't cry.)[/i
Episodes 6-23: Shibuya Incident Arc
Spoiler
If Hidden Inventory was emotional, [i]Shibuya was just pure chaos.
The arc started strong with Gojo’s arrival, and for a moment, I thought he was gonna solo everyone. The way he handled Jogo, Choso, and Hanami was insane- he literally wasn’t even trying.
Then, he gets sealed.
Right before he’s trapped, Gojo looks at Geto’s body and realizes something was off. That’s when it’s revealed that Geto isn’t actually Geto. He’s Kenjaku, an ancient sorcerer who has been body-hopping for centuries by literally taking over people’s brains. And yeah, it’s as disgusting as it sounds.
Right before Gojo disappears, he says: “But it’s time for you to wake up already. How long will you keep letting it have its way with you, Suguru?” And for a split second, Geto’s body reacts. Kenjaku’s own arm literally tries to choke himself, like something inside of Geto was resisting. But that’s it. They literally don't go into any more detail, which I'm still mad about.
After that Gojo is officially in the prison realm. At this point, I could tell things were about to spiral, and the arc’s biggest missed opportunity became clear.
The arc started strong with Gojo’s arrival, and for a moment, I thought he was gonna solo everyone. The way he handled Jogo, Choso, and Hanami was insane- he literally wasn’t even trying.
Then, he gets sealed.
Right before he’s trapped, Gojo looks at Geto’s body and realizes something was off. That’s when it’s revealed that Geto isn’t actually Geto. He’s Kenjaku, an ancient sorcerer who has been body-hopping for centuries by literally taking over people’s brains. And yeah, it’s as disgusting as it sounds.
Right before Gojo disappears, he says: “But it’s time for you to wake up already. How long will you keep letting it have its way with you, Suguru?” And for a split second, Geto’s body reacts. Kenjaku’s own arm literally tries to choke himself, like something inside of Geto was resisting. But that’s it. They literally don't go into any more detail, which I'm still mad about.
After that Gojo is officially in the prison realm. At this point, I could tell things were about to spiral, and the arc’s biggest missed opportunity became clear.
(I’m just going to pinpoint some of the biggest events because going into too much detail is frustrating, and I’d have to rewatch all the episodes. :sighs:)
Megumi vs. Toji (Episode 11) –
Spoiler
Toji coming back just to absolutely solo everyone was unexpected, but I feel like it wasn’t given enough time to breathe.
From the start, Toji was a brutal and nearly unstoppable force, wiping out some of the strongest sorcerers effortlessly. But the fact that he was defeated twice by people connected to Gojo (first Gojo himself, now Megumi) adds so much weight to his downfall.
What makes this fight even more tragic is that Toji, who had abandoned his family name and rejected the Zen’in clan, still instinctively asks Megumi for his last name right before dying. This is the moment he fully realizes who Megumi really is.
Megumi, on the other hand, is completely unaware of who Toji is. He has no idea this is his father, and he just sees him as “another enemy.” There’s no dramatic reveal or emotional connection, just a quick exchange before Toji ends his own life to prevent being controlled again. (Which was a bit disappointing but still understandable.)
I feel like, in any other shonen, this would have been a major, emotional “father-son" type of scene. Instead, it’s one-sided and almost meaningless to Megumi, which somehow makes it even sadder.
From the start, Toji was a brutal and nearly unstoppable force, wiping out some of the strongest sorcerers effortlessly. But the fact that he was defeated twice by people connected to Gojo (first Gojo himself, now Megumi) adds so much weight to his downfall.
What makes this fight even more tragic is that Toji, who had abandoned his family name and rejected the Zen’in clan, still instinctively asks Megumi for his last name right before dying. This is the moment he fully realizes who Megumi really is.
Megumi, on the other hand, is completely unaware of who Toji is. He has no idea this is his father, and he just sees him as “another enemy.” There’s no dramatic reveal or emotional connection, just a quick exchange before Toji ends his own life to prevent being controlled again. (Which was a bit disappointing but still understandable.)
I feel like, in any other shonen, this would have been a major, emotional “father-son" type of scene. Instead, it’s one-sided and almost meaningless to Megumi, which somehow makes it even sadder.
Sukuna’s Massacre (Episodes 12-13) –
Spoiler
Before (Or rather during) Sukuna’s rampage, we had Megumi vs. Toji. After getting absolutely manhandled, Megumi barely made it out alive; he only survived because Toji had a sudden moment of clarity, remembered his son’s name, and took his own life. Right after that, Megumi, already half-dead, tried to make his way to Shoko Ieiri, the doctor, but ran into Haruta Shigemo instead.
