English Dub Review: Jujutsu Kaisen: “Kyoto Sister School Exchange – Group Battle 3 -“

Overview: The third group battle is underway as Nobara (Anne Yatco) takes on the little witch, Momo (Tara Sands), while Maki (Allegra Clark) goes at it with Kasumi (Allegra Clark) and settles things with her sister, Mai (Laura Post)

Our Take: “One of the benefits of big group battles, such as these, is the spotlight getting passed around among other main and supporting characters.” That’s exactly what I said of last week’s episode as it transitioned to give some other characters some well deserved time in the sun. This episode follows up on the good will that it started and gives the ladies of this series the respect they so rightfully deserve. 

When the fight between Nobara and Momo occurred (in the Japanese subbed version), there was discussion online making the rounds from notable publications. This episode had a major impact on me as well when I first watched it. That along with all the discourse spurred me on to throw my own voice into the mix. And now the much talked about episode finally got it’s English dub debut and Panda sure was right about one thing: Jujutsu Sorcerers sure do have a knack for telling people their misfortunes. Although, in an interesting turn of events, Momo speaks out for more than just herself, however. In her eyes, women must endure much more scrutiny than that of men in our society as a whole, but especially in that of Mai and female Jujutsu Sorcerers. That coupled with Mai’s rough family upbringing, Momo tries to justify who Mai is. The minute that concept was posed, I couldn’t help but contemplate it as it’s a fascinating topic and warrants discussion, especially with the political climate being what it is today. To a certain extent, she’s right and they’re without a doubt stereotypes ingrained in our heads that influence what we perceive and expect out of women. However, my waifu, Nobara, puts it best as she shuts that shit way down! There is some truth in what Momo says, but there is even more so in Nobara as she passionately challenges her way of thinking criticizing using personal trauma as an excuse to hurt others in a awe-inspiring moment for her. Although, I had my criticisms for the sloppy execution of Nobara’s backstory in the past (and still do somewhat). It is, however, beautifully utilized here along with her heartfelt friendship with Itadori. This along with her pride in herself and who she is, not giving two craps about gender norms, is a shining example of one of the series overwhelming strengths: the characters. The scene of her proud declaration is one of, if not, the most genuine moment of Jujutsu Kaisen, thus far. Her love for herself and others serves as a magnificent catalyst for her honesty and empowerment, propelling Nobara to being one of the series greatest characters period and someone that I’ll always be rooting for. Not to mention, Anne Yatco steals the show as Nobara providing good emotional beats that are delivered with intense passion. 

The other side of this episode’s metaphorical coin is Mai, herself, as she hashes it out with Maki, venting her pent up grudge against her. Originally posing herself as a pretty cold hearted person, there wasn’t much to like about her when she was first introduced. However, there’s plenty to engage with this time around, as this episode makes her more sympathetic due to how harshly she was treated by the Zenin family, but it also shows more of her flaws in the process. Her backstory lends itself to establishing her as a more well-rounded woman than what we saw previously and a capable sorcerer overall. It also provides a good juxtaposition between her and Maki, making you appreciate and respect Maki even more with her differing path. 

Jujutsu Kaisen delivers a masterpiece of an episode. It is a triple threat as it facilitates a thought-provoking commentary, continues to give the secondary and supporting cast time to shine while also expertly balances the arcs of the series’ lovely ladies, not going down the generic Shonen route of poorly written female characters, or worse yet, just making them eye candy.