English Dub Review: Jujutsu Kaisen “Ryōmen Sukuna”

As bright, blistering lanterns illuminate an intense gold on the floor of a dim, seal-ridden room, a battered and bruised young man awakens from his slumber. A mysterious blindfolded man tells him that he will die. With a gorgeous-looking compelling hook and mystery abound, one begins to question just what the spiky pink haired boy did to earn himself a place on death row. 

As the sun begins to set, the boy is revealed to be Itadori. He plans to visit his very crabby and obnoxious grandfather at the hospital he is staying at, despite the old man’s aversion to the idea. Elsewhere, a tall black haired fellow searches for a certain cursed object at the Miyashiro Prefectural Sugisawa Third High School at the behest of an playful unknown caller, provoking him all the while. Itadori slacks off with his fellow friends, Sasaki and Iguchi, in the Occult Phenomenon Research Club making fun of their angry council president, at the very same school. Adam McArthur voices Itadori and the chemistry he has with Sasaki and Iguchi is charming and very cute due to their eccentric, energetic nature for all things supernatural. Challenged to a shot put competition, Itadori must beat Takagi, the track and field coach, in order to stay in the occult club. After absolutely decimating his opponent’s distance with his incredible physical prowess, we see his two club members kindly welcome him back. Sasaki takes notice of his athletic ability and tells him not to force himself to stay. Itadori, however, detests. During this quick exchange, it’s made quite clear how warm of an environment they all share together when hanging out and that kindness radiates through during the scene just as much as they do. Also, with the added benefit of being able to go home early and see his grandpa, it’s nothing but a win-win scenario. 

Just before racing on to the hospital, the black haired boy, still searching, realizes the dangerous cursed item he’s been frantically looking for is in the possession of none other than Itadori. Getting to his grandad’s room, Yūji is blasted by him for showing up, especially if he is missing his club to do so. Reassuring him that’s not the case, his grandfather wishes to impart some lasting words to him before he dies. Adorably, Yūji sees through him trying to act cool and also denies him the opportunity to tell him about his parents. Through the expert execution of subtlety in Itadori’s denial of that and also his actions throughout the episode, the great respect and love he has for his grandfather, despite his demeanor, allows for not only a little levity but also some grounded sincerity before what is to come. Yūji’s grandpa wants his grandson to help people. No matter how he may stumble along the way, using his gifts for the good of others is crucial. The pain attributed to the solitude he has been in compels him to not allow Yūji to make the same mistakes he did and end up in bitter isolation. Surrounding himself with loved ones is all he truly desires for him. The utter regret causes a deafening silence that leaves an impression on not only Yūji but the audience as well. Although, along with remorse, it also signals his sudden passing. 

With no time to mourn, the black haired boy tracks down and introduces himself as Fushiguro, a student at Jujutsu Tech, to Itadori. After explaining the danger associated with the cursed object, Fushiguro learns that Itadori only had the case that was housing the item and that he left it to his friends in the club. Racing to secure the object before it gets them killed, they race back to high school. After a gut punch of a scene, the show hits the ground running and doesn’t let up from here. As Fushiguro rushes into action, beautiful inky smears then smoothly transition into puffy smoke effects that stretch across the screen and morph into two demonic dogs. Deciding not to be afraid anymore, realizing his friends don’t deserve this kind of cruel death and even though he was told not to, Itadori bursts onto the scene and aids Fushiguro in destroying a gigantic monster. Then without a moment’s notice, a revolting fat blob creature with various grotesque arms, a green mane and eyes on its tongue attacks Fushiguro, separating him from Itadori and his incapacitated friends. With his dogs out of commission and thrown onto a balcony, Fushiguro is all alone. But within a blink of an eye, Itadori is being thrown around like a rag doll by the disgusting beast in an, ironically, gorgeously animated sequence with frenetic movement as long lanky arms dash across the air. After being tossed around like a bull rider and on the verge of death, he is left but with one choice. To eat the finger. Breaking free like from a child’s grasp, he swipes the creature of the face of the earth as if he was batting a fly. Bloody, distorted chucky particle effects fill the atmosphere. But something has changed. As the beast disintegrates into nothing, we are met with a Yuji with long black nails and tattoos all over. As the clouds reveal the moon’s wondrous glow we are met with a four eyed creature that is definitely not the case. It does not resemble our young hero. Although brief, Ray Chase lights up the screen as a newly incarnated cursed spirit, Ryomen Sukuna, as an elated insatiable animal that takes pleasure in grazing on the fear and flesh of humansa nd fills Fushiguro with a sense of dread of what’s to come. Although, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, as Ryomen doesn’t seem to be alone.