This led to another (unfortunate) fight, and since Megumi was in no condition to keep going, he made a desperate (and stupid) move. He summoned Mahoraga, the strongest and most uncontrollable shikigami in the Ten Shadows Technique.
And that’s when everything really went to hell.
Mahoraga wasn’t just a problem for Shigemo; it was about to go on a rampage that could destroy everything. That’s when Sukuna stepped in. Not out of kindness, not to save Megumi; just because he was “interested.” He wanted Megumi alive for reasons that I don’t remember being explained, so decided to handle Mahoraga himself.
And holy sh*t, what a fight.
Sukuna vs. Mahoraga was pure carnage. Sukuna wasn’t just strong; he was playing with Mahoraga, adapting to its ability to evolve mid-fight, and testing just how far it could go. But instead of dragging it out, Sukuna did what Sukuna does best: he ended it in style. He unleashed Malevolent Shrine, his Domain Expansion, and obliterated Mahoraga in one of the most beautifully animated and devastating attacks in the series. And he didn’t stop there; his domain expansion wiped out everything in the area. Civilians, buildings, entire blocks of Shibuya; gone, just like that. (MAPPA went crazy with the animation. The choreography was clean, and the fluidity of some scenes was, [i]chef’s kiss.)[/i]
I genuinely felt bad for Yuji after all this happened, The moment he regained control of his body, he woke up in the middle of a massacre. (one he technically caused.) The blood, the destruction, the people crying out for help; literally broke him. Sukuna had already made it clear before that Yuji was just “a vessel,” but this was different. This wasn’t a battle; this was slaughter, and Yuji had no way to stop it.
Terrifying is all I have to say. Sukuna is not like most anime villains. he doesn’t have some tragic backstory, he doesn’t kill because he has to, and he definitely doesn’t care about redemption. He just kills for fun. The way he wiped out an entire city without a second thought made him feel like an actual “god of destruction.” And for me, that’s a huge deal because, to be honest, I wasn’t expecting much from his character. I assumed it was going to be one of those “the bad guy turns good” situations. But instead, he goes berserk and annihilates half of Shibuya, proving he’s in fact, one of the most powerful cursed spirits. (I'm yapping but omg I think his character deserves an entire page alone.)
After Sukuna’s Massacre Yuji went back into the subway station (If I remember correctly.) and started wandering around completely empty, he was literally going through the worst feelings in the world. That’s when he ran into Nanami.
This led to another (unfortunate) fight, and since Megumi was in no condition to keep going, he made a desperate (and stupid) move. He summoned Mahoraga, the strongest and most uncontrollable shikigami in the Ten Shadows Technique.
And that’s when everything really went to hell.
Mahoraga wasn’t just a problem for Shigemo; it was about to go on a rampage that could destroy everything. That’s when Sukuna stepped in. Not out of kindness, not to save Megumi; just because he was “interested.” He wanted Megumi alive for reasons that I don’t remember being explained, so decided to handle Mahoraga himself.
And holy sh*t, what a fight.
Sukuna vs. Mahoraga was pure carnage. Sukuna wasn’t just strong; he was playing with Mahoraga, adapting to its ability to evolve mid-fight, and testing just how far it could go. But instead of dragging it out, Sukuna did what Sukuna does best: he ended it in style. He unleashed Malevolent Shrine, his Domain Expansion, and obliterated Mahoraga in one of the most beautifully animated and devastating attacks in the series. And he didn’t stop there; his domain expansion wiped out everything in the area. Civilians, buildings, entire blocks of Shibuya; gone, just like that. (MAPPA went crazy with the animation. The choreography was clean, and the fluidity of some scenes was, [i]chef’s kiss.)[/i]
I genuinely felt bad for Yuji after all this happened, The moment he regained control of his body, he woke up in the middle of a massacre. (one he technically caused.) The blood, the destruction, the people crying out for help; literally broke him. Sukuna had already made it clear before that Yuji was just “a vessel,” but this was different. This wasn’t a battle; this was slaughter, and Yuji had no way to stop it.
Terrifying is all I have to say. Sukuna is not like most anime villains. he doesn’t have some tragic backstory, he doesn’t kill because he has to, and he definitely doesn’t care about redemption. He just kills for fun. The way he wiped out an entire city without a second thought made him feel like an actual “god of destruction.” And for me, that’s a huge deal because, to be honest, I wasn’t expecting much from his character. I assumed it was going to be one of those “the bad guy turns good” situations. But instead, he goes berserk and annihilates half of Shibuya, proving he’s in fact, one of the most powerful cursed spirits. (I'm yapping but omg I think his character deserves an entire page alone.)
