Jujutsu Kaisen is making interesting narrative decisions, so far they are working. 

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I was wondering how Jujutsu Kaisen would hold up as the season progressed. So far it has stayed fresh in terms of how the story is told and keeping things interesting. Of course the main premise of the show is fighting, more specifically fighting curses. It’s not going to ask interesting moral questions, and even if it does they will only be a placeholder reason for the curses to try and rise up (as they are currently attempting by Episode 7). It looks like there are going to be lots of characters in this show, it will not be content with a few characters that we follow around. It has the appearance of becoming an expansive character universe. 

In some regards I treat it along the same vein as Demon Slayer. The difference being Tanjiro makes for a curious protagonist with an interesting dilemma to overcome where he feels obligated to save his sister from the demon curse put on her, who faces both internal organizational conflict and external conflict. Tanjiro faces danger not for himself but for his family, namely his sister. 

There is a bit of a similarity when looking at Jujutsu Kaisen’s Itadori Yuji. Yuji does actively eat a demon finger to save his friends from his school. He has the hallmarks of bravery but comes across mostly as a naive idiot. If Yuji had the time to properly consider things he might not have made the decision that he had to consume the finger. But impulsive teenage boys will be impulsive teenage boys. Perhaps Yuji was feeling the emotional pressure of his grandfather’s dying wish when he made the choice initially. This choice was tested by the principal of the jujutsu sorcerer school, and Yuji was found worthy of admittance after finding his reason that made sense for him to become a jujutsu sorcerer. Needing a reason for existing beyond his grandfather’s last wishes makes sense, because if there is no reason the show would feel pretty emotionally hollow and devoid of purpose. 

A character chasing their own destiny for their own reasons makes for a more interesting character. 

Like Tanjiro, Yuji has both pressure from his own organization that promises his death after they collect all of Sukuna’s fingers. He also faces threats from the curses who are external to his predicament within the jujutsu sorcerers organization. Yuji’s existence is a threat to the world, as he is housing an extremely powerful demon inside him. There-in lies the difference between Tanjiro and Yuji. Tanjiro himself isn’t a threat to the world, but his sister is. Yuji is actually capable of doing great evil and even being fully consumed by Sukuna at any point of time. It makes the scenario very likely that Yuji is a ticking time-bomb. One day he might go off and things will never be the same again. 

Right now I am enjoying Jujutsu Kaisen. We are still learning about the world, its rules and how things operate. Yuji for the moment seems to have made a pact with Sukuna that gives us some sense of things being under control. The conditions are very vague however. I wonder how Sukuna will use that pact in the future, and if it will prove to be detrimental or beneficial. 

There is a lot at play, and we don’t know enough. Yuji isn’t strong enough to be a factor yet. 

Do you agree? What are your thoughts? I want to know!

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