Who is Okkotsu? What was The Night Parade of 100 Demons? And just who is Gojo’s best friend?
A few questions raised throughout the first season of JUJUTSU KAISEN which took the anime scene by storm in late 2020. While Studio MAPPA jump between 100 different projects, they looked at the story Gege Akutami had built and thought “Hey. Could we maybe animate the prequel as a movie?” and lo and behold.
THEY CAN.
Preceding the hijinks of the First Years we followed in Itadori, Nobara and Fushiguro, we get to see what happened for Maki, Panda, Toge and the mysterious Okkotsu (Megumi Ogata). Their mystery so renowned from all their mentions in the series, that they’re the lead for the movie! But also because it’s how the original story, Tokyo Metropolitan Curse Technical School, was written before it became the Jujutsu Kaisen you know and love.
Ol’ mate Okkotsu discovers he’s been cursed! By his childhood friend and crush Rika (Kana Hanazawa). She’s now a big-ass monster who basically protects him. Or overprotects him depending on how you look at it. After grading him, the Elders decide he basically shouldn’t exist! But everyone’s favourite ‘Daddy Sensei’, Gojo Satoru, says “HAHAHA I CAN SORT HIM OUT!”. And that’s how Okkotsu ends up at Jujutsu High.
A fun story which offers as many answers as it does questions, Jujutsu Kaisen:0 is a brilliant addition to the overall story. Including some additional scenes which didn’t appear in the original manga, it helps further bind the connective tissue of the world. This being a necessity as the show prepares to return in 2023 with a massive arc which has A LOT to cover.
The story is as wild as its counterpart, as it builds on lore, how curses work and asks the audience “what is the worst way to create one”. And its action is equally as competent! While not reaching the heights of say, Itadori and Todo versus Hanami or Gojo versus Jogo. It’s clean and allows supporting characters to get more time to showcase just WHY they are our Second Years come Jujutsu Kaisen Season 1.
If your excitement for more JJK has been building, then 0 will fill that space.
Stunning animation, a wonderful cast and soundtrack enter it as a great addition to the world of Jujutsu Kaisen, and I cannot wait for 2023 where its story will continue. Anyway, this tweet encapsulates the best way to review this film:
A great intro for Okkotsu Yuta and his cursed pal Rika, it's fun to just see MORE of that world get animated. MAPPA continue to make strides with the work they produce, and it's the fans who benefit from it.
Now let's all agree to give them the year before...THE SHIBUYA ARC.