After Sukuna’s Massacre Yuji went back into the subway station (If I remember correctly.) and started wandering around completely empty, he was literally going through the worst feelings in the world. That’s when he ran into Nanami.
Yuji vs. Mahito (Episodes 14-23ish) – (The fight between Yuji and Mahito goes on for basically the rest of the eps and then leads into the ending, so yes. 14-23. This one is a bit long, but so much stuff happened during this fight I can’t not go into detail.) -
Spoiler
Yuji vs. Mahito is arguably the most personal fight in the entire series. From the start, Mahito has represented everything Yuji hates: cruelty, manipulation, and the idea that life is meaningless. But this fight isn’t just about that. Mahito didn’t just kill Junpei, he toyed with him. And then he did the exact same thing to Nanami.
What made this fight hit even harder is that it’s a direct follow-up to Nanami’s death. Yuji doesn’t even get a second to process what just happened with Sukuna because Mahito kills Nanami right in front of him and immediately throws transfigured humans at Yuji like it’s nothing. And Yuji just snaps. From that moment on, this is where the fight begins.
Compared to their first fight in Season 1, the difference is huge. Back then, Yuji wasn’t strong enough, he needed Nanami to take the lead. But now, there’s no one left to step in. “It’s all on Yuji,” as Nanami said before his death.
And Mahito? He knows he’s in trouble. He keeps evolving mid-fight, (Which is super fucking annoying.) pushing his Idle Transfiguration further than ever, but nothing works. Yuji doesn’t give him time to breathe, and funnily enough for the first time since their fight started, Mahito is scared. He even tries to run, and meets up with his cloned double, which is a part of his “backup plan.”
While Mahito is underground fighting Yuji, his clone is after Nobara. And at first, it seems like it might backfire because Nobara actually lands Resonance directly on his face, that’s when the clone knows he needs to get back to Mahito.
Then, in one of the most heartbreaking moments in the series, Mahito flips the script. His clone makes it down to the subway station with Nobara following behind it. He switches places with his clone, appearing right in front of Nobara before she even realizes what happened, Mahito touches her face.
Now this is where I’m upset, because this should’ve been Yuji’s moment, where he “snaps.” But his rage wasn’t emphasized enough. Nobara’s death was bullshit.
It made sense from a tactical standpoint (Mahito’s backup plan), but it was treated like just another death. I get that Yuji did grieve her during that episode, but I feel like Yuji should have lost control, like- all this major stuff happened to him: Nanami died, Gojo is sealed, Sukuna literally took over and killed so many people, and to top it all off Nobara is dead?? Personally I feel like he should have gone into a blind rage, representing "Sukuna" (his anger) taking over or showing Mahito what it truly means to "be the same." (As Mahito stated.) Instead, his grief felt muted.
After that I basically blanked out most of the fight, because it felt pointless to watch if Mahito was just going to continue to evolve every time Yuji almost killed him.
Some time during the fight Aoi Todo arrives. This moment shifts the fight even further in Yuji’s favor. With Todo’s help (and his technique), Mahito is completely overwhelmed.
(*More fighting, blah, blah, blah. You get the idea.*)
The fight between the three reaches its “climax” when Yuji lands another brutal Black Flash, leaving Mahito in a desperate state. With nowhere left to run, and practically on the verge of death; he tries to escape underground, but it’s too late.
So, so much happened after this fight “ended.”
At this point, everyone is barely holding on. Yuji finally has Mahito cornered, and after everything this guy has done, it should be satisfying to watch him panic. But just as Yuji is about to finish the job, Pseudo-Geto (Kenjaku) shows up and completely ruins everything. And I mean everything.
Instead of some "big, dramatic" final moment for Mahito, Kenjaku just absorbs him like he was nothing. That’s it. The villain who’s been terrorizing Yuji since episode 9 of season 1? Gone in seconds. No redemption, no monologue, no last words, just erased.
And honestly? I think it was kinda perfect. Mahito spent the whole series treating human lives like disposable playthings, and in the end, he got treated the exact same way. (Welcome to your own world I guess..??)
After that a lot of stuff happens, it gets really chaotic, I really don’t see any point in explaining the "ending" because it really wasn’t worth my time. Don’t get me wrong! The “anime” was worth watching, the ending of season two was just kind of shitty.
