Jujutsu Kaisen Zero | Review

Since Jujutsu Kaisen (JJK) ended in March of 2021, the community has been craving more of its thrilling action. The film is based on the one volume prequel of JJK, and the movie rendition of it has filled the voids left open by the manga being made before the development of its main series. The movie is undoubtedly worthy of the hype surrounding it. The major pros come back in full force but it also leads to it retaining the same problems as season one.

The film follows Yuta Okkotsu who is mentioned multiple times later on by Gojo as one of his three most powerful students. Yuta is cursed by his childhood friend Rita. Rita violently protects Yuta causing him to fear others around and and locking himself away from others. Yuta’s story of overcoming his own trauma and the curse that binds him all culminates into a heartwarming finale.

Other characters from the main series such as Maki Zen’in get further development as well. There is substantial backstory for the villain Geto and it’s always good to see more Todo and Gojo.

The animation in this arc is, as expected, extraordinary. The fights are the main focus and get huge movie level sakuga. Nanami’s black flash record is brilliantly shown here alongside other moments of pure hype. Most of the fights here still aren’t able to match up to the near unbeatable fights in the main series. The great animation isn’t only used in fights though. Slower scenes are still crafted with care and show what a JJK movie should look like.

Complimenting every part of this is another aspect that JJK has never let down on, the music. Each part of the OST accentuates the emotion of the scene and the opening sequence will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the best.

One thing the film easily surpasses the original season with is the emotional moments. Connecting with the characters and their struggles seem much more feasible and causes much greater immersion. The less extreme personality of the main character, great music choice, and fluid animation make even the slow scenes feel meaningful.

Despite the emotional moments being better executed, JJK0 does still struggle with fully making you connect with the characters. The hype and battle oriented nature of JJK as a whole make it great, but comes with the consequence of dragging down the beginning act, feeling sluggish.

One last point to mention is the theatrical release of the film. Since JJK thrives so heavily on the quality of its music and visuals, seeing the film in theaters pushes it to the next level. The sakuga is more vivid than ever and the sound effects feel visceral. The fanfare also makes it enjoyable to see scenes that were previously just mentioned, finally get animated and hearing the theater gasp when they notice the connections.

Jujutsu Kaisen is a near perfect example of battle Shounen. This film brings back everything great about the series’ primer. For those interested in a deep and emotional story, JJK shouldn’t be on your radar. For those who just want an enjoyable experience with great characters and amazing fights, this movie is a must watch. Jujutsu Kaisen 0 has risen up to the peak of Shounen anime films alongside the recently released Demon Slayer Mugen Train and Bungo Stray Dogs: Dead Apple.