Why the Shibuya Arc Blows Away Jujutsu Kaisen

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Summary

  • The Shibuya Incident arc in Jujutsu Kaisen is beloved for high stakes & changing the series’ course.
  • The arc showcases effective villains organizing and defeating sorcerers, altering the status quo.
  • Studio Mappa’s animation in season two elevated the arc, especially in epic fight scenes.

In the saga of Jujutsu Kaisen, a particular arc is often the most cherished among many viewers: the Shibuya Incident arc. This arc epitomizes what makes Jujutsu Kaisen stand out – thrilling battles, heartfelt moments, and above all, what characterizes outstanding narratives: high tension.

Season two of Jujutsu Kaisen was greatly anticipated by fans because it adapted this famous arc. And even after the manga has ended, fans still look back at this portion of the story as the major highlight of the series. Let’s explore why the Shibuya Incident arc is the most beloved and famous storyline in Jujutsu Kaisen. And how season two of the anime, even with its flaws, greatly enhanced the experience of the story.

The Shibuya Incident Arc

The Best of Jujutsu Kaisen

The Shibuya Incident arc tells the story of a massive large-scale confrontation between the Jujutsu High sorcerers and a group of special grade curses led by Kenjaku. A plan orchestrated by the main villain to dismantle the defenses of the Jujutsu High as well as sealing and containing Satoru Gojo to get him out of the way, as he is the main obstacle to their evil plans. What makes this arc so effective is that there are massive stakes, and the antagonist emerges victorious and completely changes the course of the story since then.

C’mon now, Satoru. Are you letting your mind wander during a fight?

The key to large-scale battles in an action series is having high-stakes, the idea that the status quo that was established can be changed. When audiences are too confident that the good guys will always win with no losses on their side, you start to lose their interest in what happens, because, no matter how dire this situation may seem deep down you know that everything will be OK. However, the Shibuya incident arc completely flips this on its head when Kenjaku’s group seals Gojo, fans realize that this isn’t a simple tried and true battle between the good guys and the bad guys, this is the real deal.

The bad guys start to systematically take down the Jujutsu High sorcerers as they frantically rush to pull themselves together and turn the tide against Kenjaku, but not only are the special grade curses extremely powerful, but they are also organized. Often in anime, villain groups are clumsy and inefficient, but here they were extremely effective at dismantling the sorcerers. What is perhaps one of the best moments is, after Itadori’s battles with Choso, The King of Curses Sukuna is on the loose, and he completely wrecks havoc on Shibuya, killing hundreds of civilians and showing Itadori to torture him.

Some fan-favorite characters are killed, and some villains are defeated, but most importantly, since this arc, the rest of the Jujutsu Kaisen story has completely changed. Shibuya was incredibly effective in altering the status quo and marking a before and after for the series.

How the Anime Enhanced the Arc

The Extraordinary Work by Studio Mappa

The Shibuya incident arc was already a massive fan favorite in the manga, which caused the anticipation and excitement for the upcoming anime adaptation to reach an all-time high. However, it was with the incredible work from studio Mappa that the arc reached the legendary status that it deserved. While season one was already impressive in terms of animation and fight choreography, the battles in the Shibuya incident were the best the series has ever seen. Gojo versus the special grade curses is an incredible spectacle and a demonstration of why he is the strongest sorcerer of today.

  • The fight between Sukuna and Mahoraga was a major highlight of the arc
  • The high stakes elevate the story greatly, getting audiences on the edge of their seats
  • The animation by Studio Mappa delivered on the greatness of the arc

But two fights remain the fan favorites by far: Itadori vs Choso and Sukuna vs Mahoraga. Itadori had previously defeated Kechizu and eso in season one, so their brother Choso was looking for revenge on the killer. As soon as he sees Itadori, he begins his attack and the fight only escalates from there. The two battle in what seems to be not just a physical confrontation but also a chess match as they use feints and tactics utilizing their environment and their powers to one up each other. The fight choreography reminded audiences of popular Korean martial arts films like The Raid. It greatly elevated and perfectly portrayed the expert hand-to-hand combat scene in the manga that the series is known for. But not only does the animation play this role, but also the soundtrack. During the climax of the fight, the anime plays a remixed instrumental version of the song “Remember” by Coldrain, the song used for the battle against the two brothers in season one. Sharp ear fans noticed this, which enhanced their enjoyment and experience of the fight, as some of them now consider “Remember” the song that represents the four Death Painting brothers.

Did you think a measly one or two fingers would grant you the right to order me around?

But what perhaps caught the attention of most audiences was the epic confrontation between Sukuna and Mahoraga. The King of Curses at the highest power level he had at that point against the uncontrollable Ten Shadows Shinigami. The battle is more of a natural disaster than a fistfight, as these City-level fighters completely decimated most of Shibuya. But the animation was the real jaw-dropper in this instance, Studio Mappa delivered a visual spectacle rarely seen in animation. This fight was perhaps the highlight of the year in terms of anime fight scenes, and it is all capped off with Sukuna giving control back to Itadori to show him the destruction he caused using his body as the opening theme plays accompanying his mental breakdown.

The Shibuya Incident arc is a fantastic example of how to do an emotional roller coaster with high-stakes and spectacular action. It is the highest point of Jujutsu Kaisen as it embodies everything that makes the series as beloved and popular as it is. It’s a testament to how grandiose and riveting anime can be. Making audiences cry at the loss of a beloved character or blow their minds with the most extraordinary action they have seen in years.

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2025-03-15 18:26