No one won in the end, the curses are still alive and the sorcerers are still fighting. There’s no real "victory," just more loss, more uncertainty, and the feeling that things are only going to get worse.
Oh, and Yuji is still being hunted down so the can execute him. :sighs:
What made this fight hit even harder is that it’s a direct follow-up to Nanami’s death. Yuji doesn’t even get a second to process what just happened with Sukuna because Mahito kills Nanami right in front of him and immediately throws transfigured humans at Yuji like it’s nothing. And Yuji just snaps. From that moment on, this is where the fight begins.
Compared to their first fight in Season 1, the difference is huge. Back then, Yuji wasn’t strong enough, he needed Nanami to take the lead. But now, there’s no one left to step in. “It’s all on Yuji,” as Nanami said before his death.
And Mahito? He knows he’s in trouble. He keeps evolving mid-fight, (Which is super fucking annoying.) pushing his Idle Transfiguration further than ever, but nothing works. Yuji doesn’t give him time to breathe, and funnily enough for the first time since their fight started, Mahito is scared. He even tries to run, and meets up with his cloned double, which is a part of his “backup plan.”
While Mahito is underground fighting Yuji, his clone is after Nobara. And at first, it seems like it might backfire because Nobara actually lands Resonance directly on his face, that’s when the clone knows he needs to get back to Mahito.
Then, in one of the most heartbreaking moments in the series, Mahito flips the script. His clone makes it down to the subway station with Nobara following behind it. He switches places with his clone, appearing right in front of Nobara before she even realizes what happened, Mahito touches her face.
Now this is where I’m upset, because this should’ve been Yuji’s moment, where he “snaps.” But his rage wasn’t emphasized enough. Nobara’s death was bullshit.
It made sense from a tactical standpoint (Mahito’s backup plan), but it was treated like just another death. I get that Yuji did grieve her during that episode, but I feel like Yuji should have lost control, like- all this major stuff happened to him: Nanami died, Gojo is sealed, Sukuna literally took over and killed so many people, and to top it all off Nobara is dead?? Personally I feel like he should have gone into a blind rage, representing "Sukuna" (his anger) taking over or showing Mahito what it truly means to "be the same." (As Mahito stated.) Instead, his grief felt muted.
After that I basically blanked out most of the fight, because it felt pointless to watch if Mahito was just going to continue to evolve every time Yuji almost killed him.
Some time during the fight Aoi Todo arrives. This moment shifts the fight even further in Yuji’s favor. With Todo’s help (and his technique), Mahito is completely overwhelmed.
(*More fighting, blah, blah, blah. You get the idea.*)
The fight between the three reaches its “climax” when Yuji lands another brutal Black Flash, leaving Mahito in a desperate state. With nowhere left to run, and practically on the verge of death; he tries to escape underground, but it’s too late.
So, so much happened after this fight “ended.”
At this point, everyone is barely holding on. Yuji finally has Mahito cornered, and after everything this guy has done, it should be satisfying to watch him panic. But just as Yuji is about to finish the job, Pseudo-Geto (Kenjaku) shows up and completely ruins everything. And I mean everything.
Instead of some "big, dramatic" final moment for Mahito, Kenjaku just absorbs him like he was nothing. That’s it. The villain who’s been terrorizing Yuji since episode 9 of season 1? Gone in seconds. No redemption, no monologue, no last words, just erased.
And honestly? I think it was kinda perfect. Mahito spent the whole series treating human lives like disposable playthings, and in the end, he got treated the exact same way. (Welcome to your own world I guess..??)
After that a lot of stuff happens, it gets really chaotic, I really don’t see any point in explaining the "ending" because it really wasn’t worth my time. Don’t get me wrong! The “anime” was worth watching, the ending of season two was just kind of shitty.
No one won in the end, the curses are still alive and the sorcerers are still fighting. There’s no real "victory," just more loss, more uncertainty, and the feeling that things are only going to get worse.
Oh, and Yuji is still being hunted down so the can execute him. :sighs:
Final Thoughts
I have a lot to say about this anime, both the good and the frustrating. Would I recommend it to a friend? Absolutely. Would I recommend it to a die-hard anime critic? Probably not.
There’s nothing outright bad about this anime, but a lot of it feels rushed. The highs are incredibly high, the animation, the fights, the emotional gut punches, but at the same time, some moments don’t land as well as they could have. Certain arcs feel like they need just a little more time to breathe, while others race forward at a breakneck pace that makes it hard to fully appreciate the weight of what’s happening.
