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‘Jujutsu Kaisen 0:’ A Powerful Prequel and a Successful Starting Point

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As one of the best-selling manga series of all time, “Jujutsu Kaisen” was already blessed with a brilliant animation series that became widely popular in Japan and around the world. With such popularity and praise, its prequel movie “Jujutsu Kaisen 0” did not disappoint and has lived up to the show’s hype. Originally released on Dec. 24, 2021 in Japan, the movie came to American theaters on Mar. 18, 2022, receiving high praise for its fight sequences and character development.

In the world of “Jujutsu Kaisen,” all living beings emanate a type of “Cursed Energy,” which, if left uncontrolled, gives birth to gruesome monsters called “Curses.” To protect ordinary humans from these harmful spiritual beings, people who can control their Cursed Energy (“Jujutsu Sorcerers”) fight against Curses using unique “Cursed Techniques.” 

Photo provided by Emre @zekesyeet/Twitter

The story of “Jujutsu Kaisen 0” occurs one year before the events of the main series. Yuta Okkotsu (Megumi Ogata) is a seemingly weak but normal high school student, except for the fact that he hosts the Cursed Spirit of his childhood friend Rika Orimoto (Kana Hanazawa) who died six years ago. He is convinced by powerful sorcerer Satoru Gojo (Yuichi Nakamura) to enroll at Tokyo Jujutsu Technical High so that he could learn to control his Cursed Energy. Along with his classmates Maki Zenin (Mikako Komatsu), Toge Inumaki (Koki Uchiyama) and Panda (Tomokazu Seki), Okkotsu trains to become a Jujutsu Sorcerer to break Orimoto’s curse. Okkotsu’s possession of such a powerful special-grade cursed spirit attracts the attention of Suguru Geto (Takahiro Sakurai), who attempts to steal Orimoto for himself. 

The plot is nothing revolutionary, but that is no reason to call “Jujutsu Kaisen 0” a bad or mediocre movie. It’s a simple story of a young man’s journey learning to control his powers with the help of his friends, rediscovering himself in the process. It might seem like a typical “shonen” story, but it’s only a popular trope because of how well it works. The humor may seem slightly slapstick at times, and Okkotsu’s sudden proclamation of his love for Orimoto may be so embarrassing to watch that it’s funny. Nonetheless, the film does an amazing job of constructing a narrative that serves as a prequel but also a stand-alone story. 

Photo provided by Emre @zekesyeet/Twitter

All characters, both new and recurring, were able to grow throughout the film. Unlike the hot-headed protagonist of the main series, Okkotsu is introduced as a weak, bullied teenager who battles severe survivor’s guilt and depression. He’s been living in the shadows of Orimoto’s death, unable to escape or forgive himself for what happened. After becoming a Jujutsu Sorcerer and fighting alongside his classmates, he becomes more confident in his abilities and the future ahead of him. The fan-favorite Gojo also becomes more fleshed out by introducing his past friendship with Geto, leading viewers to wonder what happened that led to their current relationship as enemies. Even with the limited time being dedicated mainly to fleshing out Okkotsu and Orimoto’s relationship, the other students all get their time to shine as well. 

Although “Jujutsu Kaisen” was already praised for its action sequences done by animation studio MAPPA, the film took fight choreography to the next level. Because all characters use different Cursed Techniques, the action is always exciting and unique. A fight scene involving a ferocious-looking giant panda or a harmless-looking boy defeating a Curse with a single word could never be boring. The film’s main highlight was without a doubt Okkotsu’s fight against Geto. If there’s anything MAPPA knows how to do, it’s creating a fluid, vivid, visually stunning fight scene, and “Okkotsu versus Geto” was exactly that. It’s a satisfying climax that deserves all its praise. 

Photo provided by Emre @zekesyeet/Twitter

The cast of “Jujutsu Kaisen 0” is made up of well-known names, and their performances do not disappoint in the slightest. Okkotsu bears some similarities in personality to Shinji Ikari from “Neon Genesis Evangelion,” who Ogata also voices. For both characters, Ogata portrays their conflicted nature and initial weakness well with her nuanced understanding of their personalities and backstories. Hanazawa, known for her performances as young girls with cute voices, diverges from her usual roles by voicing Orimoto; in voicing a Curse, Hanazawa successfully showcased a wide spectrum of intense emotions, sometimes transitioning from anger to fear within seconds. Nakamura’s performance as Gojo was already proven to be spectacular in the main series, and he surely does not disappoint in “Jujutsu Kaisen 0,” bringing Gojo’s character to life in both comedic and serious scenes. 

Serving as both an excellent introduction to the world of “Jujutsu Kaisen,” as well as a prequel that effectively adds to the main story, “Jujutsu Kaisen 0” is a brilliant work that blends action, fantasy, horror and emotion, creating a must-see for both fans and newcomers. 

Grace Tu is an Entertainment Staff Writer. She can be reached at tug2@uci.edu.