Especially during the Shibuya Arc, so much was happening. Every episode felt like an action-packed fight scene, one after another, with barely any room to slow down. It was exhausting to watch at times, and the constant string of losses for the MC’s made it even harder. When the bad guys are winning over and over again, it starts to feel overwhelming, like there’s no relief, no hope, just nonstop chaos.
That said, it’s still an amazing anime. The characters, the world-building, the sheer intensity of it all, there’s so much to love about JJK. It’s not perfect, but it doesn’t have to be. That being said, I give JJK a solid 6/10.
(Ps: this is all my opinion, and I’m not an exact fan of action-packed anime. So don’t take anything I said to heart!)
Some extra thoughts/critics of mine:
Spoiler
•(I have to say... after Shibuya, you can really tell Gege was getting tired of the series. Some plot points feel rushed or outright ignored. For example: right after Gojo gets sealed, Kenjaku’s arm tries to choke him. That means Geto is still in there, fighting for control. But this is never explored again. Ever. That was extremely frustrating because Geto’s character was one of the best parts of Hidden Inventory and JJK 0. After seeing how much depth he had, the fact that this moment was completely brushed off is just disappointing.)
• (For a main character, Yuji feels kind of... bland. His biggest strength is his empathy, he doesn’t just want to win fights; he actually cares about people, which makes his suffering even worse. I “liked” his struggles with morality and how he handles loss, but on the same note, it felt like the show didn’t give him enough focus or development compared to other characters. I really expected him to change more after everything he’s been through, but he still kind of feels like the same guy from Season 1.)
• (Here’s where my biggest problem with the show comes in. Megumi is supposed to be one of the three leading side characters (Gojo, Nobara, Megumi), and he has one of the strongest techniques in the series: Ten Shadows. Even Gojo said he had the potential to rival him. But what does he do with that potential? Nothing.
He never even used all ten shikigami, we only saw seven. And every time he tried to push his limits, he either lost or ended up summoning Mahoraga as a last resort. And then when he finally does summon Mahoraga, it’s on one of the weakest characters in JJK instead of someone who actually mattered.
This is why people call him “007”: 0 people saved, 0 promises kept, 7 fights he could have and should have won. For how important he should be, he was a huge letdown.)
• (Call me a "Gojo-glazer" all you want, but I know I’m not alone in saying that JJK’s popularity is carried by Gojo. The Jump popularity polls prove it, 80-90% of the fanbase was here for him. And honestly? I think Gege hated the fact that he created a character who outshined the entire cast, including the protagonist.)
• (What was Choso’s deal?? I still don’t fully understand why he suddenly decided Yuji was his brother. I know it has something to do with Kenjaku and how Yuji was created, but the explanation felt weirdly rushed. It went from “I’m going to kill you” to “I will die for you, brother” way too fast. I might need to rewatch that part to fully understand it, but it didn’t really make sense to me.)
• (For a main character, Yuji feels kind of... bland. His biggest strength is his empathy, he doesn’t just want to win fights; he actually cares about people, which makes his suffering even worse. I “liked” his struggles with morality and how he handles loss, but on the same note, it felt like the show didn’t give him enough focus or development compared to other characters. I really expected him to change more after everything he’s been through, but he still kind of feels like the same guy from Season 1.)
• (Here’s where my biggest problem with the show comes in. Megumi is supposed to be one of the three leading side characters (Gojo, Nobara, Megumi), and he has one of the strongest techniques in the series: Ten Shadows. Even Gojo said he had the potential to rival him. But what does he do with that potential? Nothing.
He never even used all ten shikigami, we only saw seven. And every time he tried to push his limits, he either lost or ended up summoning Mahoraga as a last resort. And then when he finally does summon Mahoraga, it’s on one of the weakest characters in JJK instead of someone who actually mattered.
This is why people call him “007”: 0 people saved, 0 promises kept, 7 fights he could have and should have won. For how important he should be, he was a huge letdown.)
• (Call me a "Gojo-glazer" all you want, but I know I’m not alone in saying that JJK’s popularity is carried by Gojo. The Jump popularity polls prove it, 80-90% of the fanbase was here for him. And honestly? I think Gege hated the fact that he created a character who outshined the entire cast, including the protagonist.)
• (What was Choso’s deal?? I still don’t fully understand why he suddenly decided Yuji was his brother. I know it has something to do with Kenjaku and how Yuji was created, but the explanation felt weirdly rushed. It went from “I’m going to kill you” to “I will die for you, brother” way too fast. I might need to rewatch that part to fully understand it, but it didn’t really make sense to me.)
